After Ray Lee’s goal with 30:16 to go in the second half of the state quarterfinal game last weekend between Park Hill and Rockhurst put the Trojans up 2-0, it looked like it was a cushion that would send Park Hill to its second consecutive state semifinal appearance. Less than 15 seconds later, the game took a considerable turn, as Rockhurst’s Doug Stevenson scored the Hawklets’ first goal to cut the margin to one and shift the game’s momentum.
“Giving up a goal that fast is tough to come back from,” Park Hill coach Dustin Sollars said. “That set the tone for the latter part of the second half.”
With the high stakes, it was a second half that created some fireworks on the field as the physical nature of both teams took over creating the need for the referee to stop play several times to issue yellow cards and threaten players with ejection. It added even more drama to already adrenaline-filled players and fan bases to focus their frustrations on the referee.
“There were a few questionable calls the kids didn’t understand. There were some things earlier in the game not called and then they were called in the second half. For that intense of a game, he did a decent job. It could have gone either way,” Sollars said.
Another Stevenson goal with 10 minutes to play tied the game ultimately sending it into overtime. Both teams were hanging on by a thread, knowing that the next goal would mean the difference between hanging up their cleats for the season and making a trip to St. Louis. A Ray Lee goal was negated with eight minutes to go in overtime when offsides was called.
Neither team produced a goal in two overtime periods, which led to a five-kick penalty shootout to settle the difference. Both teams scored on their first attempt, but the Trojans’ next two shots bounced off the goal’s cross bar. Park Hill goalie Shane VanHooser deflected Rockhurst’s third shot while Joel Gordon and Ray Lee converted the Trojans’ final two kicks. With one Rockhurst attempt left, the penalty kicks were even at three and VanHooser needed a save to force another round. One kick for all the marbles. It wasn’t to be for Park Hill, as Rockhurst’s Alex Buckner netted the final shot to propel the Hawklets into the state semifinals with a 3-2 victory resulting from the 4-3 shootout and an eruption of cheers from the Rockhurst faithful.
It isn’t the finish they had envisioned, but the Trojans finish the year 24-3-1 with conference and district titles. While they didn’t surpass last year’s run into the state semifinals, this year’s team is arguably the school’s best in history. For a senior class that’s played their final game in Trojan red, they’re able to look back on how in four years they were able to put Park Hill soccer on the map with some of the Metro’s best.
“It’s tough for them to recognize what they’ve accomplished. They’ll live in this moment for the next couple hours, but they know what they’ve done and they understand it,” Sollars said. “I’m incredibly proud of them. The standard they’ve set and the respectability they’ve brought back to the program,” Sollars said.
Even after such an emotional loss, Sollars wanted his players to know their achievements aren’t defined by one game, no matter how big the game, and there’s a more important long-term focus.
Even after such an emotional loss, Sollars wanted his players to know their achievements aren’t defined by one game, no matter how big the game, and there’s a more important long-term focus.
“There are bigger things going on. This is a tremendous group of young men who are going to go on to be great at everything they do, good fathers, good husbands. It was a pleasure working with them for four years,” Sollars said.
