Drew Paulkovich tossed for three scores and no interceptions in the Panthers regular season finale win on Oct. 20.
LEE’S SUMMIT – Entering the final game of regular season play without a technical win, the Park Hill South football team (1-8) responded to adversity and had its largest margin of victory since 2021 on Oct. 20.
Four days before taking down Lee’s Summit (3-6) by a score of 40-12, Park Hill South had to forfeit its first eight games of the season. The Panthers had lost seven in a row – including two one-possession games in the last four weeks prior to the finale – but all those scores have since been wiped by MSHSAA due to an ineligible player.
Despite being 0-8 on paper with one game left, Park Hill South ended the regular season with a victory to take momentum into the postseason. Drew Paulkovich tossed for three scores, Mason Love knocked down four field goals and the Panthers intercepted the Tigers twice.
Paulkovich threw the opening touchdown of the game, a 5-yard pass to Chance Taylor, and Lee’s Summit responded to make the score 7-6 in Park Hill South’s favor. After the Panthers’ offense failed to get back on the board, Richman Wilson had a 23-yard pick six to push the lead to 14-6.
In the second quarter, Saeed Mukhtar – who ended the night with a game-high 130 receiving yards – brought in one of his two touchdowns from Paulkovich. Love knocked down a 28-yarder in the closing moments of the first half and Park Hill South went into the locker room with a comfortable 24-6 margin.
Mukhtar brought in his second touchdown reception early in the second half and Love added another field goal, this time from 44 yards out, in the third quarter. The Tigers put another touchdown on the board and then Love hit two more field goals from 45 and 38 yards in the fourth quarter, ending the game with a perfect four-for-four.
D’ante Wells deflected and intercepted a pass, while Kadin Sabree and Kiros Martin both had two sacks. Taylor led the game in receptions with 11 to go with 105 yards and a touchdown.
Park Hill South will head into the Class 6 District 8 Tournament as the No. 5 seed. Staley (3-6) is the No. 4 seed and will host the Panthers in the play-in game on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
Although it has been stricken from the record books, these teams played on Oct. 6 and Park Hill South let a late lead slip and lost by a score of 18-17. The winner of the postseason game will advance to take on top-seeded Oak Park (9-0) on Nov. 3.