Panthers, Trojans sports court similarities

Although Park Hill won Monday’s matchup between against Park Hill South 6-3, the two tennis teams at first glance sport similar records, but both have experienced their share of challenges as they approach the stretch run of their regular season before heading in district play.
Park Hill, at 8-2 on the season coming into Monday’s match, lost to conference opponent Lee’s Summit West earlier in the season, all but assuring their conference title streak would likely end. A loss to a talented Pembroke Hill squad accounted for their second loss. With the absence of one of their top players, Blake Barnard, who suffered a season ending injury before the beginning of the season, Park Hill is dealing with a different lineup than they expected two months ago, giving younger players an opportunity to play up while also embracing an underdog self-image.
“The kids knew they’ve had to work extra hard and use every second of practice time to be as productive as possible,” Park Hill Coach Tim Kalis said. “Kids like the underdog mentality.”
Michael Jones and Max Schoettger have stepped up to solidify themselves as the Trojans’ top two players.
“They’re leading each other,” Kalis said. “They both feel that fire together and have bought into playing together. They complement each other real well.”
The bottom of the lineup has seen healthy competition amongst themselves with Louis Reinmiller and Chris Toe battling for the three and four spots while Noah Higgins-Dunn, Trevin Howerton, and Austin Keberlein have all seen different roles throughout the season.
“I’ll take 8-2 at this point, we beat North Kansas City 6-3, which was big for us,” Kalis said. “Taking this win today is good too, because Park Hill South has a really nice team.”
Park Hill South is facing another set of obstacles. While they have not lost any players to injuries, the Panthers came into this season vastly young and inexperienced with the loss of their top senior Griffin Smith to graduation. Junior Zack Royle has picked up where he left last year and has been unblemished so far as an undefeated top singles player. He’s teamed up in doubles with sophomore Jim Geary, who has been playing through a shoulder injury. When districts come along though, the two will likely try to advance in the singles bracket, which Coach Ian Cunliff says will make them stronger as individual competitiors.
“He (Royle) has been a really good leader, filling the void that Griffin (Smith) left when he graduated,” Cunliff said. “This year they’re going to be playing in singles. Zack is probably a better doubles player because of the energy he brings, but it just works better for our team because everyone is growing into a different role. If they both play singles, they’ll be able to grow more as players.”
Cunliff described this season as a rebuilding year prior to the season and believes the team is coming along, despite their growing pains.

“It’s been a tough season for us so far. We’ve got a lot of young guys coming out to compete,” Cunliff said. “They’re getting better every time they step on the court. It doesn’t always translate to wins immediately, but they’re improving.”
Also contributing for Park Hill South has been freshman Joshua Robaska, who is currently in his first year of competitive tennis, but has come through with some big wins in his inaugural season. Not to mention a number of younger players using this season as a stepping stone towards future success.
“We’ve got some young players who are going to be pretty good players down the road,” Cunliff said.
Both teams will participate in the Northland Invitational next weekend.

SPRING OUTLOOK: Park Hill South Boys Tennis

Park Hill South proved their boy’s tennis program continued on the up and up last year. Starting where they left off the year before, the Panthers won all their dual matches on except one on their way to repeating as a conference champions, won the team district title, and advanced past sectionals into the state quarterfinals before falling to Rockhurst. The Panthers’ top doubles team of Griffin Smith and Zack Royle advanced as a pair to state, placing in the top five, which was the highest finish in the programs history.

With last year in the rear view mirror and Smith now playing at Truman State, Royle returns for his junior year to now serve as the Panthers top player and take over as a captain leading what Coach Ian Cunliff describes as a young team with high potential.

“This is a rebuilding year with a young team that will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience,” Cunliff said. “We look forward to learning as much as possible over the next few months and are excited about our chances.”

While Royle will likely play both singles and doubles, his partner or the other pairs have not completely been decided yet. Joining him on the varsity level will be Jim Geary, Josh Robaska, Brandon Courtney, Josh Boehm, and Garrison Ballam.

Despite new and old faces alike competing for the Panthers in 2012, their goals remain relatively unchanged including another trip to the playoffs and to beat rival Park Hill, which has traditionally come hand in hand.

“Our goals are to qualify for postseason play, beat Park Hill, qualify two players for state individual play, and to learn as much as possible,” Cunliff said.

Park Hill South starts the season off with two home matches against Park Hill and Fort Osage next week.

Royle, Smith took PHS tennis to new heights with fifth place finish at state

Although the swinging rackets, squeaking courts, and blazing tennis balls have been silenced and the books closed on the high school tennis season for a little over a week now, Park Hill South senior Griffin Smith and sophomore Zack Royle’s fifth place finish in the Missouri Class 2 state doubles tournament will go down as the best finish in Panther history. The two all-state selections defeated Parkway Central in their opening round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory before falling to Kirkwood in three matches. The loss eliminated them from title contention, but didn’t dampen their aspirations. In fact, Smith and Royle went on a tear to win their next three matches in route to their fifth place finish.

Sophomore Zack Royle (left) and senior Griffin Smith (right)

“One of my goals was to go undefeated as long as possible and I only ended up with three losses which is pretty good,” Smith said of his singles season. “Being paired up with Zack (in doubles), we trained together at the same place so we have been working together all year. We knew we had a really good chance to do well at state and we did, it was a great season.”

“As a coach, the satisfaction I take in these accomplishments is secondary to the pride I take in seeing their personal development and the quality of their character. During the season, they have had to serve as role models to the team and cope with the weight of extremely high expectations. They did so with a maturity well beyond their years,” Coach Ian Cunliff said.

A clear picture can be developed of the pair that went undefeated in doubles this season and has been a major part of the establishment of Park Hill South tennis as one of the more formidable programs in the metro over recent years; one of both power and precision.

“He’s a lot better at the net than I am. We’re strongest when I’m serving and he’s at the net, that’s where we try to start matches,” Royle said of the pairing. “He’s left handed so he can get different spins than I can. There aren’t that many righty-lefty combos out there. He’s probably the best lefty in the state.”

“I have more of a placement game where I can put the ball somewhere and Zack is more of a power player. So it really works well together,” Smith said when comparing their styles.

While Smith was a state qualifier in doubles last year, Royle was a freshman on the varsity stage for the first time. Both Smith and Cunliff said Royle’s development between then and now played a huge role in the pair’s success.

“Over the past year, Zack really matured and that was a big thing. Last year as a freshman, he didn’t have as much power and wasn’t as consistent as he is now,” Smith said.

“…he underwent a personal metamorphosis,” Cunliff said. “As a freshman, Zack was frequently visibly overwhelmed by the pressure of an individual sport. This year, he exuded a persona of positive energy that overwhelmed his opponents.”

Having the calming influence of Smith play the role of experienced veteran was also a positive factor in the pair’s success. While the duo came into their own this season, they’ve had a friendship in place since they were first introduced to the sport.

“Griffin and I met when I was about eight or nine years old. We played together at Old Pike (Country Club),” Royle said.

With the conclusion of their season, both will assume different roles moving forward. Smith, with his diploma in hand, will be attending Truman State University next year where he’ll be continuing his tennis career joining friend and local Park Hill graduate Mike Merchant along with Liberty's Jake Olhhausen on the courts in Kirksville. He’s proud of his accomplishments at Park Hill South while also being excited for the future of his former partner.

“I got to do it with a lot of my friends and I’m real happy about it. I’m sure Zack can get it (all-state) again, but it was pretty awesome to a part of and solidifies ourselves in Park Hill South athletic history,” Smith said.

“Though it is cliché, I learned more about the importance of determination and tenacity over natural ability than he ever learned about tennis from me,” Cunliff said of his departing senior. “The future holds wonderful things for Griffin. I know that he will have success at whatever he chooses to do.”

As for Royle, he’ll assume the role of upperclassman when he comes back for his junior season. His summer will include a busy schedule of weekend tournaments and simultaneously preparing for Panther football in the fall on the weekdays when he’ll attend early morning football workouts followed by hours of tennis trying to play against as many styles and opponents as possible. With two more years to look forward to, Royle sees an opportunity to add more to the Panther trophy case.

“I’d like to qualify for state and make all-state again. I’d love to win a state championship. Coach Ian (Cunliff) thinks Justin (Geary) and I have a great chance at doing some damage in doubles next year,” Royle said.

Spring Weekly Roundup: April 11-15

Park Hill Boys Tennis
... led by Michael Jones win 10-4 in the top singles matchup they beat Lee's Summit North 7-2 to start off last week. Blake Barnard and Christian Reinmiller also won in their number one double competition 10-6. They next welcomed Ruskin and with a combination of all skill levels beat the Eagles 8-1. Later in the week, they traveled to Pembroke Hill where they fell 5-0 before inclement weather prevented the meet from being completed. They'll compete against Liberty North Wednesday and Blue Springs South Thursday.

Park Hill South Boys Tennis
...improved their overall dual season record to 5-1 last week with a two 9-0 wins against Belton and Fort Osage. Top singles players Zack Royle and Griffin Smith are undefeated at 6-0 on the year.

"They're non-stop, they are just going after the ball constantly," Coach Glynis Chambers said of her top two players."Griffin's got a solid left-hand which can be an obstacle for many players and Zach is a really strong hitter."

Solidifying their lineup, the Panthers have Jim Geary, Justin Dixon, Josh Lukens, and Abhi Gullapalli contributing at the varsity level with Chris McCarthy finding himself pushing those above him in competing for and sometimes stepping into that sixth spot on the roster.

"Our top six players are not only great tennis players, they take their academics seriously, and are overall awesome young men," Coach Glynis Chambers said.

Park Hill Boys Track
.. had another strong performance last week as they placed first overall as a team in the Winnetonka Invitational. A number of Trojans earned top finishes with first place medal winners including Cain Winebrenner in the 1600 meter dash, Nick Smith in the discus (161' 2"), Luke Bossert in the pole vault (12' 6"), Trace Norfleet in the long jump (22' 5.25") and triple jump (44' 9"), and the 4x800 relay team of Nathan Koehler, Joe Walton, Riley Farenholz, and Winebrenner. Runners-up with second place finishes included Anthony Arens in the 100 meter dash (10.88), Quenton Noble in the 200 meter dash (22.8), Nate Huffer in the 3200 meter run (10:48), Smith in the shot put, Nick Shepherd in the high jump, and the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams. Burt Taylor in the 100 meter run, Joe Walton in the 800 meter run, Dondrell Hardiman in the 300 hurdles, and Artis Norfleet in the long jump all came in third with their respective performances. They'll compete this week at the Kansas Relays at KU before hosting the Park Hill Invitational next week.

Park Hill Girls Track
...saw some strong performances at the Winnetonka Invitational last week with two top finishes. Stephanie Atkinson continues to standout for the Trojans as she earned first place in the pole vault. Also finishing first was the 4x100 relay team of Thomas, Belcher, Moss and Battles. Marche Belcher in the 200 meter run and the 4x800 relay team of Lewis, Grauberger, Bischof, and Ebbrechet finished in second place while third place medal winners included Davon Thomas in the 200 meter run, Bailey Cation in the long and triple jumps, Belcher in the 300 hurdles, Chelsea Lewis in the 800 meter run, and the 4x200 relay team of Battles, Belcher, Moss, and Thomas.

Park Hill South Boys Track
...with a strong performance in the Winnetonka Invitational, the Panthers scored 101 team points which was good enough for third place. First place finishes included James Bowlin in the 800 meter run and Christian Hildebrandt in the high jump. Second place finishers included the 4x800 relay team of Bowlin, D.J. Johnson, Abdi Sarbessa, and Connor Allison, Johnson in the 400 meter run, and Dillon Ryel in the pole vault. Cody Kildow in the discus, the 4x100 relay team of Lucas Gardner, Jones, Josh Gordon, and Andrew Davis along with the 4x400 relay team of Bowlin, Gardner, Johnson, and Ryel all received third place finishes. They will compete next this Friday at the William Chrisman Invitational.

Park Hill South Girls Track
...placed second in the Winnetonka Invitational. The handful of first place finishes came from Tori Kerr in the discus, Blake Reser in the long jump and triple jump, and the 4x800 relay team of Jessica McCoy, Lizzy Jurries, Logan Tucker-Nelson, and Samantha Roy. Roy also placed first in the 800 meter run. Jen Carlson in the high jump, Tucker-Nelson in the 800 meter run, Hannah Carlson in the 300 hurdles, Lauren Goner in the triple jump and the 4x100 relay team of Chandler Termini, Allyse Edwards, Hannah Brown, and Reser all finished as runners-up in second place. They will compete next this Friday at the William Chrisman Invitational.

Park Hill Baseball
... entered this week with a four game winning streak after victories against Park Hill South (5-2) and North Kansas City (1-0). Nathan Shores (.381, 12 RBI's) and Zach Thompson (.326, 9 RBI's) continue to lead the Trojans on offense. But Shores's impressive 0.69 ERA in 20 1/3 innings and Logan Sloniker's 33 strikeouts seem to be what are making the difference for Park Hill which is now 8-6 on the year. They hope to continue their success in the opening round of the Northland Tournament this week against Excelsior Springs, Staley, and Smithville.

Park Hill South Baseball
... despite a solid win against William Chrisman 6-0 earlier last week, the Panthers continued to see a lack of run support for strong pitching performances as they dropped games against Park Hill (5-2) and Winnetonka (2-0). Park Hill South, now 5-9 overall, will hope to combine their good pitching outings with some offense this week as they play three games against Liberty North, Oak Park, and Kearney in the Northland Tournament this week.

"Our pitchers all threw well, but we did not back them up with anything," Coach Josh Walker said.

Park Hill Girls Soccer
...had a rough week at the Smithville Tournament last week. Losses to Smithville (2-0) and Staley (4-2) started out the week, but the Trojans were able to salvage the last game by pulling out victory against Harrisonville after the game went to penalty kicks after a 1-1 score during regulation. They're now with a remaining game against Truman this week followed by matchups with Liberty North and Lee's Summit West next week.

Park Hill/Park Hill South Boys Golf
Park Hill South pulled out a one stroke victory ahead of Liberty last week in a quad meet competition that also included Park Hill and St. Joe Central at the National II last week. Park Hill South's 336 total team score bested Liberty's 337. Park Hill followed with a score of 352 and St. Joe Central trailed with a stroke total of 377.

Spring Weekly Roundup: Mar. 21-26

Park Hill South Boys Golf
Started their season out in prime form as they took first place in the Truman/William Chrisman Invitational at Drumm Farm to kick off the season. Their 313 team score bested second place Liberty by four strokes. Senior Cameron Probst tied for first place individually while three other Panthers brought home medals. South also took first out of four teams including Oak Park, Ray-Pec, and North Kansas City in their first quad meet of the season. Sophomore Austin Dorrell placed first individually.

Park Hill Boys Golf
Took ninth at the Truman/William Chrisman Invitational with a score of team score of 362. Colby Buehler led the team with an 84. It was Buehler once again later in the week leading the Trojans as his 42 earned him a medal and put Park Hill ahead of Platte County and Mid-Buchanan with a team score of 187. They host Kearney this week at home.

Park Hill Girls Soccer
Did not get off to the start they would have liked as they went 0-3 in the first week of competition at the Lee's Summit Tournament. Sydney Hultz and Katie Hibbeler scored goals in a 4-2 loss to Ray-Pec in the opener while the Trojans were unable to score in their tournament finale against Lee's Summit North falling 5-0. They play at Lee's Summit West Thursday.

Park Hill South Girls Soccer
... had an impressive opening week as they went 4-0. The Panthers were not shy against Belton in their opener as they blasted the Pirates with a 10-0 victory. Two goals a piece were registered for Courtney Claassen, Katy Riojas, Ashton Anderson, and Abbey Johnson. Katy Lindsey and Alyssa Guzman added a pair for good measure as Alexis Mikulich recorded the shutout. South went on to beat Oak Park 2-1 before they traveled to Springfield for the weekend where they defeated Ozark 7-0. A 2-0 defeat of Springfield Kickapoo capped a success week as Guzman and Haley Shelton goals padded another shutout by Mikulich, her third of the week. They'll play in the Olathe Northwest Invitational this week.

Park Hill Boys Tennis
In what coach Tim Kalis described as one of his team's initial tests, the Park Hill boys tennis team passed it in convincing fashion with an 8-1 team victory. Although top singles player Mike Jones fell 10-3 in his first competition of 2011, him and Blake Barnard later came back to win 10-8 in the top doubles competition to led Park Hill to their first victory of the year. They play Park Hill South and Lee's Summit West this week.

Park Hill South Boys Tennis
Park Hill South also defeated Liberty this week with a 6-3 team victory to start off the season. Senior Griffin Smith won his top singles match 10-4 and teamed up with Zack Royle in doubles to defeat the top Liberty pair 10-5. The Panthers followed it up with a close 5-4 victory later in the week to improve to 2-0 on the year. They'll faceoff against Park Hill and Fort Osage next week along with compete in the Cameron Invitational.

Park Hill South tennis team looks strong again

Park Hill South boys’ tennis is on their way to what they hope is the formation of a top-notch tennis program in the Kansas City area. The key word is ‘program’ which requires success year after year and by the looks of it the Panthers are moving forward to build off their 2010 finish. Returning from a state qualifying team after going 12-2 including an undefeated team conference championship is state qualifier Griffin Smith and Zack Royle. Smith was 13-1 individually last season and won three tournaments while Royle was an impressive 9-2.

In her second full season as head coach, Glynis Chambers says she thinks it is a benefit to have the same coaching staff back in order to have consistency and for the players to have a familiarity with their approach.

“We are looking forward to a strong season,” Chambers said. “Our goals are the complete the regular season undefeated, win conference, and qualify as a team for state.”

Even though the Panthers return their top two players, they graduated five seniors and filling those spots will be challenge in order to make sure they’re able to step up while keeping the team goals within reach. Freshman Justin Geary and older brother Bob Geary along with seniors Justin Dixon and Josh Lukens appear to be the four players who have separated themselves from the rest of the competition to fill the remaining varsity spots.

While the Panthers’ newcomers adjust to playing at the varsity level, Smith and Royle will contribute immediately as examples to their teammates. In addition to being two of the most skilled players in the Northland, they bring a competitive edge which won’t just give themselves an advantage, but give their teammates sturdy competition to play against in practice. There’s no surprise both want to win state and eventually play tennis in college.

“Both Griffin and Zack lead by examples. They are always positive, ready to work, and believe in the process we play by,” Chambers said. “Griffin wants to get every ball back every time and never give in. Zack wants to hit the ball as hard as he can, over and over again.”

With Smith and Royle’s performance on the court as the anchor, the play of those around them could make the difference for the Panthers as they head down the stretch. Park Hill South will start the season off with three road competitions against North Kansas City, Park Hill, and Fort Osage before competing in the Cameron Invitational on April 1.