Panthers fall in district opener, look to Winnetonka

Park Hill South’s 20-17 loss to North Kansas City last week not only brings their record to 3-5 on the season, but leaves them thirsting even more for a district victory this Friday as the Panthers try to break a four game losing streak against Winnetonka. The Griffins, at 5-3, is coming off a close 28-25 loss to Fort Osage last week, a game in which Winnetonka had the ball deep in Fort Osage territory with less than a minute to play before missing a game-tying field goal.

One of the most frustrating things isn’t just getting beat by the other team, but feeling like you beat yourself. That’s one of the most disappointing parts of Park Hill South’s 20-17 loss to North Kansas City last week. The Panthers received the ball to start the game, but sophomore quarterback Carson Reid’s first pass landed in the arms of a North Kansas City defender who intercepted the pass and returned it for a touchdown to put the Hornets up 7-0 right off the bad. Like déjà vu all over again, the Panthers received the ensuing kickoff and on their second pass, it was Marcus Jones jumping a Reid pass for an interception. Although, not returned for a touchdown, the pick set up another North Kansas City score putting the Hornets up 13-0 after a missed extra point. The Panthers had put themselves in a tough position early in the game and had trouble regrouping from that point forward.

“The momentum and emotions were way on their side at that point so that was something we were trying to overcome,” coach Mark Simcox said. “You have to give them credit, but we’d like to think that if we win it’s because of what we do and if we lose its also because of what we do.”

North Kansas City was able to add another touchdown before halftime, but the Panthers had battled back having scored a touchdown and field goal to narrow the margin to a 20-9 halftime score. But it was the turnovers that would continue to haunt Park Hill South as Jones would intercept two more passes in the second half to bring his total to three on the night, this time from Panther freshman quarterback Schaefer Schuetz.

“It was something we just couldn’t overcome,” Simcox said. “It wasn’t just the interceptions though because we couldn’t get a stop on defense when we needed to either.”

Park Hill South is looking to combine the return of previously injured key starters in running back Myles Hammonds and linebacker Robert Lane, who recorded an interception against North Kansas City, with some of the small positives they were able to take away from the game.

“We had some success running the ball on offense,” Simcox said. “They didn’t really march up and down the field on us on defense, just made a couple big plays like they needed to.”

For the Panthers it comes down to being able to string together small victories on a play by play basis and not giving opposing teams added advantages against them.

“We’re not good enough right now to the point where we can make penalties or have turnovers and overcome it. We don’t have the big-play ability for that right now.”

While the loss to North Kansas City was an unwelcomed start to district play, the Panthers have two weeks to earn the right to play a third in the state playoffs. Winnetonka and Fort Osage may present tougher obstacles for the Panthers, that adage remains the same going into the last two weeks of the regular season.

“Even before last week we knew that if we won two out of three (in districts), we’re in pretty good shape,” Simcox said. “The teams may be a bigger challenge, but we still have control over what we do.”