In a first substantial test for a small roster, Platte County scored 26 teams and placed 14th overall in the 36th annual Independence Invitational on Saturday at Henley Aquatic Center in Independence. The Pirates have just seven swimmers on the team this season, but junior Beau Jonkman and a promising trio of freshmen provide optimism for success this season.
Jonkman finished seventh in the 100-yard backstroke at 1 minute, 6.44 seconds for Platte County’s lone individual points. The Pirates’ 200 medley relay of Jonkman and freshmen Jacob Stone, Ethan Morton and Gavin Lister placed 10th in 2:08.02.
Both were short of state-qualifying consideration marks but provided an initial baseline. The lone returning qualifier for the Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships, Jonkman ended up DQ’d in the 50 freestyle — his second individual event — as did both Platte County’s 200 and 400 freestyle teams. Jonkman previously swam on relays at state each of the past two seasons for the Pirates and put up a consideration cut last season but did not advance in an individual event.
Platte County Pentangular
Platte County’s home opener Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North didn’t produce any state times, but the Pirates were close while competing against St. Pius X, Kearney, Smithville and Warrensburg.
Jonkman came in second in the 100 freestyle at 54.83 and just missed a cut in that event, while also placing third in the 200 freestyle. Morton added a runnerup showing in the 200 individual medley, while Stone (100 butterfly) and junior Dillyn Jacobson (500 freestyle) both posted third-place finishes. The Pirates’ 400 freestyle posted the best finish (third), but the fourth-place 200 freestyle relay came in just over a second off of a state cut at 1:55.62.
