For the first time since 2016, the Park Hill South football team defeated a postseason opponent when the Panthers came out on top over Blue Springs South, 28-6, on Oct. 29.
Park Hill South technically beat St. Joseph’s Central in the opening round of districts with a forfeited victory last fall when the Indians were unable to compete since they were quarantined. However, the last time the Panthers stepped onto the football field in the postseason and bested an opponent was when they defeated Fort Osage 37-6 in the Class 5 District 7 Championship in 2016.
Mudia Rueben caught a pair of touchdowns in Park Hill South’s first playoff win since 2016.
The Panthers ended that streak when they scored the first 28 points of the game before the Jaguars found the end zone late in the fourth quarter. It was a sluggish first half as a first quarter passing touchdown from Nathan Ricco to Mudia Rueben was the only score in the opening half.
After leading 7-0 at the break, the Panthers’ offense got rolling with 21 points in the third quarter. Rueben brought in another score to start the second half when Ricco connected with him for a 60-yard touchdown.
Later in the quarter, Ricco rushed into the end zone from two yards out and Lucas Oitker ran 65 yards for Park Hill South’s final score of the night. Oitker ended with 94 yards on the ground on 13 carries and Rueben had five receptions for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Ricco completed six of his 12 pass attempts for 124 passing yards and 14 rushing yards for three total touchdowns. The Panthers sacked the Jaguars’ quarterback five times and forced three interceptions.
James Williams led the team with two sacks, while Roger Guillory, James Holt and Hunt Listrom each had one sack. Troy Mosby, Elano Alvarez and Chase Fitch all picked off Blue Springs South once.
Park Hill South (10-0) will take on Park Hill (5-5) for the first time since 2017 on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at Park Hill District Stadium. Since 2011, there has been eight contests between the Park Hill schools with both teams having won four games each.