Platte County knows the pieces should be in place for one of the best seasons in program history. Expectations are high — just what the coaches and 27 swimmers on the roster want.
Platte County junior Brooklynn Hays swims in a meet last season.
Accustomed to success in recent years, Platte County enters the season having won four straight Suburban Conference Blue Division titles and five straight years of high-end showings in the Class 1 Missouri State Swimming and Diving Championships. The Pirates didn’t have much of a drop off a year ago despite the loss of Shannon Banark, a 2021 graduate and the best individual swimmer in program history.
Platte County totaled 37 points at state last year and finished tied for 21st but just 11 points out of 16th. The Pirates recorded a program-best finish of ninth a year earlier and could be in line for a return to that tier with a solid collective effort from six returning qualifiers — seniors Drew DeLay, Madeline Judy and Blair Bolling; junior Brooklyn Hays and sophomores Madeleine Stone and Ireland Shank.
No one boasts more experience and credentials than DeLay, a three-time honorable mention all-state performer in the 100 breaststroke.
Platte County’s success in the last two state meets came courtesy of bunched finishes in that event. Last year, DeLay placed 15th to go with 10th-place (sophomore) and 14th-place (freshman) showings in her first two seasons. She also qualified in the 50 freestyle last year, coming in 25th in preliminaries.
Platte County sophomore Ireland Shank swims the backstroke during a meet last season.
The state currently takes the top 32 in each event with swimmers limited to two individual events and two relays or three relays if only qualified in one event. The number of qualifiers was reduced to 24 in the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 protocols, giving DeLay a unique event list as a sophomore.
The top eight times in preliminaries advance to the all-state championship final while the next eight go to the honorable mention consolation final.
DeLay’s other qualifying efforts include the 200 freestyle (31st, 2019-20) and two relays each of her first two seasons — 12th-place 200 medley and 14th-place 200 freestyle in 2019-20; fourth-place 200 medley, seventh-place 400 freestyle and 200 freestyle in 2020-21; and 13th-place 200 freestyle and 15th-place 400 freestyle in 2021-22. That means she has two all-state and seven honorable mention all-state performances to her credit.
In addition to DeLay, Stone returns from last year’s 400 freestyle relay and Judy from the 200 freestyle relay. Hays was also on both honorable mention quartets in 2021-22 and the seventh-place 400 freestyle and qualifying 200 freestyle team as a freshman.
Platte County senior Madeline Judy swims the freestyle during a meet last season.
Hays’ individual accolades include becoming the first freshman all-state performer in an individual event in program history in 2021 (eighth, 100 breaststroke). She also came in 25th that season in the 50 freestyle preliminaries before moving up to 12th in that event as a sophomore in addition to joining DeLay as an honorable mention all-state performer in the 100 breaststroke (11th).
In addition to DeLay and Hays, Shank (18th, 100 butterfly) and Stone (22nd, 100 backstroke; 29th, 200 individual medley). Stone also swam on the honorable mention all-state 400 freestyle team.
Platte County hopes to add even more individual qualifiers this season with Judy, Bolling, fellow seniors Lauren Beatty, Sam Teufel, Ella Chiddix, Charlotte Hammond; juniors Emily Handke, Jayden Benninghoff, Alyson Stone; and freshmen Ashleigh Cruce and Erin Anderson the top candidates. Judy earned honorable mention all-state honors and holds a part of the school record in the 200 freestyle relay, while Bolling swam with her, Madeleine Stone and Shank on the state qualifying 200 medley team that finished 22nd in the preliminaries.
Platte County sophomore Madeleine Stone takes off in the backstroke during a meet last season.
Judy put up a state consideration cut in the 50 freestyle as a junior but did not make the cut after ending the season ranked 83rd in the event. Benninghoff was 58th in the 100 backstroke.
Platte County graduated just four seniors but must overcome the loss of breakout star Meredith Ballou, who made the championship final in one individual event and earned honorable mention all-state honors in another plus two relays. She joined DeLay and Hays as the static members of the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, while placing eighth in the 100 breaststroke — leading the Pirates’ trio of top-16 finishers, the second straight year to achieve that superlative — and coming in 16th in the 200 IM. She was a first-time qualifier in individual events, likely because of the reduced COVID fields her junior season, but a solid contributor for four straight seasons.
In addition, graduated seniors Erian Stone and Maria Molinari were relay alternates and also part of four straight Blue Division titles.
Platte County moves up to the Suburban Conference White Division this season and will now compete with Belton, Grain Valley, Raytown and William Chrisman to try and earn a fifth straight league crown. The effort could be aided with Madeleine Stone, Bolling and Chiddix potentially contributing in 1-meter diving this season.
