TROJANS TAKE TITLE!

For a full year, Park Hill had the memory of a second place finish at the 2012 state wrestling championships. They not only finished second as a team, but also failed to bring home a single individual title. With Coach Bill Erneste providing them with a constant reminder of that experience all year, the Trojans set their frustration from a year ago free at the 2013 state wrestling meet by running away with the Class 4 team title and going three-for-three in title matches.

“Good is the enemy of great. So when we took second last year, we did pretty good, but for us that was a slap in the face,” Erneste said. “We didn’t get to put one name on our wall saying they were a state champ (last year) and I reminded them every day.”

Park Hill’s 156.5 points represented a comprehensive effort that included eight medal winners. Sean Hosford (106) and KeShawn Hayes (113), who were ranked at the top of their class for most of the season, won title matches to win individual state championships.

“I was here watching last year. It was hard to watch our finalists get second, but we worked hard this year and got it done,” said Hosford, whose confidence increased throughout his freshman season. “(In December) I started to realize I could hang with these guys and just went out and wrestled.”

“The very first day Sean Hosmer stepped in the room, you knew he was special. He’s tough, does things right, makes great grades, says ‘yes sir, no sir’,” Erneste said. “KeShawn, we always count on. He’s our go-to guy and can handle the pressure now.”

Perhaps one of the most crowd-thrilling match of the championship rounds was in the 152 weight class where Colston DiBlasi defeated previously undefeated Cain Salas of Blue Springs (5-1). Salas handedly beat DiBlasi twice during the season.

“It’s one of the best feelings in the world, knowing I’m the best in the state,” DiBlasi said. “I had my ups and downs. Last year I came in here seeded first and felt like everyone was gunning for me. So this year, I think coming in second or third helped me, because they were gunning for another guy.”

“Colston always thinks he can win big matches,” Erneste said. “You can tell when he was warming up; it was the kind of energy where you knew he was nervous, but more anxious than anything.”

In what was described by Erneste as an effort that represented a motivated and selfless family, Park Hill likely clinched their title where many teams could have crumbled. Several Trojans fell in quarter and semi-final matches, but battled back to claim medals. They included John Erneste (3^rd), Hunter Roberts (6^th), Canton Marriott (3^rd), Russ Coleman (6^th), and Malik Colding (3^rd).

“The thing about this team is that it truly is a family. For example, whenever something bad happens in your family, it brings you together. So when John (Erneste) and Russ (Coleman) lost, it just brought us together,” Erneste said. “When you wrestle on the backside you have to think about your team and family. I’m just as proud of the guys who won first as I am of the guys who were disappointed, but had the heart to fight back.”

That same sense of family was echoed by all of Park Hill’s title winners.

“Coach told us in our team meeting the guys on the back side are the ones who will win us the title. The guys in the finals just need to go out and win. That’s what all our finalists did; we went out there with that mentality and came out on top this time.

Erneste went on to talk about the difference between this year’s championship team and those of years past. This team more than any represented support and togetherness.

“Every year there’s a little something different. This year we had to keep them together. With a lot of teams, you have four or five really good guys and they carry the team,” Erneste said. “The reason this team won a state championship is because they carry each other. I’m proud to be a part of it.”

For a team that has won six team state championships in the last ten years and is a mainstay as one of Missouri’s top wrestling programs, Hayes probably stated it best for himself as well as his team.

“As wrestlers we just always want to be the best. Unless we win we’re not satisfied,” Hayes said. “This. It feels right and good.”

PH South seniors leave their mark at state, on program

As Park Hill South coach Dan Dunkin reflected on his team’s performance at the 2013 Missouri State Wrestling Championships, there was somewhat of a bittersweet tone in his voice. The senior class that had set all the school records and just wrapped up the programs highest state finish as a team with their 83 team points and fifth place finish in the state’s largest class, had officially finished their high school careers.

“It’s been a special group,” Dunkin said. “I’ve about lost it a couple times today watching them wrestle their final matches.”

After advancing four wrestlers to the semifinals of the state tournament, senior Alex Fortuna (116 lb) would be the only Panther to advance to a state title match. Fortuna, unranked heading into state, caught fire at the district tournament last weekend and didn’t let up.

“From districts on, he’s been an animal and started to believe he could wrestle really tough kids. He wrestled lights out,” Dunkin said.

While Fortuna’s momentum got him to a final match, it wasn’t enough to carry him over as Park Hill’s KeShawn Hayes would eventually walk away with a convincing title match victory. Nonetheless, Fortuna’s unexpected run through the tournament and second place finish ties teammate Chase Gray for the highest individual finish in program history. Gray placed second last year in the 182 weight class.

“I knew I had a very winnable draw and took advantage of it. I kept my weight down and made sure I was focused,” Fortuna said. “I was a big underdog and just came out and did my best with it being my senior year. It’s awesome to think about.”

Many of Park Hill South’s team points came after a handful of wrestlers lost matches and battled their way up the backside of the bracket to claim medals at third, fourth, fifth, or sixth place. They included Jimmy Carpenter (4^th), Adam Weatherly (3^rd), Alex Weatherly (6^th), Kenric Cook (6^th), and Chase Gray (3^rd).

“We crawled and scrapped our way back in the wrestle backs,” Dunkin said. “We wrestled close and well in all our matches, just couldn’t get to that big one.”

While three-time team captain Chase Gray wasn’t able to get a second chance at a state title from last year, he did win his final match for third place to go out on top. He talked about how as a team, Park Hill South went above and beyond what anyone had thought, even though they missed taking home a fourth place trophy by mere points.

“It was great. I’m sure the coaches couldn’t be any happier with where we finished. Everyone wrestled to their fullest. We just barely missed out on a plaque,” Gray said. “I think we exceeded everyone’s expectations. At the beginning of the year, people didn’t even have us in the Top Ten in the state. Now I know they think differently about Park Hill South.”

Asked if they have had the chance to talk amongst their teammates about how much this season and their careers have meant to them, they talked about their achievements as well as their team chemistry.

“It means a lot,” Fortuna said. “We’re one of the best teams to go through South. Six medalists today, which is a new record. Our team bonding was just amazing.”

Dunkin says he’ll miss this particular senior class, not only for their talent on the mat, but the traits they’ll be able to apply going forward. Not all of his wrestlers will go on to compete in college, but believes they all will see success after wrestling.

“All these guys are scholarly and business-like guys,” Dunkin said. “They have bright futures in whatever they want to do.”

Winter Roundup: Feb. 11-18

Park Hill Boys Basketball

…put up a tough fight against top-ranked Lee’s Summit West last week before falling 76-68. This was a significant improvement from an earlier week loss to Ruskin 64-43. The Trojans (3-19) will conclude their regular season Friday night with Senior Night against St. Joe Central. They come into the district tournament next week overall as an underdog and they will face North Kansas City in the first round on Tuesday. The winner of that game would advance to take on the one seed, Park Hill South, Friday evening.

Park Hill South Boys Basketball

…before pulling out a narrow 54-51 win over St. Joe Central, Park Hill South handed Lee’s Summit West its first conference loss of the season last week with a 63-51 win. Although the Panthers are a long shot in coming from behind to pass the Titans in the final week of the season for the conference title, they will be the top-seeded team at the district tournament starting next week.

The Panthers (17-6) will be the home team throughout the tournament and are scheduled to host the semi-final game on Friday, March 1^st against the winner of the North Kansas City/Park Hill match-up.

Park Hill Girls Basketball

…will take on Staley in the first round of district play next week Monday night. The Lady Trojans fell earlier in the season to Staley by a lopsided score of 59-25. If Park Hill is able to pull off the upset, they would face Park Hill South in the district semifinal February 28^th.

Park Hill South Girls Basketball

…will conclude their regular season this Thursday against Truman before going into the district tournament next week a one-seed. The Lady Panthers split their two games last week with a win over Lee’s Summit West 61-54 before losing a close contest to St. Joe Central 38-36.

Park Hill South (19-4) will host districts and play in the semi-final round Thursday evening against the winner of the Staley/Park Hill contest.

Park Hill South Girls Swimming

…brought home a top ten finish last weekend at the Missouri state swim meet with their 107 team points, which was good enough for eighth place among the 46 teams at the event. Topping the list for Park Hill South was the second place medal brought home by the 200 medley relay team of Tori Beeler, Anna Riekhof, Helen Yeater, and Olivia McLain. The Panthers were just one tenth of a second behind first place finisher Parkway West. The 200 freestyle relay of Abbie Moyes, Beeler, Riekhof, and McLain came in fifth.

Individual finishes for the Panthers included three placements in the 100 backstroke by Riekhof (4^th), McLain, (10^th), and Mariah Ramirez (14^th). Tori Beeler placed ninth in the 200 individual medley.

Park Hill Girls Swimming

…has a new state champion in Lauren Shaw. The senior who moved to Park Hill this year after placing second in two different events as a junior at Warrensburg last year, launched through the preliminary round in the 100 freestyle and clinched the first place medal with half a second between her and the next closest competitor. She would excel in the  100 backstroke as well with a second place finish.

Madison Heydinger placed 13^th in the 500 freestyle and was part of the 200 freestyle relay team of Lauren Shaw, Olivia Woods, and Rebecca Shaw that placed eighth.

Park Hill finished 14^th as a team with 63 team points.