Trojans turn to big-play ability of Ruskin following overtime victory

Coming off a thrilling 13-7 overtime victory in week one at Liberty, the Park Hill Trojans return home to host the Ruskin Eagles Friday. They’ll be looking to improve on their 1-0 start to the season with another victory before preparing for what could shape up to be one of the best matchups in the city against Park Hill South on September 9th.

Ruskin, who fell in their opener 42-28 to Truman, suffered from several turnovers throughout the game with three interceptions, three lost fumbles, a safety, and a number of penalties. Park Hill will look to rattle Ruskin quarterback Tino Martin, who was injured during last year’s 35-13 Trojan victory, in hopes of seeing the same results they were able to produce against Liberty last week where they benefited from two Blue Jays lost fumbles at critical points in the game. The Eagles will sport an offense similar to Liberty’s which will benefit Park Hill in terms of weekly defensive adjustments, but the most hostile threat to the Trojans will be Ruskin’s big play ability.

“We’re going to have to win this game up front by controlling big plays,” Reynolds said. “They’re the type of team that could only get four positive plays all night, but they may result in 28 points.”

Big plays were exactly what Park Hill and Liberty lacked last week for a majority of the game. If you would have walked into the stadium midway through the fourth quarter you wouldn't have missed very much leading up to that point as the score remained 0-0.
When the Trojans gained possession after a Liberty punt at the 8:13 mark in the fourth quarter, they began and finished what they had failed to do all night: mount a long-standing drive based off their familiar smash-mouth, physical style of football. But 11 plays and 64 yards later, it was Jordan Wang, the fullback turned tailback who powered through the Liberty defense for a 5-yard touchdown run to put Park hill up 7-0 with 2:07 left in the game.

“Long story short, we kept battling, won field position, and were finally able to break through,” Reynolds said of the score. “Basically our line was doing a good enough job of leaning forward that we could get two or three yards at a time. We are who we are. We’re going to run the ball until they stop it and then we’re run it some more.”

Based on Liberty’s offensive production and five fumbles up to that point, you couldn’t be blamed if you counted the Blue Jays out, but as many were caught heading towards the exits, Liberty’s passing game exploded in a huge way. After receiving the kickoff, Pate Tyler’s 36-yard reception to begin the drive was followed by a 38-yard reception by Max Bamburg which all of a sudden put the Blue Jays in the red zone. Two plays later, Lucas Norton hit Tyler again for a six-yard touchdown reception that tied it up at 7-7 with just 23 seconds. Following the kick-off, Park Hill elected to run the clock out and take the game to overtime.

Liberty gained possession first, but failed to gain a first down and forewent a field goal attempt. Park Hill capitalized on their second play from scrimmage in overtime when Wang took a handoff 21 yards for the game winning touchdown and a 13-7 Trojans victory. Wang finished the night with 31 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Their week one victory represents a significant and early boost to a team that will face steep competition down the road.

“It’s huge. I told everyone if we can get this one, we have a chance to really springboard. If we can get on a roll right now and get on towards the middle of our season, it’s going to be good for us,” Reynolds said. “This is a young group that needed some confidence. Beating a team named Liberty is always good.”

Focus now on Blue Springs South for Panthers after firing on all cylinders in opener

After a week one shutout victory against Belton 30-0, the Park Hill South Panthers will now begin what is sure to be a challenging string of games the next two weeks. This Friday they'll travel to Blue Springs South to take on a 1-0 Jaguars squad fresh off a shutout of their own against Raytown South 29-0. In last season's matchup Park Hill South suffered a discouraging 34-7 early season loss to the Jaguars. They'll be going up against a program that has become known as one of the best in the city, which means the Panthers won’t have much room for error if they want to continue their winning ways.

"They're a team that doesn't lose on their own, you have to beat them. I mean they line up where they're supposed to every time and rarely miss assignments," head coach Mark Simcox said. "They're going to make you earn it by putting together eight and nine play scoring drives."

The Panther defense will have their eyes set on shutting down Blue Springs South and running back Trey Ervin who rushed ten times for 126 yards and two touchdowns last Friday. Additionally, they'll look to put pressure on quarterback Connor Harris who threw for 98 yards and also posted 10 points as part of a three field goal and one extra point kicking performance.

"It doesn't look like they have three or four division one players like they've had in the past, but they do have some good skilled athletes. A talented quarterback that’s involved in everything they do," Simcox said. "We have to avoid going three and out. If we can keep our defense rested and off the field, then I think we'll do well."

Park Hill South hopes to continue firing on all cylinders after an all-around solid performance against the Belton Pirates last week. South took a modest 14-0 lead into halftime on the heels of two Craig Scott touchdown receptions. Scott finished the game with four receptions for 63 yards. The flood gates opened though at the beginning of the third quarter when Sola, known for his speed and agility turned the heat up with a touchdown run spanning nearly half the field. Sola finished with 42 yards rushing and 72 yards passing. South’s tailback, Myles Hammons, wasn’t able to quench his end zone thirst against the Pirates, but was a major part of the Panther offense as he racked up 142 yards rushing on 28 carries.

"They had seven or eight guys going each way compared to us just having one and I think they just lost steam in the second half," Simcox said.

The ensuing possession gave the Panthers defense their chance to shine as Nick Gillespie intercepted a Belton pass and returned for it for a touchdown putting South up 28-0 early in the second half. The Panthers defense tacked on a safety when a group of players took down a Pirates back in the end zone at the beginning of what would eventually be a relatively quiet fourth quarter increasing the score to 30-0 leaving South with an impressive opening week victory.

Fall Roundup: Aug. 22 - Aug. 27

Park Hill South Softball
.... went 3-2 in their season opening tournament last weekend in Joplin. They were able to score victories against Bartlesville (9-3) and Neosho twice (12-11, 7-5). They were beaten by McDonald County (2-0) and Carl Junction (5-2). Coach Josh Walker's team was able to make contact and hit the ball pretty well with an overall batting average over .330, but Walker said his teams fielding was an area which needed to improve on. They'll play at Raytown and Winnetonka this week.
 
Park Hill Girls Tennis
The Park Hill girls tennis team started the season off with a 6-3 victory of Liberty last week. Led by top player Suzanne Barth, the number one Lady Trojan in singles defeated Kristen Filardo with an impressive 10-2 before teaming up with doubles partner Anna Karasiewicz to beat Filardo and Cassidy Paul 10-4. They were unable to maintain the hot start against Pembroke Hill as they suffered an 8-1 loss in a poor performance for Park Hill. Barth was able to edge out Pembroke's McCray 10-8 in the top doubles matchup, but McCray was able to exact revenge in doubles when she and teammate Czerwinski downed Barth and Karasiewicz 10-4. They'll host St. Theresa's Academy Thursday in their only scheduled match of the week.

Park Hill Girls Golf
Park Hill girls golf saw high quality results in their first week of the 2011 season. Placing sixth at the Liberty Invitational, Anna Kloeppel and Adrianna Elliott tie for 16th place while Bailey Warlen just a few places behind in 23rd. They capped off their week with a 51 stroke win over Platte County when they shot a team score of 193 compared to the Pirates 244. Adrianna Elliott led Park Hill with a score of 45. They play at Staley followed by a match at Winnetonka and Oak Park this week.

Park Hill South Girls Tennis
Lady Panthers tennis began their season with a 7-2 win over Blue Springs. Top singles player Adele Royle defeated the Wildcats top player with a quick 8-0 victory. Marie Gehrke followed it up with an 8-3 win over Blue Springs number two player. Royle and Gehrke reaffirmed their solid play with an 8-0 victory in their doubles match. They host Liberty and Oak Park in separate matches this week.

Park Hill South Girls Golf
Park Hill South placed third in the large field of 23 teams at the Liberty Invitational last week. Junior Lindsey Gile placed fifth while senior Kelli Mulligan placed ninth out of 89 players. Later in the week they defeated St. Joe Central with a team score of 207 to Central's 220. Gile was a medalist with a score of 46 just eight over par.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Park Hill looks strong in the trenches

The 2011 Trojan football team will feature some familiar names back in the lineup from Park Hill’s 7-4 squad from last year, this a benefit of having key injuries last season where others were able to gain experience at the varsity level when they may not have otherwise. It was especially the case with the offensive line which returns three players with significant time including Alex Connor, Alex Bowser, and Zach Anderson. Connor Farmer, at 6’6” will either be a tall target as a tight end or presence as an offensive lineman, depending on how a few injuries progress leading into week one.

Taking the snaps will be senior quarterback Tyler White who coach Greg Reynolds says he feels has improved greatly through the offseason and presents the most comfortable choice as a leader and Trojan signal caller. White will have a number of weapons to choose from when it comes to skills players. Senior Jordan Wang, the Trojans fullback and second leading rusher last season, will become the number one tailback for Park Hill presenting a strong, aggressive type of running style. As a leading member of the defense a year ago, he’ll now focus solely on offense unless a situation presents the need. Backing him up and also sure to contribute will be junior Dondrell Hardiman. The two present two different styles of running which will allow the Trojans to utilize both of their talents.

“He (Hardiman) is going to be a part of what we do. He’s too good of an athlete. We can use him in a lot of different ways. He has some of the best hands on the team. They’re two different kinds of backs. Dondrell is a speedier back where Jordan is going to be able to get you the yards you need,” Reynolds said.

Chris Heustus will lead the way at full-time along with Zach Montgomery. Out wide at receiver, Reynolds says there are several players showing promise which adds to the depth and flexibility they can have on offense. Additionally, the running backs will be active in the passing game as they’ve also demonstrated an ability to be relied up on to catch the ball.

“But at the same time it all depends on what happens up front,” Reynolds said referring to the offensive line.

Defensively, the Trojans will be strong up the middle with defensive lineman Ondre Pipkins and lineback Will Gaye returning as two of Park Hill’s most reliable stoppers. On both sides of Gaye will be a younger group of linebackers and if they adjust to the varsity level well could have the Trojan defense shaping up to be a strongpoint. Pipkins, at 6’3” 325 pounds, recently committed to play at the University of Michigan next year and will be tasked with taking on opposing teams’ inside gaps.

“When you have an anchor in the middle like that, you feel pretty good,” Reynolds said.

Gage Wright returns at corner as the Trojans’ leading interceptor. The secondary is an area with good depth, but short on height, which is not something Reynolds is worried about because of his primary focus on stopping the ground game.

“Our philosophy has always been that you have to stop the running game, if you don’t do that we’re probably not going to stop the passing game either,” Reynolds said. “You can sometimes lose games because of big plays, but our overall philosophy is to run the ball and hold possession, very rarely do we score 21 points and lose.”

Liberty, Staley, and Lee’s Summit West will test Park Hill this year in addition to a newly energized Park Hill South rival. While the Trojans have won six consecutive district titles, they will be looking to gain their first playoff victory in over four years.

FOOTBALL PREVIEW: Park Hill South wants to build on playoff season

The 2010 Park Hill South football season was one of change for the Panthers. They had a new head coach in Mark Simcox, a new program, and, to their satisfaction, new results. Their district championship sent them to the state playoff appearance for the first time since 2004. They went on to advance to the state quarterfinals before falling in a low-scoring game Staley, 7-3. It didn’t take long for South to buy into Simcox’s philosophy after the 7-4 season that produced those type of results, making it that much easier for them to get back to work this fall.

“We’re so much further ahead than we were last year, it’s not even comparable,” Simcox said. “I was still learning names and the system was new, but because of the camps and everything we’re way ahead now. It won’t do us any good if we don’t continue to progress, but I feel good with where we’re at.”

While South returns six players with varsity experience on the defensive side from last year, it will be the offense where they’ll need production to improve the most. The memory of not scoring a touchdown against Staley in their final game last season still lingers in players’ minds.

“Not being able to score a touchdown in that playoff game against Staley kind of sticks in your throat a bit,” Simcox said. “Lot of different ways we could have won it, but bottom line is we couldn’t find a way to score and didn’t stop them when we needed to.”

Only two starters return on offense including guard-turned-center, Jon Holden, and wide receiver Craig Scott who will cause some problems for opposing secondaries. Evan Martin, Cody Kildow, and Seth Cline will join Holden on the offensive line with Myles Hammonds behind them as the top tailback. The person taking the snaps at quarterback though, has yet to be determined, but among those vying for the position is senior Eddie Sola, an all-conference safety. At the moment, Simcox says Sola will likely take half the snaps to start the season while two younger quarterbacks, sophomore Carson Reid and freshman Shaefer Schuetz, will compete for the other half and possibly take over as a full-time starter.

“We’re just going to let it work itself out,” Simcox said. “We’ve got a senior that runs really well. His strength is his legs and he’s fast. We’d like to not have to play him all the time because he’s an all-conference player on defense as well.”

Speaking of defense, the players caught on real quick to the new scheme that Simcox brought with him last year.

“You can call it a 5-2 or a 3-4, it all adds up the same,” Simcox said. “Defensively, it was a little easier because once you get lined up you’re running to the football no matter what. It allows us to play pretty solid against a tight end and people that run the ball.”

Up front the Panther defense will be experienced and tenacious with three year starter Ron Anderson returning at nose guard with fellow tackle Aaron Gray. Robert Lane and Nick Gillespie will play important roles because of their versatility at any one time to be lined up as defensive ends rushing into the backfield or as outside linebackers looking to break-up the pass. Sola will also be a big part of South’s secondary defense at safety.

An overall theme that Simcox wants to continue to emphasis is an increased physicality in the way they play. The 2011 team won’t outsize very many of their opponents, but their speed and toughness should be a way to counteract any disadvantages they may see.

“Probably more than anything else, we want to continue what we started last year by being a more physical team. As small as we are, we also have to be fast, smart, and tough,” Simcox said.

Park Hill South will face two early tests with Blue Springs South in week two and Park Hill in week three along with a much anticipated rematch with Staley in week seven.

BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW: Park Hill aims to continue postseason success

Two consecutive trips to the state quarterfinals will be quite a performance to match for the 2011 Park Hill boys soccer team, but that’s exactly what they’ve got their eyes set on in additional to defending their conference and district titles. While the Trojans loss one of their most successful senior classes in school history, the cub board is not completely bare as they return a handful of starters and players with significant playing time.

Defender Devon Belew and midfielder Parker Melott serve as Park Hill’s only returning starters. They’ll be joined by defender Fernando Garcia, midfielder Neal Sampson, forward Matt Russell, midfielder Keaton Anchors, Cain Winebrenner, and first year varsity goalkeeper Mason Fannin.

Head coach Dustin Sollars says he’s excited about the talent he has coming back and that this year’s team will find its strength on defense compared to the high powered offensive teams he’s had in recent years.

“Our strength is definitely going to be on defense. We’ve got three guys out of our back four who have been on varsity their whole careers. So that is exciting,” Sollars said. “But at the same time, we’ve got a first year varsity goal keeper. I think he has a talented group in front of him though.”

One thing the Trojans will need to develop more is the mental portion of the game that last year’s team had been able to build on through their tested experience. An adjustment Sollars says will be important to the team is the transformation of last year’s role players into this year’s key contributors.

“We’re expecting people to step up and be leaders of this team, and before this, they’ve never had that responsibility. Until now they’ve been able to follow others and just play a role. Now our role players are becoming leaders, captains, great contributors. If they can handle it, we’ll be good. If they can’t, we’ll struggle,” Sollars said.

Even as two-time defending conference champs, Park Hill will have their eyes set on Lee’s Summit West and Truman if they want to successfully repeat. While the Trojans won’t have as decorated a team as they have in the past, one area to track throughout the season is the team’s ability to rebound from potential setbacks. A tough schedule awaits them starting with the Olathe Invite followed by tough matchups along the way that include a two-game road trip to Springfield, the Park Hill South Panther Classic, and Rockhurst. Capitalizing on a strong defense, they hope that even with one or two goals a game, 2011 could be another winner.

“If we can make sure we hold opponents to a few, if any goals, we have a great chance to be successful,” Sollars said.

BOYS SOCCER PREVIEW: Park Hill South will one of top teams in the area

Coming into this season, the Park Hill South boys soccer team is shaping up to be one of the top teams in the metro. This not only based on their surprising 20-6 record last season as a young and inexperienced group, but also the fact they return almost all of that team again this year. Coach Joe Toigo says his team won some games last year that the other team didn’t necessarily think they should have lost, but South expects to have the upper-hand and more control over their destiny this season.

“A lot of teams last year thought they should have beat us, but we won a couple in penalty kicks. We’re hoping more than last year that we’ll be able to make teams play us instead of us play them. Hope to physically be a little better and hold the ball on their end more,” Toigo said.

Leading a more experienced, but still young squad this year will be four seniors. Central defender Sam Tuggle, outside defender Ethan Robb, wing Tyler Easton, and Robert Geary. All Toigo says have a lot of experience and could play in college if they want. Also coming back are junior forwards Brody Bouillion (6 goals, 4 assists) and Alex Weatherly (10 goals, 12 assists). Sophomore Josh Hall and Nick Smith will play big roles in regards to controlling the tempo of the game as the midfield positions.

“They’re all very good soccer players, very versatile and can play a lot of different positions. Not the traditional one position players,” Toigo said. “We’re hoping this is something we can building and carry on for several years.”

Heath Turner, his eleven shutouts and 118 saves return at goalie, while a starter last year, the 6’4” last resort of protection put a strong focus on camps and clinics in the offseason to become what his coach describes as one of the team’s most improved players.

The Panthers will kick things off at the competitive Olathe Tournament where they’ve seen success in the past. They’ll likely see strong contention from Belton and Fort Osage as they defend their conference title. Liberty, Oak Park, and Park Hill highlight benchmark games in the schedule. Traveling to St. Louis for the Gateway Classic will expose South to three very good out of town teams with three different styles of play as a good tune-up for postseason play.

Most important though is breaking a three year district title drought that has left them as runners-up and on the sidelines from the Missouri state playoffs.

“If we do what we’re supposed to do early, then we don’t have to worry about the dramatics at the end (like last year),” Toigo said. “The attacking players are there. The potential is there. These guys could become a very good team. We just have to nurture it.”

VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: Park Hill will focus on tough defense

Coming off a 14-16 record in their first year under new leadership, the Park Hill volleyball team and second year coach Lindsey Hood welcome back a group of players that will use last season’s ups and downs as a benchmark to improve their performance. Even though 2011 is a different season, Hood’s coaching emphasis on defense will continue to be unwavering. Not only will they be stronger experience-wise, but athletically.

“We will be looking to improve our defense again this year,” Hood said. “The girls have been in the weight room getting stronger and hope that is shown throughout the program at all levels.”

The Trojans will welcome back a strong core of last year’s squad including letter winning seniors Jenny Riddle, Halley Knudson, Haley Vernon, junior Lindsey Grace, and sophomore Angelica Pasek. Riddle led the team in assists with 485, Knudson in digs with 216, and Grace with 193 kills. Pasek, who finished the year in the libero position, will be transitioning from a back row player to move of an all-around player, which will allow her ball control to assist the offense more. Senior Teagan Anderson, junior Davon Thomas, and freshman Katie Reichert will also contribute and challenge for positions.

A distant second place finish last year left Park Hill with a taste of what it is like to have conference success. With many of the teams appearing to be competitive coming into 2011, Hood says every game will count and being prepared is a necessity.

“The teams throughout the conference are pretty evenly matched,” Hood said. “We hope to go and play each one to the best of our ability, knowing on any given night, anyone could win.”

With a full year of implementing the program under her belt, Hood believes there will be a more athletic and dedicated team on the floor this fall.

“This year’s team has worked hard in the weight room and put time in with other sports this past spring and summer,” Hood said. We really try to encourage the multi-sport athlete and most of these girls are running with the thought of it. This year you will see their athleticism and hard work out on the court.”

VOLLEYBALL PREVIEW: Park Hill South ready for another solid season

Park Hill South’s volleyball program has been able to continuously reload year after year since the school opened well over a decade ago. The 2011 will be no different as they look to imitate, if not exceed, their 24-6-4 record from last year which included an undefeated 12-0 conference championship. Head coach Debbie Fay says there are certain things required to be a part of her team and stepping up is just one of them.

“At South we teach all our players to be ready to fill shoes the next year,” Fay said. “We have a level of play that is expected and a work ethic that is hopefully improved upon each year they are in the program. It helps to be consistent and to not settle.”

With that in mind, the Panthers will be replacing two seniors coming into this season. Returning are two key pieces to last year’s team: the sole senior, middle hitter Emma Hagedorn who lead the team in blocks while second in kills last year and junior Tori Kerr who led the team in kills. Fay says Kerr is one of, if not, the hardest workers on the team as she never takes a play off and that Hagedorn has taken her skills to a new level in addition to being a positive reinforcement for younger players.

Joining them in the active varsity rotation will be Ashton Anderson, Claire Friedlund, Skylar German, Lindsey Yager, and Emma Eickhoff. There will be some other athletes that will fit in the mix as well and Fay admits it is nice to have more depth than usual this season. Together they’ll be looking to defend and repeat as conference champions and avenge a district title game loss in which Winnetonka defeated South on their home court in two games.

While South has proven they are an annual contender, Fay says the individual players and how a team bonds together can make a difference.

“Teammates matter and you have to play to make your teammates shine,” Fay said. “Then and only then do you have the best opportunity to reach your goals.”

A simple, but tough adage to stick to for Park Hill South will be ‘win the games we’re supposed to’. They’ll refer to this as they battle local competitors Liberty, Staley, and two rematches with Winnetonka and use back to back weekend tournaments at Fort Osage and Truman in October to gear up for what they hope is a run through districts and into the Missouri state playoffs.

GIRLS TENNIS PREVIEW: Park Hill looks like another contender

Park Hill girls tennis is a particularly goal-oriented program, more so than most teams, and over the past five seasons there haven’t been many that have gone unfulfilled. This evident from the five consecutive conference championships, three straight district crowns, and two state semi-final appearances, not to mention the individual honors earned by those teams.

It was even more surprising to see exactly how high those goals reach when we caught a glimpse of the form coach Tim Kalis asked his players to fill out at the start of the season. Not only did it list typical goals like winning a conference, district, or state championship, but they varied in degree from simply learning to be a solid recreational player to being ranked in the state to actually winning a Grand Slam title as a professional. Kalis wants his athletes to think big as he does and he’s continuously trying to find ways to inspire them, his latest a speech called “Quiet Confidence” he first heard used for Texas Christian University’s baseball team.

The Trojans return this season with three of their top six players including individual state qualifier and top-ranked senior Suzanne Barth, doubles state qualifier sophomore Brooke Barnard, and Anna Karasiewicz. Competing for the remaining spots are a group of girls who Kalis said will push each other throughout the season resulting in several experiments with different players in the lineup. They include Morgan Pehlman, Abby Peoples, Brianna Donahue, Beth Cooper, Megan Meier, Kaylin Lake, and Makana Welsh along with several novice players that could edge their way into some playing time this season.

While Park Hill returns several cornerstones of last year’s team, Kalis says this year more than any they’ll have to rely on the little things to beat the tough competition in the area.

“Collectively, this year’s women’s tennis team must rely on extreme hustle, grit, and sound fundamentals (such as footwork) to meet our challenges, overcome obstacles, and reach our team goals,” Kalis said. “Our focus during practices has always been and will continue to be what we can control once we step out on the court – effort and attitude."

Both Barth and Barnard will be working towards an opportunity to avenge early exits from the state tournament last year as Barth was defeated in the singles tournament by eventual state champion Lindsey Whitehead of Ladue. Barnard, with partner Kate Skorija, suffered the same fate with a defeat by the doubles title winner, also of Ladue. While Barth, a 2008 doubles state champion, may best represent the words of ‘quiet confidence’ and is ready for her senior campaign, Kalis says Barnard has been a strong vocal presence over the course of the summer and into the pre-season and expects them both, along with Karasiewicz, to be solid leaders.

“She’s (Barnard) really been aggressive in calling the girls up to hit over the summer and getting people together for activities,” Kalis said.

As several Northland teams continue to develop into top programs, it will make it that much more difficult for Park Hill to stay above the likes of teams like Liberty and Park Hill South. The key to the Trojans 2011 campaign will be developing the bottom half of their varsity roster to complement the solid and experienced talent they have at the top.