The opening game for the Park Hill football team (1-0) was quite the trek – traveling 145 miles to Columbia, Missouri – but that didn’t stop Kendrick Bell from having an unforgettable senior debut en route to a dominant 68-38 win over Battle with Columbia Independent (0-1) on August 26.
Bell combined for 358 scrimmage yards and seven total touchdowns on the day, but the offense isn’t what started the scoring surge. The opening 14 tallies happened with a punt block touchdown and an 86-yard kick return touchdown by Bryce Lisaka after Battle narrowed the deficit, 7-6.
The game was never particularly close after the Lisaka touchdown gave Park Hill a 14-6 lead as Bell got the offense rolling after that, giving the Trojans a 28-14 after one frame and a 45-22 lead at the break. Bell scampered for a 58-yard rushing touchdown late in the third quarter to push the score to 58-28 entering the final 12:00 of action.
Maximo Filion scored a touchdown both times he touched the ball, having two receptions for 41 yards and reaching the end zone each catch. Lisaka brought in four balls for 80 yards and two scores, while James Noel ended with five receptions for 80 yards and one touchdown through the air, along with three rushes for 47 yards.
Bell completed 13 of his 23 passes for 258 yards and five touchdowns to give the senior play caller a 117.39 quarterback rating on the day, while also rushing for exactly 100 yards on 12 carries and two scores. The Trojans will be in a more comfortable area this week when they take on Raymore-Peculiar (1-0) on September 2 at Park Hill District Stadium.