The fact Platte County coach Jerod Smith expressed the belief didn’t necessarily seem a shock. The fact that Jackson Goodale integrated with fellow seniors Adam Gisler, Ty Christopher and Adeboye Akande to deliver on the vision in such short order rewarded the faith in incredibly impressive fashion.
Platte County senior Jackson Goodale anchors the 4×100-meter relay to a win in the Ken Peek Invitational on Friday at Liberty North High School in Liberty.
The reconfigured lineup for Platte County’s 4×100-meter relay posted the second-fastest time in state history during Friday’s Ken Peek Invitational at Liberty North High School in the first planned race together since a season-ending foot injury to standout senior sprinter Braiden Stevens. The Pirates finished in 40.93 seconds, just .10 of a second off the mark they set in the 2025 Class 5 Sectional 4 meet while at “full strength.”
Showing the developed depth, Platte County’s 4×100 and 4×400 relays both posted the fastest times in the state this season even though neither bettered the remarkable school records set last season.
Platte County expected to challenge the 40.83 Missouri record Gisler, Stevens, Akande and Christopher set at some point this season, especially after a surprising and disappointing Class 5 state runnerup finish in the 4×100 last spring. Then came the injury to Stevens, who scratched out of the majority of the recent Kearney Classic Invitational with further examinations of the injury revealing a fracture in his foot.
Goodale subbed into the 4×100 for that meet, and Platte County won the race in 42.00. However, he opted to rest after a minor concern with a hamstring that gave him trouble during the previous two seasons, and the Pirates scratched out of the previous weekend’s Kansas City Relays.
Platte County senior Adam Gisler runs the opening leg of the 4×100-meter relay in the Ken Peek Invitational on Friday at Liberty North High School in Liberty.
Stevens moved to the anchor leg this spring, swapping places with Christopher, but Smith didn’t continue to tinker after the injury.
On Friday, Gisler provided his traditionally strong start out of the blocks, and Christohper’s second leg opened a sizable lead for Platte County. Akande facilitated a strong second exchange, and Goodale didn’t have any challengers down the backstretch as the anchor.
Goodale does have a history of strong performances in the sprints, having been the top 100 runner for Platte County during his freshman year but eventually finding more success in the 200 and 400 and ceding his spot on the 4×100 to his record-setting classmates. Gisler, Stevens, Akande and Goodale set the school record in the 4×200, placing sixth at state last season and then bettering that mark with the same group this year.
Platte County’s 40.83 became Missouri’s first sub-41 second time in the event, but Lee’s Summit became the second in the Class 5 final with Nick Gormley clipping Christopher at the line to claim the state title. The Pirates now have the third overall and both of the top two.
Platte County senior Cale Buntz takes an attempt in the javelin during the Ken Peek Invitational on Friday at Liberty North High School in Liberty.
In the end, Platte County’s 4×400 ended up the top finisher in last year’s Class 5 MSHSAA Track and Field Championships, winning the program’s first state title in nearly a decade. The Pirates ran an astonishing 3:13.80 in the final — a state meet record and the second-fastest time in Missouri history.
Platte County expected a strong returning core in the 4×400, as well, but junior Jack Johnson underwent offseason knee surgery that likely prevents him from running. That leaves Goodale and Christopher as the only returners, but the Pirates fully loaded up the lineup for the first time at Liberty North with encouraging results.
A combination of Christopher, Goodale, senior Elijah Jackson and sophomore Cassius Guillory won Friday’s race for Platte County in 3:19.40, beating Blue Springs by more than 2 full seconds in what now stands as the fastest time in Missouri so far this season.
Platte County’s final victory locked up a fourth-place finish out of 26 teams in the final standings. The Pirates did limit certain entries with Christopher not in the 100 or 200 and Goodale forgoing the 400 in addition to keeping both out of the 4×200, as well.
Akande ran a personal-best of 10.74 in the 100 to finish third, just after posting a 10.87 at the KC Relays. He edged Gisler, who came in fifth at 10.75.
In addition to the 4×400, Jackson continued a strong series of races in the 800 with a third straight PR, finishing in 1:56.42 and second to Staley junior Cameron Meyer in one of the meet’s best races. Jackson continues to close in on Josh Fraker’s school record of 1:55.07 from last season.
Platte County senior Blake Herron (sixth in the 1,600; 4:22.56) and junior Jaden Mathruin (fourth in the 110 hurdles; 15.28) also ran career-bests, while senior Cale Buntz added a third in the javelin (52.01 meters). Buntz placed fifth at state last season and owns the school record and now stands as the only individual returning medalist on the active roster.
Stevens owns Platte County’s 100 school record and placed fifth in Class 5 as a junior.
