Stone’s golden goal sends Platte County back to district title game

KEARNEY, Mo. — Pleas for a penalty kick were summarily and emphatically dismissed, and the officials awarded a corner kick instead.

A potentially disappointing consolation set piece turned into the determining moment of Monday’s Class 3 District 8 semifinal. Off the corner, a loose ball fell to Platte County freshman defender Addison Linn on the right edge of the 18-yard box. She cut in and fired a shot that forced Kearney junior goalkeeper Mallyrie Schwab-Wetzel could only parry away but not clear from danger. The rebound bypassed a pair of Pirates waiting in the box, but sophomore forward Addision Stone hammered home a shot from close range for the game-winning goal just six minutes into the first of potentially two halves of overtime.

Platte County (16-6) avenged two prior losses this season to Kearney and earned the right to play in the Class 3 District 8 title game at 6 p.m. Wednesday, also at Kearney where a rematch of last season’s loss St. Pius X awaits.

“We came here just knowing what was on the line,” said Stone, who scored both of Platte County’s goals. “We were fighting for our next game, and I think we just came out really strong and we just fought for the win.”

Kearney (21-4) — the No. 2 seed in a very competitive bracket — won the first two matchups between the rivals this season in tournament play — 4-1 in the season-opening Platte County Invitational and 2-1 in the championship game of April’s North Kansas City Invitational.

The third time literally proved the charm for Platte County, which fell behind early in each of the previous two losses. This time around, the Pirates grabbed an early lead and appeared poised to hold a shutout thanks to a stout defensive effort from a combination of six players — Linn and juniors Caroline Linn and Marley Woods on the outside plus sophomore Emily Fadler, freshman Lilly Stark and senior Kaylee Dixon in the middle.

In particular, Fadler mostly shadowed and clearly hindered Kearney senior standout midfielder Josie Sparks’ ability to create scoring chances, while Platte County freshman goalkeeper Kylie Hill turned in easily the most best and most important performance of her young career with 12 saves. However, Sparks — a Division I signee to SIU-Edwardsville — found herself in space and set up sophomore Isla Downing for an equalizer in the 74th minute.

Suddenly tied at 1-1 with regulation time dwindling away, Platte County earned a pair of free kicks off of fouls in a physical matchup, but shots from freshman Mary Dellinger and sophomore Katelyn Newberry from dangerous positions both went high. That set up overtime, which starts with two 15-minute sudden death halves followed by a penalty kick shootout if the score remains tied.

“We just knew we needed to come out strong. It was golden goal — first goal wins — and we just knew what was on the line,” Stone said. “We were all just really, really motivated, and we got it done.”

The finish came off of the first good chance in overtime when Stone broke into the open field and dribbled into the 18-yard box on a breakaway. Kearney sophomore midfielder Zoey Fredlund didn’t give up on the play and tracked back but appeared to clip Stone’s ankle on a tackle from behind as she set up to take the shot.

Platte County players and coaches appealed for a foul and a penalty kick, but the officials were unmoved and calmly signaled for a penalty kick, apparently ruling Fredlund touched the ball out of play rather than making significant contact with the player. Addison Linn’s decisive move into the box led to her well-placed shot, and after Newberry and junior forward Amela Dzilic were unable to connect on rebound attempts, Stone ended up as the beneficiary.

“After what happened in the box before and us not getting a PK, everyone was definitely really riled up and then so that corner we all just fought for it and it was a big team effort,” she said. “I was just in the right spot and had an easy finish.”

Playing against the wind in the first half, Platte County started with limited possession and notable giveaways that put Kearney on the front foot early. Hill made four saves in the first 15 minutes on mostly comfortable shots, while the Pirates managed just one attempt on target in the same span.

Stone became a relentless focal point of Platte County’s offense as the first half progressed, and she put the Pirates in front 1-0 in the 23rd minute off of a miscue. Schwab-Wetzel made a bad pass out of the back, and Dzilic pounced on the loose ball and immediately played a pass to Stone in a dangerous spot.

Schwab-Wetzel came off her line but couldn’t close down the space quick enough, and Stone buried a shot for a 1-0 lead.

“I pressured the goalie; she made a mistake,” Stone said. “She played (the ball) to Amela. I knew Amela was going to play it to me. She told me to turn. I turned, had the shot and then I just trusted her and then put it in the back of the net.”

Stone nearly doubled Platte County’s lead in the 26th minute, but Schwab-Wetzel managed to punch a shot from a tight angle on the right over the goal to keep the deficit at one goal. However, the Pirates nearly gave up an equalizer just before halftime when Hill spilled one of her seven saves in the first half.

Kearney sophomore forward Addisyn Smith pounced on the rebound opportunity but skied a shot well over the bar.

That bobble and a handed punt out of the back were the only minor miscues for Hill, a first-year player who finally emerged as Platte County’s top choice at goalkeeper in a three-player competition hindered by injuries and absences. The open job came after the graduation of Finley Kaser — a four-year starter who earned Missouri High School Soccer Coaches Association all-state honors last season.

“(Kylie)’s been surprising us throughout the season, the fact that has she hasn’t played in goal and hasn’t played soccer,” Platte County coach Ashlyn Brantley said. “To be where she’s at right now is a blessing for us because we knew losing Finley was going to be tough and hard to replace, but (Kylie)’s come in and stepped up in those moments. Like in this game, she doesn’t shy away or hesitate from getting right there in the mix and then she’s very athletic, which we need. She’s been getting behind a lot of those shots.”

Kearney carried momentum into the second half and dominated the majority of chances in regulation but struggled to break down a defense that increasingly relied on Fadler and Stark in the middle to counter the Bulldogs’ speed up front.

Platte County’s only real looks at goal came on three total free kicks, including the two after Kearney tied the score.

“We weren’t content with the 1-0 lead by any means, and the fact we started sitting back is something we’re definitely going to be talking about in practice tomorrow,” Brantley said. “In those situations, it’s only going to bring more trouble, so yes, I want us to create, still continue to play how we play and have more chances. But when were in those situations, we weren’t keeping the ball. Our first touch was getting away with us, and all we were doing was trying to kick it out and (the attack) would come right back to us.”

Despite eventually being forced into overtime, Platte County goes into the Class 3 District 8 title game as the No. 3 seed against top-seeded St. Pius X (20-2), which beat Smithville 2-1 in the other semifinal, for a second straight season. The Warriors won last year’s matchup in the same round 1-0 on a late goal.

Platte County then faced a potentially daunting rebuild evidenced by the division of minutes against Kearney. The only senior starters were Dixon and midfielder Saige Dickens, and of the 18 players to see the field, six were freshmen and four more sophomores.

Without a doubt, Platte County looks much different now than during a 2-4 start to the season, and despite occasionally looking to be a year away from truly contending in the district, with a chance to end a frustrating playoff drought dating to 2021.

“They’ve definitely grown up fast, and they’ve been put in pressure situations,” Brantley said. “But they have shown maturity throughout the season which only gives me confidence for the future.”

“We just have to have confidence and just go in and play as best as we can,” Stone added.

Platte County 5, William Chrisman 0

The Pirates’ third victory this season over a Suburban Conference White Division foe in Saturday’s first round set up the dramatic semifinal.

Newberry broke a scoreless tie in the first half with a fluky goal on a rebound off of a shot from Stark. Stone added a pair of goals, while Addison Linn set up Dzilic to stretch the lead to 4-0 after halftime.