The Park Hill South football team (2-3) failed to score in three of the four quarters against Liberty (3-2) when Briggs Bartosh got his first start under center in his senior campaign and the Blue Jays won 35-13 on September 23.
Liberty set the tone for the contest in the opening minute, with a big play resulting in a 72-yard score. The Blue Jays extended the lead with a rushing touchdown with 2:49 left in the first quarter and the Panthers trailed 14-0 early.
Bartosh got Park Hill South rolling in the ensuing quarter, taking the snap at the 1-yard line and crossing the goal line for six points. After the Panthers brought the game to one possession, the Blue Jays answered with a 13-yard score with 1:39 left in the half to extend the lead to 21-7.
With the clock ticking, Bartosh led the Panthers down the field and scampered 39 yards for a touchdown and closed the gap. Park Hill South trailed 21-13 at the break after Mason Love’s kick was blocked.
Park Hill South’s offense struggled in the third quarter, only having one first down in the opening three drives which included an interception on the first play of the Panthers’ second series. Liberty was unable to capitalize and missed a 42-yard field goal in the final three minutes of the third quarter.
The Panthers’ most promising drive in the second half was a 10-play, 52-yard series that started at the Park Hill South 20-yard line with 2:11 left in the third quarter and ended with a missed 45-yard field goal attempt with 10:25 left in the game. Bartosh threw an interception in each of the next two possessions and Liberty senior Anthony Wenson ran in for two touchdowns in the final 4:06 to put the game out of reach.
Bartosh completed eight of his 20 passes for 73 yards and rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Darrien Jones ran the ball 17 times for 45 yards and had four catches for 19 yards.
The loss put the Panthers under .500 at the midway point of the season for the first time since 2019. Park Hill South will look to bounce back from back-to-back losses in a big rivalry game when it takes on Park Hill (1-4) on September 30.