Platte County won back the Highway 92 Showdown trophy in Wednesday’s quad on the Posse Course at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville, completing a quick sweep of rivalry events. The Pirates also beat Park Hill in a dual just a week earlier.
Platte County sophomore Bryson Hevalow hits a putt during the Gavin McKenna Memorial Invitational on Thursday at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City.
With senior Braden Hendee earning medalist honors, Platte County posted a 155 and beat Smithville (162) by seven strokes. Excelsior Springs (170) finished third while Kearney (181) rounded out the four-team field.
This marked a final chance for Platte County, Smithville and Kearney to preview the Class 4 District 4 course.
Hendee impressed with a 2-under 34 that included just one bogey and birdies at Nos. 4, 5 and 9. Smithville freshman Carter Waters and Excelsior Springs junior Lane Overholtzer both finished four strokes back.
Platte County again showed balance in a lineup that has featured nine different players at the varsity level this season. The Pirates’ team score also included sophomore Jack Dillingham’s 39 and sophomore Bryson Hevalow’s 40 while junior Brayden Renno and sophomore Nick Cangelosi posted matching 42s.
Hendee and Renno both came into the season as two-time state qualifiers, while a talented group of mostly sophomores have continued to compete for playing time.
Platte County junior Brayden Renno hits a chip shot during the Gavin McKenna Memorial Invitational on Thursday at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City.
Dillingham and Hevalow didn’t play any holes at worse than bogey, combining for 11 pars. Renno made just one par but used a pair of birdies to help balance out an uneven round, while Cangelosi rebounded from an opening double bogey with three pars and a birdie before playing the final four holes in 5-over.
With the deepest roster in program history, Platte County started the week with an uncharacteristic sixth-place finish in the Kearney Invitational, held at Excelsior Springs Golf Course. Renno tied for ninth with a 6-over 78, while Hendee came in tied for 20th (8-over, 80) to pace the Pirates.
Hevalow (11-over, 83) and Dillingham (12-over, 84) rounded out Platte County’s team score for Platte County with Cangelosi (13-over, 85) another stroke back. Hendee carded two birdies but also posted a pair of double bogeys, while Renno played consistent with 10 pars and a birdie at No. 7.
Hevalow also had a birdie, while Dillingham made eagle at No. 9 and birdie at No. 13 but only finished with three pars.
Platte County sophomore Nick Cangelosi hits a chip shot during the Gavin McKenna Memorial Invitational on Thursday at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City.
After playing well in the Highway 92 Showdown, Platte County built momentum in the highly competitive Gavin McKenna Memorial Invitational on Thursday at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City. The Pirates placed seventh out of 19 teams but posted an impressive 312 total with Hendee, Renno, Dillingham and Cangelosi contributing the scores.
Dillingham (81), Cangelosi (82) and Hevlow (83) all finished within two shots of each other in what’s become a common theme of balance at the back of the lineup.
Hendee tied for fourth with a 1-over 73 that included a birdie, a bogey and a double bogey. Renno came in three shots back in a tie for 17th with a pair of birdies but also a lone double bogey at No. 18.
The top 10 players all shots 74 or better with another five at 75.
This marked the penultimate competition of the regular season with Platte County hoping to regain the Suburban Conference White Division Championships team title Monday at Hoot’s Hollow in Pleasant Hill. The Pirates have been second to Grain Valley each of the past three seasons.
Renno tied for the White Division title as a sophomore with Hendee a shot back, while Dillingham ended up as honorable mention all-conference in what ended up his final tournament of last season.
Platte County went on to earn an unconvnential team berth to the Class 4 MSHSAA Golf Championships — the first for the program in more than two decades — with all five players making the individual cut. The Pirates went on to finish fifth in state.
Dillingham didn’t play in the postseason due to a scheduling conflict with districts, and sophomore Kaplan Curtis, a contributor this season, making the state cut.
Having played the majority of the past three seasons at No. 1, Hendee is a two-time all-conference player and once honorable mention, while Renno made honorable mention as a freshman before tying for the individual crown as a sophomore.
