Park Hill loses nail-biter, looks to home opener

Going into last Friday’s game against Blue Springs South the Park Hill Trojans knew they would be tested. But after a game that went down to the wire last year, they probably didn’t expect some of the same late game excitement would happen again this year. Although the Trojans weren’t able to muster a comeback in the fourth quarter before falling 21-14, the idea that they could compete against the best was reinforced for a talented team that has tremendous potential.

“Once our kids get used to some of the things we’re trying to do we’re going to be more successful,” coach Greg Reynolds said. “They did that tonight.”
Park Hill looks to Columbia Hickman this Friday in their home opener. Last year the Trojans traveled to Columbia and beat the Kewpies 48-15. Hickman comes into the game 1-1, including a week one lose to Liberty 42-6. They’re averaging 133 yards passing and 92 rushing. Look for Park Hill to use this as a week to focus on fundamentals as a tune up for what will be a difficult test against Liberty in week four.

By the numbers, last Friday’s game was close in almost every category. The one exception, to the dismay of the Trojans, was field position. Park Hill’s average starting field position was around their own 16-yard line while BSS’s average was around their own 38-yard line. Both teams seemed to adopt the other’s offense. The Jaguars went with a steady run game to attack the Trojans while Park Hill looked to utilize their passing game.

“They kind of had a game plan more like we usually have, and we had more of a game plan they would have,” Reynolds said. The game started slow with both teams exchanging drives in the first quarter. With 1:32 left in the first quarter, Blue Springs South started a drive from their 43-yard line and went on to travel 57-yards in 3:52 finished by a 2-yard touchdown run by running back A.J. Mack. Park Hill then exchanged three and out drives with the Jaguars again before receiving a punt and starting a drive from the 9-yard line. Four minutes twenty-three seconds and 91-yards later, fullback Sean Gorman took a 7-yard quick trap into the end zone to tie the score at 7-7 going into halftime. The Jaguars received the second half kickoff and started at their 43-yard line. Calvin Jacobson, who completed 7 of 20 for 93 yards passing on the night, led the Jaguars on a 4:07 drive ending with an athletic over the shoulder catch by receiver Logan Moon for a 9-yard touchdown. Park Hill’s lone third quarter drive stalled deep in Jaguar territory at the 17-yard line. With 10:15 in the fourth quarter the Jaguars got the ball at their 46-yard line and went 54 yards in three plays highlighted by a 31-yard run and 23-yard touchdown run by Cameron Davis.
With the ball, down 21-7, the Trojans’ sideline erupted after a 49-yard pass from Corey Sterling to Trace Norfleet landed Park Hill at the South 15-yard line. Two plays later Sean Gorman barreled up the middle for a 9-yard touchdown run with 2:28 left to play. After two failed onside kicks, all the Jaguars had to do was run down the clock to ensure their victory. But after a quick timeout by Park Hill, on 2nd and 13 from the South 40, the Park Hill defense stripped the ball causing a fumble recovered by the Trojans. On 3rd and 15 with under two minutes to play, Park Hill’s Corey Sterling passed to Esaw Adrien for the first down, but as Adrien turned to go up field a Jaguar defender jarred the ball loose to allow South to recover the fumble and run out the clock.
“We’re in week two of the season and the fifth week of practice,” said Reynolds of the early season. “We’re trying to figure out our kids and what they can do, that’s what it’s all about.”

Satisfied? No Way

Earlier last week, Park Hill’s softball team defeated Oak Park for the first time in over a decade. With a good start to the conference season, Park Hill isn’t so much looking to build on last season, but to do much better.

“I would not be happy with just surpassing last year’s record,” Sullinger said. “This year we have higher goals, we should be a lot better than that.”

Up to this point, ace pitcher Kati Snodgrass, who hasn’t walked a better all season, and catcher Michele Rupard , have led a solid Trojan defense so far this season. Bethany Sullinger and Kelsey Samenus have also contributed early. As the season goes on, the difference maker for the Trojans could be their offense. Up to this point, it has come and gone from game to game. Through eight games, offensive leaders include Rupard, Samenus, Kylie Ball, and Kayla Reynolds. A quality hitting performance from the Trojans could mean trouble for their opponents.

At 4-4, Sullinger thinks they should have a better record, but his main concern is rounding out the team as a whole.

“It’s about trying to find that unity,” Sullinger said. “Traditionally, we’re a team that will get better as the season goes on.”

Senior Kati Snodgrass, who her coach describes as a work horse, will pitch in a majority of her team’s games. After five starts, she is 3-1 with a 1.20 earned run average and 27 strikeouts. Based on how much she has improved and matured, Sullinger hopes to use her as much as possible this season. When Snodgrass isn’t pitching, the Trojans have looked to freshman Makenzi Porter, who has shown her ability to step up at the varsity level.

As quick as the high school softball season is, if the Trojans can put together quality pitching performances with a consistent offensive attack at the right time, they could make a run in the district tournament.

Week 2 won't be as easy as Trojans' opener

After soundly defeating the North Kansas City Hornets last week 30-0, the Park Hill Trojans will face off this Friday against last year’s Class 6 state runners-up, Blue Springs South. The Jaguars come into Friday’s game with a record of 0-1 after a 35-13 loss to Rockhurst in the opening week.

The Trojans and Jaguars are no strangers. In an exciting finish last year, the Jaguars barely defeated the Trojans 35-34 in overtime after the Trojans were denied in their attempt for a two-point conversion, which would have won the game. They also met in Jamboree action two weeks ago.

As an opponent in one of the top match-ups in the metro this week, Blue Springs South will have a balanced passing game featuring quarterback Calvin Jacobson looking for standout wide receivers Dominique Wright and Logan Moon. The Trojans will look to their defense once again as a source of strength with another strong pass rush from the defensive front.
Trojan fans received the best gift a team can give to kick off the season last Friday. De’Rion Rambo returned the opening kickoff back for a 97-yard touchdown. After a three-and-out series for the NKC Hornets, the Trojans started their second offensive drive from midfield at the 50-yard line.
Park Hill then went on a seven-play, 50-yard drive, concluded with a 22-yard touchdown run from Sean Gorman on a fullback trap. To start off the second quarter, Park Hill went 58 yards in six plays, capped off with a six-yard touchdown run by Trace Norfleet. The point after attempt was no good.
“Trace has another gear of speed that a lot of guys don’t have,” head coach Greg Reynolds said. “Josh (Eatman) is more elusive so it’s a good one-two punch, but it didn’t seem like we had the ball enough to get them into a rhythm.”

With Park Hill up 20-0 at this point, the Trojans had yet to allow a first down. This was in large part because of the continuous pressure from the defense, which included sacks by defensive end Bryan Dale and linebackers Daniel Jessen and John Eblen. The Trojans added on a 39-yard field goal at the end the first half to make it 23-0.

Park Hill struck quickly with 8:49 left in the third quarter. After a series of incomplete passes, quarterback Corey Sterling hooked up with receiver De’Rion Rambo for a 31-yard touchdown pass putting the Trojans up 30-0.

“We knew we were going to make them earn everything they got, but we weren’t as consistent as we need to be to be really good,” Reynolds said of the importance to improve.

PHS Soccer Kicks Off Season at Community America Ballpark

Not every high school soccer player gets to play a game on the same surface as those that compete daily as professionals, but the Park Hill South Panthers did last Saturday in their season opener against St. Louis soccer powerhouse, the Vianney Griffins. The match took place prior to the professional soccer match between the Real Salt Lake and Kansas City Wizards at Community America Ballpark. With player introductions, video replay, and a large stadium atmosphere, the Panthers got to see and feel the way it is for professionals to play the game. Metro Sports was on the scene along with local state rep. Jason Grill, who participated in the opening coin toss.
“It was exciting,” junior Danny Jones said. “They tried to make it as close to a professional setting as possible.”

As for the game, the Panthers started off on the defensive with Vianney controlling the ball in Panther territory for a majority of the first half. The Panther defense was able to prevent several shots from going in early. With 25 minutes left in the first half, Vianney midfielder Andy Harr scored the first goal of the game putting the Griffins up 1-0. South was able to put together a few good attacks on the goal, but failed to score. Then, Vianney struck again at the 15 minute mark when midfielder Steve Mcanany set up Harr for another score. South went into halftime down 2-0. In the second half, the Panthers switched from a defensive 4-4-2 alignment to a 3-4-3 look that balanced out the field a little more. This led to South holding offensive possession more throughout the second half. Unfortunately, more players up front meant less in back defending, which allowed Vianney to capitalize on with several break away goals. A steady pace of scores from the Griffins throughout the second half eventually tallied the score at 8-0 when the final whistle was blown.

South head coach Joe Toigo believed the game was well in reach at halftime because of some early opportunities the Panthers had on the offensive end including two corner kicks. He also emphasized that this is the reason why they schedule high-quality teams.

“You have to figure out what your team can do against varsity competition,” Toigo said. “We found out some things that we do well and have to do more often.”

“We can attack one on one in the flank if we get the ball there and we can be effective on free kicks,” Toigo said of some strength he saw from the first game.
The loss will count in the record book, but won’t affect conference or district standings. One way to gauge the Panthers’ improvement through the season will be to track their play against other high quality opponents including defending state champions Rockhurst, St. Thomas Aquinas, and conference/district rival Park Hill.

Jones looked ahead by saying, “At this point, the more we get together as a team, the better we’ll be.”

PHS swimmers aim for 12th straight title

To say the Park Hill South Men’s Swim and Dive team is dominant might not be enough to describe the team’s success over recent years. Last year marked the 11th consecutive time the Panthers captured the conference championship. To top it all off, they tied the best finish in school history by placing fourth at state.

Head coach Steven De La Piedra seems confident his team will start where they left off last year with returning seniors Austin Cade, Grant Libra, and Kyle Gourley. All swam in the three relays that placed in the top eight at state last year. This earned them All State honors. Additionally, Cade placed 7th in the 100 meter butterfly and Libra finished 15th in the 100 meter backstroke. Sophomore Daniel Day qualified in the 500 meter freestyle and 200 meter individual medley. Kristian Harman also qualified in the 500 meter freestyle at state.

Look for all of them to be at the state level this season as well. Also watch out for freshman Liam Huffman to join them.

De La Piedra gives credit to his swimmers, “I’m lucky to have a group of boys that are disciplined enough to work out during the offseason and want to achieve higher goals than previous years.”

The team’s goals this season are without a doubt, to win another conference title and place in the top four at state once again.

Park Hill South golf team in transition

A 2nd place conference finish led to a district performance that qualified three of Park Hill South’s golfers for the state tournament last fall. Those three senior golfers along with several other key varsity players have since graduated, leaving head coach Larry Torgerson with a whole new group of girls to coach this season.

“This is a transition for us," Torgerson said. "We’ve got a lot of inexperience so we’re looking to reload."

The sole varsity letter winner returning from last season’s group will be senior Sarah Shelton. Joining her will be seniors who mostly played at the junior varsity level last year including Jansten McBride, Kelly Jefferies, and Hillary Schmitz.

Eighteen players came out for the team this season, which Torgerson said was good because sometimes girls will decide to pursue a different sport after being involved in one for a year.

“It’s mostly a cyclical thing when it comes to the number of players who come out for the team,” said Torgerson of the additions and losses of players from season to season.

Even with a new group of varsity golfers, the Panthers are still looking to compete for the conference title.

“St. Joe Central will be strong, but I think we’ll be competing by the end of the year to have a chance to finish close to first or second,” said Torgerson about the Suburban Big-Six Conference outlook.

Possibly the best way to understand Torgerson’s approach to his team is the way he looks at the sport overall.

“Golf’s a lifetime sport and that’s what we’re here to emphasis," he said.

Returning starters to pace PHS soccer team

Despite having an 11-10 record last season, the Park Hill South Panthers advanced through the district tournament before losing in the championship game. With a majority of those same players returning this season as seniors, South will be looking for more consistency this year.

“We’re looking to be more consistent because we had some games that just weren’t very level, either because we had the lead and lost it or got behind then played great, but were already losing,” head coach Joe Toigo said.

The Panthers will feature fifteen seniors and about three juniors on varsity this year. Leading the offensive attack will be senior forward Joe Sbarro, who set a school record for goals scored last season, midfielder Jacob Fischer, and midfielder Mirsad Halili. Defensively, South will feature seniors Ryan Harris and Cody Mortenson, along with junior Tyson McGuire.

“We’ve got a lot of players that saw significant minutes last year,” Toigo said.

With South returning the school’s record-holding goal scorer in Sbarro, it would be easy to say the Panthers will be strong on the offensive side, but they believe they have some good players overall to the point where both sides can be strengths.

“They’re just really good soccer players. So hopefully when we have the ball we’ll be good at attacking and when we don’t then we’ll be good at defending too,” said Toigo.

Follow the Panthers this year as they build on last year’s district run which includes match-ups against Park Hill and Oak Park, both conference and district contenders.

PHS runners ready to go

Over the past couple years Park Hill South Boys Cross Country has been on a roll. Not only were they 2007 and 2008 Big Six Conference Champs, but they also went on to qualify for sectionals after their district performances in both 2007 and 2008. Last year they finished 7th as a team at sectionals.

They’ll be returning five lettermen from last season’s team including senior James Bowlin, senior Dean Frazier, senior Sam Peak, senior Brandon Wieser, and junior Austen Ortiz. Senior Tyler Arthur and sophomore Tim Albright are also expected to contribute to the mix this year.

Coach Brad Banning sees this season as a test of character. Even with five lettermen returning, it could have been close to nine. Two kids moved way, one changed his sport to soccer, and another wasn’t eligible because of grades.

“Extra effort is the key to success," Banning said. "Those runners who did the work over the summer will have success"

Once again the Panthers are looking to repeat previous years’ success by competing for the conference title and another top four district finish in order to qualify for sectionals as a team.

The Park Hill South Girls Cross Country team finised 2nd last year at the conference meet and went onto place 4th at districts which qualified them as a team for sectionals. They also finished 8th in the Kansas City All Metro meet.

Three varsity runners return this season for the Panthers including two-time sectional qualifier Lauren Black along with sectional qualifiers Miranda Norfleet and Amy Wilsey. Head Coach Pamela Lerch will look for them to be strong again. Evan Willsey, Keirstie Bischoof, and Abby Werner will be looked at to make an impact on the team. Also looking good so far are newcomers DeeDee O’Toole, Lizzy Jurries, Hannah Walsh, Mackenzie Capps, Kerry Mass and Anna Schaeffer.

There won’t be a shortage of competition within the team. South has 52 girls out this year for cross country.

“Our key to success is to continually motivate and challenge one another. We have a very large team so there is never a runner who finds herself unchallenged,” Lerch said.

Park Hill South volleyball looks strong again

A stellar 29-3 season last year for the Park Hill South volleyball team resulted in a conference and district title before concluding against Blue Springs in the state sectionals. After graduating three seniors, the Panthers are looking to reload again with another talented group.

“We have some good kids back and they’re excited to have another great year,” head coach Debbie Fay said.

She has high expectations from each group of seniors she coaches which include consistency and hard work.

“What works for us is that our expectations are always similar," Fay said. "They feel the pressure and do the best they can to succeed."

Middle hitter Lauren Brentlinger, outside hitter Courtney Churchman, and setter Laura Eller all bring back strong varsity experience as seniors for South along with Lindsey Pusateri who will also add to the mix and contribute this year. Brentlinger has already committed to attending Pittsburgh State University next year to play volleyball.

Junior middle hitter Bridget Paulk, sophomore outside hitter Codi Smith, and outside hitter/libero sophomore Lauren Blair will also see significant playing time.

“Our conference is a great conference," Fay said. "There’s a lot of talent from everyone we play, which makes everyone better. As for districts, it’s tough and is always a battle.”

Look for the Panthers to strongly compete for a conference and district championship again this season hoping to have another opportunity to advance to the state playoffs.

Park Hill South softball team ready to 'make noise'

Park Hill South softball coach Josh Walker’s team is ready to take their game to another level this season. After a 13-14 season last year provided the program a good step forward from previous years, the Panthers are coming into this season with some high expectations.

“We’re very senior heavy with a lot of experience coming back." Walker said. A lot of our seniors have been starting since they were freshmen."

With such an experienced team returning, Walker is looking for the whole team to step up especially some seniors that have already been active thus far in practice including shortstop Paige Cockriel, outfielder Bailey Peterson, outfielder Jen Burnette, and 3rd basemen Alyssa Weatherly. Other players who will play an important role will be pitcher Jessica McCoy, 1st basemen Brandi Weymuth, outfielder Valerie Pollan, catcher Maci Fisher, 2nd basemen Emily McLain, and outfielder Jenna Disselhoff.

Key matchups for the Panthers include the traditionally successful Oak Park, back-to-back conference champions Winnetonka, and a senior-heavy Park Hill team. All will be tests for Park Hill South’s softball team, but Walker is confident his team can make some significant strides forward.

“We’re looking to make some noise this year," he said.