Park Hill South’s boys soccer team faced a heartbreaking defeat on Sept. 22, falling 2-1 against Lee’s Summit West at the Park Hill District Soccer Complex.
A pair of Lee’s Summit West strikes late in each half was all the Titans needed to complete a come-from-behind victory over South.
The Panthers got off to a dream start when Finn Killoren scored the opening goal within the first six minutes. The senior forward set his shot up on his left side, curling it inside the far post.
Park Hill South senior forward Finn Killoren runs at the Titan defense in the first half on Sept. 22.
Lee’s Summit West gradually worked its way into the match, eventually finding a first-half equalizer inside the final four minutes. An angled ball over the top fell to a Titan forward, who remained composed for a well-placed finish.
The Titans remained dominant to begin the second half, although Park Hill South managed to get themselves back in the game without further damage. Among South’s opportunities were shots from Micah Wright and Nazzal Odeh.
South thought they had scored the go-ahead goal when Odeh had the ball in the back of the net, only for it to be ruled offside. Odeh was South’s most dangerous attacker in the second half, forcing the Lee’s Summit West keeper into numerous saves to keep it level.
The visitors came knocking once more with less than 13 minutes remaining as the ball ping-ponged around the box. Eventually, a clearance ricocheted off a South defender and scrambled out for a corner kick as the Panthers escaped unharmed.
Then came the game-changing moment about nine minutes later. As the clock ticked under four minutes, Lee’s Summit West dangerously broke downfield, earning a free kick near the edge of the box.
Three Titan attackers stepped up, with the first two running over the ball before junior forward Derrick Dickerson sent a right-footed effort through traffic, finding the net just inside the far post.
After all the hard work South put in, they still found themselves behind with 3 minutes, 57 seconds to respond.
Park Hill South defender Sam Reeves against Lee’s Summit West on Sept. 22.
South nearly did respond just over a minute later, using a long throw with six Panthers in the box. Grayson Catlett’s long throw fell to Hank Lisenby, but the senior forward couldn’t make clean contact with the ball against the onrushing goalkeeper as South fell 2-1.
Park Hill South bounced back in its conference opener on Sept. 24, going on the road to defeat Liberty 3-1.
Senior midfielder Nick Parra scored South’s opening goal in the first half, deflecting the outswinging corner kick in.
Odeh scored South’s go-ahead goal in the second half, assisted by freshman Mateo Pastorino. Pastorino cut the ball to his left and delivered a brilliant diagonal pass for Odeh to run onto, and after taking a touch to evade the onrushing goalkeeper, Odeh slotted it into an empty net.
Pastorino sealed the victory shortly after, scoring his first career goal to make it 3-1, assisted by Killoren. Killoren’s left-footed ball across the face of goal was deflected, but the touch only made it an easier finish for Pastorino from inside the six-yard box.
The victory in Liberty brought South back to .500 with an overall record of 4-4. After a 1-3 start to the season, South has won three of its last four, including a 2-1 win over Blue Springs South on Sept. 18.
Next up for the Panthers are nonconference matchups with Staley (Sept. 29), Liberty North (Oct. 1) and Smithville (Oct. 6).