FALL PREVIEW: Park Hill Boys Soccer

After making it all the way to the state semi-finals in 2009 and quarterfinals in 2010, last year the Park Hill boys soccer team had their regular season ups and downs, but sure enough when it came time for the playoffs they rolled through district play for a third straight title and, once again, advanced through sectionals to the state quarterfinals where they eventually lost to Lee’s Summit West. They come into 2012 under the new leadership of first year head coach Josh Marchbank and will again be looking to work their way into the state playoffs.

“I’m extremely excited to lead the Trojans this year. I’m very passionate about the program and believe that this group has the tools to once again be one of the best teams in Kansas City.”

While Park Hill finished the season as one of the state’s final eight teams, Marchbank hopes their preparation coming into this year puts them in a position to win more regular season games, which he believes will prepare them better for playoff competition.

“Last year we got to the state quarterfinal and were 15-12,” Marchbank said. “Last year was kind of an eye opener for some of our younger guys that saw what it takes to win. They really focused on building off that over the summer.”

Led by a strong group of seniors, Park Hill returns nine players with significant varsity playing time. Matt Russell, Timmy Hay, and Neal Sampson will combine for a strong offensive attack with Hay returning as the Trojans’ top goal scorer and Sampson their top assist man from 2011. Cain Winebrenner will lead the defense along with Austin Martin and Shane Belew. While Park Hill will have strengths on both ends of the field, their coach says it all comes together at the midfielder position where Keaton Anchors, Nick Hibbeler, and Alec Fiest will start the season.

“We have a lot of midfielders right now. For the kind of soccer style we’ll be playing, it will be very quick, so it will be disciplined and dangerous with those three guys,” Marchbank said. “The formations we’ll use are something I grew up with and fit the guys we’ve got real well.”

No matter what style of play they use, their underlying motivation for 2012 comes from meeting and exciting the expectations set over the past three years.

“The thing that is going to keep us together is our goal of getting back to the state tournament. That’s the baseline we set,” Marchbank said. “Honestly, conference awards don’t have that much stock for us. It’s really how far we can take the team at the state level.”

They’ll have the opportunity to play Oak Park at Livestrong Sporting Park on September 28th. Park Hill kicks the season off at the Liberty Tournament where they’ll play perennial Kansas City soccer programs Blue Springs and Liberty, who will give the Trojans a preview of what playoff competition could look like come October.