By Jason Lawrence
Special to the Citizen
After building up a young roster through a pair of difficult seasons that produced no wins in the Suburban Conference Gold Division, the Park Hill softball team is primed to reach its potential with a seasoned roster.
With no seniors lost from a 10-19 season that produced second-place finishes in the Branson Lady Pirate Invitational and Greater Kansas City Suburban Softball Invitational Silver Bracket and lost in extra innings to St. Joseph Central in the Class 4 District 16 tournament, coach Jackie Qualls is ready to see his team turn youthfulness and potential into wins in 2018.
“This year’s goal is to have at least a .500 winning percentage,” Qualls said of his third season at the helm. “Keys to success will be for our younger players to step up, elevate their games and play at a high level. … If we play to our full potential, we should sneak up and surprise some people this year.”
File photo
Park Hill returns Peyton Morehouse, left, for the 2018 campaign.
Senior pitcher Peyton Morehouse earned first team all-conference and district a season ago and will once again team up with junior catcher Kali Day, herself a first team all-district and honorable mention all-conference pick, to form a reliable, experienced battery. Also returning are sophomores Chloe Strickland and Samantha Bertoncino, who were selected second team all-district as freshmen.
Newcomers Shelby Sanders, a sophomore outfielder and pitcher, and freshman Kennedy Townsend are among those expected to help the Lady Trojans compete in Gold Division play this season.
“We play in the toughest conference in the state,” said Qualls, who is assisted by Alyssa Mosier, Angela Korte and Miranda Miller. “Everyone will be stacked again this year. We should be much more competitive if we can play to our true potential.”
Park Hill opens the 2018 campaign with a pair of tournaments – the Greater Kansas City Suburban Softball Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 25 at Adair Park in Independence and the Oak Park Tournament on Monday, Aug. 27. The Lady Trojans then host Lee’s Summit North before traveling to William Chrisman, St. Teresa’s and Park Hill South during the first week of September.
“Any conference game will be a big game for us” Qualls said. “Our key non-conference game will be our game against Park Hill South; that in-district competition is always fun.”