Park Hill South finally put a full lineup together and then ran away with a fourth straight Suburban Conference Red Division championship. The Panthers placed four of their five scoring runners in the top eight Saturday, Oct. 7 in Independence, Mo.

Emma Roth, a senior, led the way in second place for Park Hill South, which totaled 31 points to beat Liberty by 17.

Coming off a win in the KC Metro Classic, Roth turned in a time of 19 minutes, 49 seconds to finish behind two-time Red Division champion Madelynn Hill of Liberty (18:55). Keely Danielsen, Marti Heit and Olivia Roth — Park Hill South’s next three runners — finished back-to-back-to-back in sixth, seventh and eighth.

Danielsen returned after missing the Metro Classic, while Heit ran for just the third time this season. Both are seniors.

Olivia Roth and Paige Snider (12th) — a pair of sophomores — rounded out Park Hill South’s team score.

Park Hill South couldn’t quite catch Liberty for the other team title despite a pair of top three showings. Trey Rouse and Eli Guzman — both seniors — were second and third for the Panthers, who finished with 53 points.

Liberty senior Ryan Flood won the race, and the Blue Jays were the team champion with a total of 39.

Rouse (16:47.37) and Guzman (16:48.40) were next on the list, but Park Hill South Ewan Frick was next for the Panthers back in 13th. Christian Ludtke and Quentin Worley were 17th and 18th to round out the team score.

Park Hill South competes next in the Class 4 District 8 race Saturday, Oct. 21 in Liberty, Mo. Class 4 Sectional 4 will be the following Saturday in Kearney, Mo.

Suburban Conference Gold Division Championships

Park Hill wrapped up the regular season Saturday, Oct. 7 in Lee’s Summit, Mo.

Grace Fink, a senior, posted the best individual finish for the Trojans (19th, 21:00), while sophomore Brooklyn Niebaum was right behind in 24th (21:23). They were sixth out of seventh in the final team standings.

Park Hill freshman Daniel Foster placed 36th in the other race in a field of 47 runners, and the Trojans were seventh.

June 17, 2026

Nathan Dunn

Shamet becomes NBA champion

Eight years after Landry Shamet became the first Park Hill High School graduate to reach the National Basketball Association, the 2015 graduate has reached another milestone no other Trojan has accomplished.

Anderson signs for Nebraska

Commitment and perseverance are paying off for Anna Anderson, who is now taking another big leap in her flag football career.

Weekend of rain, frustration and star performers at state track

JEFFERSON CITY — The 100th MSHSAA Track and Field Championship were held May 29-30 on Licklider Track at Jefferson City High School.

Platte County tops Kearney for district title

PLATTE CITY — Platte County’s baseball team used a steady defense and timely hitting to win a second consecutive Class 5 District 8 championship. After defeating East and St. Pius X earlier in the week, the Pirates defeated Kearney 7-3 on May 23 to take the district title on home turf.

Local wrestlers compete at 2026 MSHSAA State Championships

COLUMBIA — High school wrestlers converged on Mizzou Arena Feb. 25-28 for the MSHSAA Wrestling Championships. There was no shortage of local wrestlers battling among the state’s elite.

The 161st Platte County Fair

The 161st annual Platte County Fair kicked off Wednesday, July 24 and ran through Saturday, July 27 at the county fairgrounds in Tracy. Activities included the Queen contest, demolition derby and horse show. Trinity Wrightfield was named 2024 Fair Queen on Wednesday night.

Kids and Cops in Platte City

The Platte City Police Department welcomed families into downtown Platte City Tuesday, Aug. 10 for free food, activities and other fun. The rain held out to allow the visit of Kansas City Chiefs mascot KC Wolf.

The Platte County Citizen