Park Hill senior Da’Marrion Gathrite (#3) celebrates with teammates after scoring his second straight defensive touchdown in just as many snap in the Trojans 52-6 win over Battle with Columbia on August 25.
KANSAS CITY – With the opening football game to the season being pushed an hour due to intensive heat, Park Hill (1-0) came out of the gate a little slow before blowing Battle with Columbia Independent (0-1) out of the water with a 52-6 win on August 25.
Park Hill had a sluggish start, but it picked up the pace and came out with a one-sided victory. Battle took an early lead before the Trojans looked electric in all three phases of the game, scoring 52 unanswered points and earning a running clock before the fourth quarter.
“Week one games are tricky because a lot of times you don’t know what you have and you don’t know what the other team has,” Park Hill head football coach Andy Sims said. “Add the heat, the humidity, the time change and there’s a lot to overcome, but your opponents are in that same boat so I’m proud how the guys played tonight and how they responded to that adversity.”
Park Hill senior wide receiver Dylan Schaefer brings in a 51-yard touchdown pass late in the Trojans’ dominant 52-6 season opening win.
Bryce LIsaka returned the opening kickoff 48 yards, but the Trojans fumbled on the first offensive play of the season and went three-and-out next. The Spartans marched down the field and struck first with a 21-yard passing touchdown, which woke up Park Hill who controlled the rest of the game.
“We talk all the time about not being on a roller coaster; just because you go down and score a touchdown doesn’t mean you’re going to win and just because you fumble your first snap doesn’t mean you’re going to lose. It’s a long game, you have to play each quarter and you have to have a short memory if you make a mistake,” Sims said.
Senior quarterback Gavin Schaag got the offense rolling late in the first quarter, capping off an 8-play, 61-yard drive with a 4-yard pass to Isaiah Bickers. The Trojans went up 7-6 and didn’t look back, pushing the lead to 21-6 at the break.
The Park Hill defense forced two turnovers on downs, Da’Marrion Gathrite recovered a fumble and Davion Seymour intercepted a pass with 11 seconds left. Schaag added two more first half passing touchdowns in his varsity quarterback debut, connecting with Bryce Lisaka on a pair of scores from 51 and four yards out.
Bryce Lisaka (#17) celebrates after scoring a first-half touchdown alongside Landon Julson (#89) on Aug. 25.
“A lot of people don’t know Gavin was a quarterback until I decided to start (2022 senior) Kendrick (Bell), who was a year older, and I think we all know that worked out pretty well. Gavin is a great athlete, he’s more than a capable quarterback but he also has to get that game experience.”
In the second half, the Trojan defense suffocated the Spartans and Gathrite had his time to shine. The senior found the endzone on two consecutive defensive snaps, recovering a fumble and running in from four yards out before having an interception return touchdown on the next play following a made extra point and kickoff.
“Gathrite also had a scoop-and-score touchdown against them last year, so I think he has the most touchdowns in the two years we’ve played Columbia Battle, and he plays defense. Maybe he’s got inside tape on those guys, or he’s got the inside track or something, but he loves playing Columbia Battle and we love watching him,” Sims said.
On the ensuing drive for the Spartans, there was yet another turnover with a fumble as the Trojans forced one on three straight snaps, leading to a 30-yard field goal by Teegan Turner. Park Hill’s defense had some issues keeping opposing teams off the scoreboard in the past, but that wasn’t an issue in the season opener.
“Without a doubt we had our defensive struggles last year, so these guys have been working hard and it was good to see them come back and have something positive go their way. In this league, and throughout the course of the season, it’s a grind so we’ll take this and we’re proud of them but it’s on to the next game and a new game of preparation.”
The Park Hill defense celebrates after forcing a turnover at Park Hill District Stadium.The Park Hill defense celebrates after forcing a turnover at Park Hill District Stadium.
The Park Hill offense produced two more scoring drives, starting with a 51-yard bomb from Schaag to Dylan Schaefer; then Lisaka had a 54-yard punt return to open the fourth quarter which set up Landon Julson running in for 17 yards to make the score 52-6. Schaag finished with 204 passing yards and four touchdowns which was an impressive outing for a guy who’s been in other positions in recent years.
“When you come off the field last year as a receiver and a year before being a JV quarterback, it’s a lot. You’re the train conductor of an offense now, he’s got a good head on his shoulders, and he’ll make a lot of plays for us this season,” Sims said.
Park Hill will head to Raymore-Peculiar (0-1) on August 25 and will look to build off the big win, which was the first time since 2016-17 that the Trojans won back-to-back season openers.