Platte County sophomore Carlie Baker posted her second-fastest time of the season and provided a solid complement to another medalist performance for junior star Tyler Stambersky in Saturday’s Kearney Invitational at Jesse James Park in Kearney. The Pirates were in impressive fourth overall out of 19 teams in the final standings with a total of 177 — just nine back of third-place Notre Dame de Sion.
St. Teresa’s Academy (43) and Kearney (63) were the runaway top two.
Stambersky came in fourth at 20 minutes, 30.90 seconds with her third-fastest time of the season and continues to lead Platte County’s youthful roster as the only runner with prior state experience. Baker placed 20th at 21:35.60, and her only better time this fall came at the late September Gans Creek Classic (20:42.30).
Platte County freshman Claire Babcock (56th, 23:20.40), freshman Lane Keraus (63rd, 23:42.30) and junior Kensington Sturdy (66th, 23:45.90) rounded out the team score. The Pirates didn’t have a senior in the lineup, and Babcock, Keraus, Sturdy and sophomore Brooklyn Niewald (91st) are all first-year contributors to the lineup.
Stambersky qualified and earned all-state honors in the 2024 Class 4 MSHSAA Cross Country Championships. She then advanced last season out of Class 5 District 4 as a sophomore when Platte County shifted up in postseason assignment but ended up with a DNF at state due to a blood sugar issue.
Last season, Stambersky, Baker and sophomore Mary Dellinger all ran at Class 5 District 4 and were part of Platte County’s third straight team title in the Suburban Conference White Division Championships. The Pirates look to extend that streak to four Friday in the conference race at Platte Ridge Park behind those three plus the newcomers.
Stambersky won the White Division individual title as a freshman and placed second last season with Dellinger and Baker made second-team all-conference.
Platte County continues to be without second-team all-conference junior Madison Fuller due to a shin injury, while Dellinger wasn’t among the finishers on Saturday. The Pirates only had two seniors on last season’s postseason roster but injuries and departures from the roster ended up limiting the returners and led to a continued youth movement.
