Spring roundup: May 14-21

Park Hill and Park Hill South Boys Tennis

…ended their season against Rockhurst in the state sectional round last weekend with a 5-0 loss. In a season where the Trojans found themselves achieving more than expected, Park Hill come into the tournament after winning their sixth district title the week before and knew the deck was stacked against them as the Hawklets. Rockhurst advanced, winning their quarterfinal matchup as well, and moved onto the state final four to be held this weekend.

While the Trojans team season is over, top singles player Michael Jones will be advancing in the individual bracket to the state tournament this coming weekend in Springfield after winning in consecutive sets last week to advance past sectional play. He'll be joined by Park Hill South's Zack Royle who also advanced after clinching a win in consecutive sets of his sectional round appearance last week.

Park Hill Boys Track

…has just barely trailed Liberty all season, having finished second to them in several meets throughout the spring. Saturday’s state sectional track meet at Ray-Pec was no different as the Trojans accumulated 64 team points, a performance placing them in third place behind Liberty and Blue Springs. Park Hill secured two first place finishes, one from Dondrell Hardiman in the 300 hurdles, and the other from Cain Winebrenner in the 800 meter run. 

For Winebrenner, a junior, his trip to state represents the result of a mixture including pure determination and overcoming adversity. After tripping and breaking his clavicle, or collar bone, at the beginning of the season, forcing him to sit out for the better part of two weeks, Winebrenner has mostly been unstoppable the last month having wrapped up first place finishes in the conference, district, and now sectional 800 races.

"What it comes down to is his work ethic because he simply hates to lose," distance coach Jason Parr said. "Him and Joey (Walton) both have a shot at state in the 800 this weekend."

Walton wasn't too far behind Winebrenner as he took second in the 800 along with being a big part of the 4x800 relay team, also featuring Winebrenner, along with Riley Farenholz and Vince Tutorino. Devon Belew in the 400 meter run along with the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams, took third place finishes. All will be making appearances in the Missouri state track meet this weekend in Jefferson City.

Park Hill Girls Track

….ended their season Saturday with a sixteenth place finish in the Missouri state sectionals. The Trojans earned 11 team points from performances by Kim Rau in the 1600 and 3200 meter runs (6th and 7th), Mercedes Robinson in the 3200 meter run (8^th), and Taylor Cofield in the pole vault and triple jump (7^th). Park Hill was unable to qualify any athletes for the state meet this week.

Park Hill South Boys Track

…had two athletes finish in the top eight at sectionals last weekend. Cody Kildow finished sixth in the discus and Max Rodgers placed sixth in the pole vault. Both came up two places short of advancing to the state track meet.

Park Hill South Girls track

…Morgan Keesee qualified for the state track meet this weekend after finishing third in the discus. Keesee, a sophomore, already set the school record in the shot put earlier this year and heads into state with the seventh best recorded throw in the discus out of the projected field according to coach Andy Keefer. Other top performances from the Panthers were Blake Reser in the triple jump (6^th) and the 4x200 relay team of Jordan Hammond, Sydney Minnis, Chandler Termini, and Blake Reser (8th).

Park Hill South Golf

Nick Schleisman finished out his high school career with a two-round score of 164 (78 & 86) last week at the Class 4 state golf tournament. Schleisman finished 58^th in a field of nearly 90 golfers. Teammate Matt Barry shot a 78 the first day as well, but did not finish his final round.

Park Hill South Girls Soccer

…scorched a path through district play last week as they dominated the Class 3, District 15 tournament with a 9-0 victory over Winnetonka and a 5-0 win over Truman in the championship game. The Panthers advanced onto the Class 3 sectional round Tuesday night where they were taking on District 16 champ Kearney as The Citizen was going to press. The Bulldogs advanced to their matchup Tuesday by beating Liberty in their district title game.

While Park Hill South may feel realized to a certain extent by not having to face Liberty, who has ended their season the last three years, the Panthers have no small task in front of them with Kearney, who is currently 24-2 on the year. The Bulldogs defeated Liberty in penalty kicks, a game which may have been an upset in year’s past, but South coach Joe Toigo doesn’t see it that way.

“That was not really an upset, Kearney is the better team this year. If they were playing last year’s Liberty team that is an upset,” Toigo said. “We will have our hands full. They possess the ball very well and do not give up many goals.”

Courtney Claasen will lead a Panther offense with 31 goals and 16 assists on the year. South came into Tuesday’s game with an 18-4-2 record on the year.