The Park Hill girls basketball team is hitting their stride at just the right moment, charging into postseason play with season-defining momentum.
Winners of seven of their final eight of the regular season, Park Hill has jumped into the No. 3 seed in the Class 6 District 8 Tournament, which tips off on Thursday, March 6.
Winners of seven of their final eight regular-season games, Park Hill secured the No. 3 seed in the Class 6 District 8 tournament, set to begin on Thursday, March 6. The Trojans will host Liberty in the quarterfinals — a matchup that adds an extra layer of intrigue, as Liberty's coach, Aaron Neeser, returns to Park Hill after spending 17 years in the district, including 12 seasons as the Trojans' head coach.
The teams split the season series, with Park Hill taking last week's matchup at Liberty 54-44 on Feb. 24. The Trojans stormed out to a 7-0 start and led 21-9 by the end of the first quarter, thanks in large part to senior forward Boston Wand, who scored 11 points in the opening frame.
Liberty adjusted defensively, limiting Wand to just three points in the second quarter and keeping her scoreless in the second half — though she did not play the entirety of the final three quarters.
"She has been essential for us all year," Park Hill coach Kennedi Erhard said. "I know every team in the conference and district knows that she's one of our key players. They did a good job of scouting her and getting her in foul trouble late."
Despite Liberty's efforts, which caused chaos at times, Erhard was happy to see Park Hill maintain enough poise. The Blue Jays trimmed the lead to 10 by halftime and came within five points in the fourth quarter, but the Trojans' clutch free-throw shooting secured the win.
Senior guard Lydia Keller shined in the final period, when she scored 8 of her 11 points and sank 5 of 6 from the free-throw line. Freshman guard Audrey Sims also played a pivotal role, finishing with 14 points and 4 assists.
"They're a really fun group to coach," Erhard said of her team. "They're almost too good of friends sometimes, but that's really helped us. When you bring in new freshmen, it's taken them some time to find their role, but the seniors have really helped with that. It's finally clicked here at the end."
Park Hill capped off their regular season with a 52-36 home win over Central (St. Joseph) on Feb. 27. Just like the Liberty game, the Trojans led from start to finish, holding an 11-7 edge after the first quarter and a narrow 16-14 lead at halftime. They built a nine-point advantage heading into the fourth and pulled away for a convincing victory.
The Trojans' late-season surge propelled them to a 17-8 record to close the regular season. With postseason play looming, Park Hill’s focus shifts back to Liberty for their first postseason since 2015. Should Park Hill prevail against Liberty, a likely showdown with undefeated Park Hill South awaits.