The Park Hill South girls soccer team has opened the season with a Platte County Invitational championship for the second time in three years.
After waking up to warm temperatures and defeating Platte County and Staley in the opening two rounds, the Panthers used chilly temperatures and a penalty shootout to overturn a second-half deficit in the championship game against St. Pius X on March 23.
After a scoreless first half, St. Pius X broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half on a swift counterattack. Sophomore Kate Sell led the attack down the right side before finding Ila Abella, who returned the ball centrally in the box for Sell to finish off.
The Warriors remained in front for more than 25 minutes, and even had a couple of chances to multiply their lead. But South did enough to hang around before taking an opportunity late in the contest.
As the clock ticked under seven minutes remaining, Park Hill South freshman Ruby Vogt came up with a critical interception on a pass down her side. Getting the ball up to Aubrey Bryant, the South junior did the rest as she turned and fearlessly ran at the Pius defense.
After setting the ball on her left foot from 23 yards out, Bryant gave it a go from distance. With the goalkeeper off-center, the shot ripped into the back of the net to tie the game at 1-1.
With the match going directly to a penalty shootout to determine the winner, Park Hill South senior goalkeeper came up with three heroic saves. After Sell scored the first attempt for Pius, Pudenz denied the next three with saves to her left.
South got the shootout off to a strong start when Savanna Pittman converted her opening attempt from 12 yards out. While the shootout score remained 1-1 after the first two rounds, senior midfielder Sarah Listrom put the Panthers back in front before Pudenz’s second penalty save.
While South missed in the second and fourth attempts, Pudenz continued to remain focused on her own task as she made a third consecutive save. With a chance to seal the tournament title, Izabella Vigil stepped up and delivered with a perfectly placed shot to the right.
With a second Platte County Invitational title in three years, Park Hill South hopes it builds some early-season confidence ahead of its home opener on March 26 in a conference clash against Liberty.
South girls fly past Platte County
The Park Hill South girls soccer team opened its season with a 6-0 statement victory against Platte County on March 19 in their opening match of the 2026 Platte County Girls Soccer Invitational.
The Panthers used a 24-minute window during the first half to score all six of their goals. Park Hill South junior Izabella Vigil led the way with a hat trick in a window of less than 10 minutes.
While they were unable to score, Platte County did have the first opportunity of the game inside the first 30 seconds after a turnover. With sophomore Addison Stone picking off a loose pass, she ran directly in on goal until South senior goalkeeper Anna Pudenz put out the fire with a sprawling dive to her left.
Park Hill South goalkeeper Anna Pudenz dives to bat the ball away from Platte County’s Addison Stone.
In the fifth minute of the contest, Park Hill South found its opening goal from Vigil. A turnover in midfield allowed the Panthers to quickly send the ball to the right for Aubrey Bryant, who was isolated and raced past her defender before her shot hit off the post, only for Vigil to pounce on the rebound.
South struck again when they were first to react to a loose ball in midfield. A quick eight-pass buildup allowed Vigil to get her second goal in four minutes, this time scoring by snapping a header downwards, assisted on a cross from Kate Yager.
The Panthers added a third goal inside the first 10 minutes on an individual piece of brilliance from Olivia Dallis. After Kylie Ziller tapped the ball over to Dallis, the senior shifted the ball to her left side before unleashing a 27-yard strike into the top corner.
Izabella Vigil celebrates a goal against Platte County.
Vigil completed her hat trick in the 13th minute with a brilliant effort of her own. South captain Sarah Listrom forced a turnover before Vigil received the ball, and after shifting the ball from her right to her left, she found a shooting lane on her right, curling the ball into the top corner from 18 yards out to make it 4-0.
On the other end of the pitch, Stone sparked an attack for Platte County. Dribbling in from the right, she beat her defender, but her pass across the face of the goal was not met with the touch needed to get the Pirates on the board.
In the 19th minute, an interception from Bryant kick-started a Park Hill South counterattack.
Alayna Patterson collected the ball before turning and splitting Platte County’s defense for Leona Dalakishvilli, who cut the ball onto her right before her deflected shot inside the box found the bottom corner.
Park Hill South’s sixth goal of the night came off a corner kick in the 28th minute of the contest.
Saige Justice floated an in-swinging delivery deep into the box, and after letting it travel, Patterson found herself unmarked at the back post and met the ball sweetly with her right foot for a volley that put the Panthers ahead 6-0.
The scoring spree concluded for the rest of the night, although Platte County presented a pair of dangerous attacks towards the end of the first half. Stone came close twice, having another shot saved by Pudenz before hitting a shot from distance that rattled off the crossbar.
After shutting out the first half, Pudenz was replaced by freshman Alice Schmidt for the second half as South closed out the 6-0 victory.