Platte County continues to move pieces around trying to find the preferred lineup.
Platte County senior Parker Amos hits a chip shot during the Pirate Scramble Invitational on Monday at Shiloh Springs Golf Course.
Results from Monday’s Pirate Scramble Invitational show coach Trevor Short might still have work to do. He paired senior No. 1 and returning Class 3 Missouri State Golf Championships qualifier Parker Amos with freshman Braden Hendee, and the duo responded with a tie for second with a 5-under 66 round. The Pirates finished third as a team in the unique event, which allows each school three two-player teams with the top two contributing to a team score.
Platte County posted a 137 with senior Jackson Gabbert and sophomore Ben Gillilan posting an even-par 71. Rockhurst won the team championship (129) with two of the top three finishers, while Smithville edged the Pirates for second with a 135.
“The team had a pretty good day today,” Short said. “We finally had some pretty decent weather and we tried to capitalize on it. We were able to get our entire team of 17 players out on the course and it was great to see them in action. We had a few challenging shots, but we also had some amazing ones as well. We are very proud of how hard the team is working and pushing each other to be the best golfers possible.
“The team may have a tight race to see which five will represent the Pirates in the postseason.”
In a scramble, both players on a team hit a shot, and they choose which ball to play next, continuing that for each shot on every hole.
Having played No. 1 all three years of his career, Amos continues to thrive in the format. He has played with three different teammates in the Pirate Scramble and had finished fourth each of the past two seasons. This marked the best of his three rounds, and it came playing with Hendee, who opened the year at No. 6 and just out of the varsity lineup but has come on strong in recent opportunities to play at the varsity level.
Platte County sophomore Ben Gillilan hits a putt while senior teammate Jackson Gabbert observes the line during the Pirate Scramble Invitational on Monday at Shiloh Springs Golf Course.
Due to the setup, Platte County played the six individuals competing for the top five spots in different tandems. Gabbert, the only other returner from last year’s lineup, medaled at the event for the first time, finishing alone in ninth with Gillilan. The Pirates’ deep sophomore class also includes Josh Knickman and Joshua Gentilia, who placed in a tie for 16th with a 4-over 75 — three shots out of the top 10 and the final medal spots.
Interestingly, Knickman’s performances early have placed him as the No. 2 and included a medalist performance in the team’s only non-tournament action of the season, but Short used the home scramble as a chance to mix up the order and evaluate shot selection.
Park Hill Invitational
Platte County posted a strong 341 team score but placed ninth in a deep tournament field Thursday at Tiffany Greens Golf Club in Kansas City.
Amos just missed the top 10, tying for 11th with a 5-over 77, while Knickman again looked strong with an 83 that tied for 28th. Gabbert (90, tied for 55th) and Hendee (91, tied for 57th) rounded out the Pirates’ team score, while Gillilan posted the fifth score not involved in the team total with a 98. He tied for 64th.
In three traditional tournaments this season, Platte County has been fairly consistent, going from 357 to a season-best 335 to the 341 to close out this past week. The Pirates travel to Monday’s Oak Park Invitational at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville before a road triangular with Staley and Liberty at Shoal Creek Golf Course on Thursday.
