Platte County junior Tyler Stamberskey reclaimed the Suburban Conference White Division Championships crown, but the Pirates’ youthful lineup couldn’t quite keep pace in the team chase.
Platte County sophomores Carlie Baker (1339) and Mary Dellinger (1340) run in the Suburban Conference White Division Championships on Friday at Platte Ridge Park.
Grain Valley’s five finishers in the top eight were just enough Friday morning at Platte Ridge Park.
Entering as the three-time defending champions, Platte County grabbed four of the other first and second team all-conference spots but ultimately totaled a 33. Grain Valley took the team title with a 23, while Belton (83) was the only other team with at least five runners.
Second a year ago, Stambersky reclaimed the White Division crown she owned as a freshman, this time on her home course. She finished in 20 minutes, 11.00 seconds, nearly 2 full minutes faster than on the same track earlier this season at the Judge “Chris” Stubbs Invitational.
Stambersky beat Grain Valley sophomore and defending conference champion Evelynn Hay by 11 seconds, but the Eagles claimed the next three spots and four of the next five.
Platte County sophomore Mary Dellinger (fifth, 21:37.80) made the first team, while sophomore Carlie Baker (seventh, 21:46.60) and freshman Claire Babcock (10th, 22:26.30) rounded out the second team. Lane Keraus, another freshman for the Pirates, accounted for the final points of the team score in 12th (22:40.00), while junior Kensington Sturdy (15th, 23:06.60) joined her as honorable mention while coming in just in front of senior Alex Yurko (16th, 23:46.20).
Dellinger ran just her fourth race of the season but posted her second-fastest time of 2026, while Baker improved from the regular season race at Platte Ridge Park by over a minute and Babock by more than 2 minutes. Sturdy ran a PR, while Keraus missed hers by just 12 seconds.
Stambersky made first team for a third straight year, while Dellinger moved up from second team and Baker repeated those honors in their second year. The other five runners were all new to the lineup with junior Madison Fuller having missed the entire season so far with a shin injury. The Pirates now have over two weeks off before running Class 5 District 4 on Halloween in Liberty.
In the first season bumped up from Class 4, Stambersky qualified for state, while Dellinger, Baker and Fuller were in the postseason lineup. That means four runners will make their district debuts but on a familiar course at Capitol Federal Sports Complex, which hosted the season-opening Tim Nixon Invitational.
