Park Hill South’s girls basketball team is embracing the growing pains after graduating eight seniors, including three of the team’s four leading scorers.
The good news is that the Panthers return the best player in the entire state, Addison Bjorn. Even with so much change, the goals remain to compete for a winning record and conference and district titles.
With a player of Bjorn’s resume — Missouri’s reigning Gatordade Player of the Year and three-time gold medalist representing the United States — and a team that went undefeated in the regular season last year, they are an immediate target on each of their opponents’ schedules.
“Our main strength is Bjorn,” Park Hill South head coach Josh Dorr said. “She provides so much that it allows the other players to play freer and looser. With so many new players breaking into new roles this year, we will lean a lot on our defense while we figure out the offensive side.”
Bjorn will be at the forefront of the attention for her senior season, and rightfully so, as she is on track to become the first player in program history to score 2,000 career points. The University of Texas basketball commit led the Panthers last year in points, assists, rebounds, steals and blocks — the lone statistic she did not lead the team in the previous year as a sophomore.
“She will obviously play a key role on the court, but more importantly, she will need to be a strong leader everywhere in the program,” Dorr said. “She has done a great job at the beginning of being a positive leader that is constantly encouraging her teammates and helping them become better players.”
Dorr was named Class 6 District 8 Coach of the Year last season, helping them to a 28-0 regular season before falling in the district championship. He now enters his 10th season leading the program and faces a unique challenge of mixing unprecedented talent with varsity newcomers.
Park Hill South will look to some new blood to carry the torch, including senior Gabby King as well as freshmen Norah Farber and Makayla Adams. The Panthers return Paige Farber, another senior who logged hefty minutes last season, as well as Sarah Listrom.
“Even though those three (Bjorn, Paige Farber and Listrom) bring a lot of talent and experience, we still see it as a younger team that will have some growing pains,” Dorr said. “The expectations never change, though; we want to have a successful season.”
The Panthers will visit Columbia for the Sophie Cunningham Classic on Jan. 10, when they will meet Quincy (IL). South will also return to the North Kansas City Tournament in February as the defending champions, with hopes of repeating as conference champions by the end of next month.