The growth of the Park Hill South softball team continued last year as a young team won more games throughout the season and in conference play.
Now, the Panthers will see if all the experience built through tough 2016 campaign will continue to reap the benefits. Park Hill South went 18-11 last year and 7-3 in Suburban Conference Red Division play, marked improvement from the 13-14 and 5-5 showing the year prior. Park Hill South had only one senior last year, so the remaining starting nine were underclassmen. This year, the Panthers will have eight returning starters in tow and lost all-conference performer Taylor Johnson, who played first base, outfield and pitched.
Headlining the list is all-region picks Kate Kobayashi (infield — but will be outfield in 2018) and Grace Dieleman (pitcher).
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All-region pick Kate Kobayashi returns for the Park Hill South softball team.
Almost all the key pieces are back with catcher Meggen Keller (all-district/all-conference); first baseman Jesse Hagen (all-conference); second baseman Emma Beurelein (all-conference); third baseman Sam Ahrendt (all-district/all-conference); outfielders Chantice Phillips (all-district/all-conference); Maddie Buckler (all-conference) and Leslie Callahan (all-conference) and utility player Kristen Clevenger.
Anabelle Winters and Cara Sparks are two newcomers to the team that will try to find a spot in the varsity lineup.
“Our goal is to always win conference and districts,” said Park Hill South coach Josh Walker, who will be assisted by Amy Schneider, Jon Sobbe, Nate Werner and Jeremy Benninghoff. “We are going to have to play good defense.”
The conference race was already going to be tough with the two Liberty schools. Liberty was a Class 4 playoff qualifier last year, while Liberty North went to the postseason in 2014-15. Incidentally, Park Hill South was last in the postseason in 2014 and was eliminated by Liberty North.
The league got two new teams in Staley and Lee’s Summit, while saying goodbye to Raytown, who dropped down a division. Staley took third place last year in Class 4, while making the postseason the two prior seasons. Lee’s Summit, like Park Hill South, hasn’t been to the postseason since 2014, but won the Class 4 title in 2013.