The Park women’s indoor track and field team won the American Midwest Conference championship last month in Elsah, Ill.
The Pirates won a number of big awards after winning the league title by eight points ahead of Missouri Baptist.
Junior college transfer Shikayla Walker, from Texarkana, Ark. Via Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, was named the AMC indoor track and field newcomer of the year. She was third in the weight throw and fourth in the shot put.
Emari Grimes, from Fort Osage High School in Independence, was named the freshman of the year after winning the 200- and 400-meter dashes and was second in the 60-meter dash. She was also a member of the 4x400-meter team that was conference champions, joining Jena Halbeck (Park Hill), Ke’moni Alexander and Chaniya Alioth.
Sophomore Bailey Turner was second in the long jump and triple jump and placed third in the high jump, earning the outstanding field athlete award.
Senior Rachel Franklin won the 5,000-meter race in 19:24.
In addition, Brian Renshaw and his staff was named the coaching staff of the year.
Kline wins No. 400
Veteran men’s coach Jason Kline recorded his 400th career victory earlier this season.
Kline, in his 15th year at Park, moved to 400-250 after a 71-55 victory over St. Louis College of Pharmacy. It was his 260th win at Park and had 140 wins while coaching at Indiana Tech.
Fast start for baseball
The Pirates opened the 2020 season with a 6-4 record during a trip to Texas, which featured a sweep over Dallas Christian during a 5-1 road trip.
Bryce Dye hit a pair of home runs in a 13-2 win against Dallas Christian in the first of a three-game series. Dye, who prepped at Fort Osage in Independence, was named the American Midwest Conference player of the week for his 7-for-14 week with two doubles and two home runs.
In the season-opening trip in Texas, the Pirates were swept by Texas College and split a doubleheader with Jarvis Christian. Park Hill product Cameron Knight made his debut against Texas College, working a scoreless sixth inning, striking out two.
Notes
Park Hill South graduate Brendan Briody competed at the 64th annual NAIA national championships in the fall. He finished 148th overall with a time of 26:46 in the 8K race that featured 335 runners. … The Park men’s golf team was ranked No. 24 in the NAIA preseason poll and the spring portion of the schedule starts on March 9 in the Ottawa (Kan.) Tournament. … The men’s and women’s basketball teams took part in the Coaches vs. Cancer 2020 Suits and Sneakers event last month. …. the softball team was swept by future league foe Baker in the season opener. On March 9-11, the Pirates will travel to Gilbert, Ariz., to play in a tournament and will play Park-Gilbert three times.