South gets first win, ready to Homecoming

After their 19-15 win over Truman last week gave them their first win of the season, Park Hill South comes into this week’s Homecoming matchup against Ruskin looking to string back-to-back victories together to build much-needed momentum towards the second half of their season.

Ruskin (0-3) is coming off a 49-13 loss to Platte County last week where they were able to compile 203 passing yards and score on big plays.

“They’re athletic — they always are,” Park Hill South coach Mark Simcox said of Ruskin. “They’re going to be better than the previous week, and I’m glad we’re playing them towards the beginning of the season, not the end. It’s another home game for us, so we’re looking forward to Homecoming and all of the festivities that come with that.”

Simcox said clinching their first win was relieving so they can come into this week more comfortable and able to focus on the immediate opponent at hand.

“It’s going to allow us to relax a bit,” Simcox said. “Kids have expectations and they put a lot of pressure on themselves. When you lose you don’t feel very good about it, and we didn’t feel good about those first two losses.”

Park Hill South and Truman came into Friday night’s game looking like two similarly-matched teams. Truman established itself first with a steady and methodical initial drive which produced the first score of the game when Demetric Dinwiddie took a short handoff for a touchdown to put Truman up 7-0 late in the first quarter.

Things would continue to go Truman’s way as they intercepted a Shaefer Schuetz pass on the following drive and returned it 43 yards to the Park Hill South 30-yard line. But that would ignite the Panther defense. They proceeded to force a Patriots turnover on downs and limited the Patriots to only 61 yards passing and 62 yards rushing on the night.

Park Hill South’s offense took over and followed a consistent script in all three of the Panthers’ scoring drives — running back Myles Hammonds would carry the Panther offense down the field before Schuetz connected with receiver Craig Scott for a short-range touchdown pass. Hammonds, who gained 215 yards rushing on 45 carries, was playing in his first complete game since suffering an ankle injury last year.

“We’re a different team when we have him,” Simcox said. “I’m sure he got tired. When you have long drives that’s what happens.”

The Panthers first score would come late in the second quarter when Schuetz connected with Scott on a five-yard out pattern, good for a three-yard touchdown pass. The point after attempt failed, giving Truman a narrow 7-6 halftime lead.

Park Hill South continued with what worked in their first drive of the second half for their second score on the same play the Panthers scored with the previous time another Schuetz-to-Scott touchdown pass. Missing the point-after once again, Park Hill South edge ahead to a lead of 12-7.

“That particular short route, we look at as an extention of our run game,” Park Hill South coach Mark Simcox said. “That’s something we think we can get three or four yards from eight out of ten times. He (Scott) runs it really well and it’s hard to defend.”

Truman’s Dinwiddie would score again when he received the ensuing kickoff and took it 92 yards for a touchdown to put the Patriots back on top. With a two-point conversion, Truman went up 15-12 late in the third quarter.

Feeling some of their best offensive rhythm of the season, Park Hill South received the ball on the ensuing drive. This time it was Schuetz escaping the pocket athletically to get the ball to his top receiver, Scott, for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Park Hill South had regained the lead 19-15. Schuetz would finish 11-of-16 for 129 yards while Scott would record six receptions, 44 yards, and three touchdowns.

Looking to work the clock late in the fourth quarter, Truman forced a Panther fumble and turnover at the 2:38 mark earning themselves one last chance to regain the lead. Park Hill South would pull out all the defensive stops to gain the ball back and then use every means necessary to grind out the last seconds on the clock including a fake punt on their last play to finally clinch their first win of the season 19-15.

“Getting a win no matter how you get it is still better than the alternative,” Simcox said after the game. “Our kids feel so much better about what we’re doing. It’s always better to start a week by building on what you’ve done than fix things from the night before.”