The Park Hill girls soccer team completed a rare two-game season sweep of Park Hill South — a feat the Trojans last achieved in 2016.
Like their April 1 meeting, the Trojans controlled much of the match. In that game, they needed overtime to break through. This time, the deciding moment came shortly before the final whistle.
“We haven’t always played wonderfully,” Park Hill head coach Jason Pendleton said. “But tonight, I thought we played well against a good opponent.”
Park Hill dominated possession and chances throughout but had little to show for it in the first half. The Trojans came closer in the second, striking the post and forcing Park Hill South goalkeeper Anna Pudenz into several key saves.
The breakthrough came with 5 minutes, 11 seconds left in regulation. After a throw-in from the right, juniors Maryn Hudson and Myer Cohara combined for the go-ahead goal. Hudson held the ball up inside the penalty area and laid it off for Cohara, who dashed in from the right wing and sent a right-footed shot to overpower Pudenz’s fingertips.
Just over a minute later, the Trojans sealed the win. This time, Cohara created the opportunity, collecting the ball near the corner of the box and beating two defenders to reach the end line. She squared a pass across the face of goal for Jovie Lavin, who buried the finish from close range to secure the rivalry sweep.
“The freshmen think this is normal now,” Pendleton said. “But the seniors have never done that; to beat them twice in a season is a big deal for them and I’m sure something they will relish.”
Park Hill South limited the Trojans’ set-piece chances — a key difference from the previous matchup, when Park Hill piled on dead-ball opportunities and eventually scored from a free kick in overtime.
Park Hill South’s most dangerous attacking moments came from Park Hill turnovers. The Panthers’ most dangerous moment came in the second half, when junior Olivia Dallas intercepted a pass on the left side and pushed forward before sending a shot just wide from the edge of the box.
Park Hill’s win set up a critical May 15 conference title showdown against Liberty. Park Hill avenged its only loss of the season — a 1-0 overtime defeat on April 29 — by coming from behind to win 2-1 and clinch the conference championship. The Trojans closed the regular season with a 15-1 record, their most wins since claiming the state title in 2018.
The growing rivalry between Park Hill and Liberty will continue in the postseason. Top-seeded Park Hill opened district play with a 6-0 win over North Kansas City and will face Liberty for a third time this season in the semifinal on May 20.
Despite finishing the regular season with its fewest wins since 2018, No. 3-seeded Park Hill South still has postseason aspirations. The Panthers beat Oak Park 3-0 in the first round of districts and will meet Liberty North in the district semifinals.