Platte County’s youth shows, going winless in 1st 3 games of this season

Platte County’s home tournament does no favors in terms of competition level in a season-opening format. The Pirates’ youthful roster showed the expected flashes of potential but mostly in the second-half of pair of losses at Pirate Stadium..

In the first round, Park Hill South dominated early on the way to a 6-0 victory last Thursday on the way to winning the Platte County Invitational. The Pirates then scored late through sophomore midfielder Katelyn Newberry in Kearney’s 4-1 victory on a sweltering mid-Saturday clash between the Class 3 District 8 teams.

Pleasant Hill dropped out of this year’s field, and the results led Platte County to cancel the seventh-place game so as not to matchup the varsity and junior varsity teams that were both a part of the field. The Pirates lost at least two games in the tournament for a fourth straight season but last year recovered to lose just twice more the rest of the way.

“It’s a tough tournament. It’s progressively gotten more competitive as the years have gone on,” Platte County coach Ashlyn Brantley said. “But I mean, we’ve been here before. We’ve started our season in these types of moments. We’re inconsistent, and I see that as maybe a trend this season just because we are young. Some of those inconsistencies come with growing and regrouping after so many seniors left, but I think we have good players.”

With plenty of returners but minus a steady group of standout seniors, Platte County trailed 3-0 at halftime of the consolation semifinal but immediately started dominating possession and chances in the second half. The Pirates nearly pulled one back in the 41st minute when sophomore forward Addison Stone’s well-struck shot from the edge of the 18-yard box squarely hit the crossbar.

Kearney then increased the lead to 4-0 with more than 31 minutes left in regulation when Josie Sparks created a chance out of seemingly nothing against the run of play. She blasted a shot from left of goal into the right side of the net, leaving zero chance for Pirates senior goalkeeper Anna Wiesehan.

“If Addison’s shot goes in, it could be a whole different game,” Brantley said.

Starting due to an injury and an absence to the top two options at goalkeeper, Wiesehan finished with four saves but didn’t allow another goal.

Platte County drew closer when Newberry poked home a shot in front of net off of a cross from freshman midfielder Mary Dellinger. The Pirates were within 4-1 in the 55th minute, and Dellinger hit the underside of the cross bar with a shot later with the ball caroming down but ruled to have not fully crossed the goal line — a reversal of an earlier call that benefitted Kearney.

The final chance for Platte County came late with senior midfielder Saige Dickens breaking free on the left side only to have Kearney goalkeeper Mallyrie Schwab-Wetzel deny the shot for the last of her 12 saves.

“It’s great that we’re creating opportunities. Now, we just have to finish them,” Brantley said.

Kearney took a 1-0 lead just outside of five minutes off of a free kick from Addison Fischer. The Bulldogs then caught Platte County on a counterattack off of a corner kick in the 14th minute.

Platte County’s situation worsened with just over 14 minutes left before halftime when a shot from Hattie Reiter went off the bar with Wiesehan then apparently clearing the line.

Kearney asked the head referee to consult with his linesman, and eventually, a ruling came in that the ball did cross the line for a third goal. The Bulldogs went into the break up 3-0 with Brantley and the rest of the coaching staff asking who would step up.

Platte County went into this season off the graduation of four-year starters and all-state performers Finley Kaser (goalkeeper) and Lily Kytasaari (forward/midfielder), who left notable voids after playing big roles in a 20-4 record last spring.

“We have players that have that capability. It’s going to be that last-inch effort that just puts your whole body on the line when you don’t have time to relax or wait,” Brantley said. “It’s having that intensity in the game that I think we’re lacking right now. Those (seniors last year) brought that into the game and held us to a standard, and now, we just have to find that again.”

Stone, Newberry and sophomore central defender answered the call for Platte County and helped create better opportunities in the second half.

Fadler teamed with senior Kaylee Dixon in the middle of the backline with junior Caroline Linn the third returner from last year’s six-player rotation in front of Kaser. The Pirates also used senior Kyla Donley and junior Kaylee Woods and freshman Addison Linn as defenders.

Platte County also played without junior forward Macy Doll (ankle) giving Stone and junior Amela Dzilic the most time up top at striker. The Pirates’ midfield ended up a combination of returners like seniors Kiara Smith and Dickens plus Newberry in addition to newcomers like sophomore Ainsley Habel and freshmen Ella Miller and Dellinger.

“I’ve been talking to (Katelyn) about playing in that midfield. She’s gotta be active and involved in all of the play, whether the ball is at her foot or not,” Brantley said. “She definitely showed that in the second half, and then getting the goal, putting herself in there and her body on the line and managed to get it in behind. I think also Fadler was doing that the whole game, too, making runs up from the back and trying to put as much together from her spot as she could.”

Park Hill South scored all six goals of Thursday’s opener in the first half against the revamped defensive backline plus Wiesehan, who made seven saves.

Platte County put four shots on goal, all from Stone. The Pirates were 1-2 and finished sixth in last year’s tournament but followed with a 14-match winning streak before going on to reach the Class 3 District 8 title game, which ended with a loss to St. Pius X.

Grain Valley 3, Platte County 2

Stone scored once on each side of halftime in a loss to start Suburban Conference White Division play Wednesday night at Grain Valley High School.

Platte County dropped to 0-3 on the season with the score of last season’s first meeting between rivals reversed this time around. The Pirates’ OT win a year ago helped turnaround the season, which started with allowing two or more goals for the third time in five games. They didn’t allow more than one in the final 19.

Grain Valley never trailed, but after a free kick resulted in the opening goal, Platte County came right back and leveled with freshman Greta Espeer setting up Stone’s first goal. The Eagles then put up two more in quick succession right before halftime.

Stone scored again midway through the second half, and Fadler nearly put home an equalizer for Platte County off of a free kick in the closing minutes. Dickens’ followup header went over the bar in the final clear chance to try and force overtime.