Platte County senior defender Daniel Bunge hits a clearance against Kansas City East in the Class 3 District 8 championship game Wednesday at Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City.
For much of the first half, Platte County absorbed and repelled swift and dangerous counterattacks.
However, Kansas City East broke through in the 24th minute for the opening goal of the Class 3 District 8 championship game Wednesday at Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City. The top-seeded Bears then pulled away for a convincing 5-0 victory behind a relentless offensive effort to earn a second straight playoff berth.
Platte County (15-5) saw a six-game winning streak come to an end — just days after extending the season with a improbable comeback from a two-goal deficit to beat host Pembroke Hill 3-2 in overtime. The second-seeded Pirates trailed 2-0 with under 7 minutes left in regulation before finding a way to advance to a district championship game for the fourth time in five years.
Platte County senior midfielder AJ Schrick battles for a loose ball against Kansas City East in the Class 3 District 8 championship game Wednesday at Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City.
However, Platte County came up a win short of the program’s first playoff first time since 2019 when they went on to finish second at state in Class 3 to close out the best season in team history. The Pirates lost to Smithville (2020) and Guadalupe Centers (2021) in district title games before being knocked out in last year’s Class 3 District 8 semifinal against Pembroke Hill.
East (16-2) ended up beating Pembroke Hill in 2022 on the way to a Class 3 state runnerup finish and have a chance to chase another semifinal berth after scoring at least four goals in a game for the 12th time this season.
Platte County caught a glimpse of the danger in the opening minute when East earned a free kick from 19 yards out with a quick burst up the field. The Bears lobbied for a penalty kick but ended up taking a shot that smacked into the defensive wall. They were 25 yards out in the fifth minute and ended up with an attempt that went high over the goal.
On the ensuring restart to play, Platte County used a quick move to earn a free kick in the attacking half that ultimately led to a scramble in the 18-yard box. Pirates senior forward Gavin Nichols saw the East goalkeeper clear the ball away from him before being able to take a shot. A Bears defender then dribbled backward and almost lost the ball.
Platte County senior forward Gavin Nichols heads the ball upfield against Kansas City East in the Class 3 District 8 championship game Wednesday at Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City.
Platte County senior forward Josh Nelson appeared set to take advantage of an open net only for another defender to clear the ball out of danger. The Pirates would not have a better chance a taking the lead or tying the score after going behind 1-0.
For just the third time this season, Platte County’s offense went scoreless. The Pirates had scored two or more in 12 of the previous 13 games after a 3-3 start.
Nichols, Nelson and attacking midfielder AJ Schrick developed into a high-scoring trio and formed the nucleus of an eight-player senior class that helped quickly rebuild after losing six key contributors from 2022. The seniors also included second-year starters Connor Currence (defensive midfield) and Daniel Bunge (left back) plus starting midfielder Andrew Reinsch. The Pirates also utilized Fabian Risager — a foreign exchange student — as the centerpiece of a three-man backline while reserve Calvin Thrasher contributed a pair of goals during the recent winning streak.
In particular, Nichols, Schrick, Bunge, Nelson and Currence were three-year contributors in a stretch where Platte County won 51 total games. Including a COVID-shortened 2020 campaign, the Pirates were 62-20 during the seniors’ four years with the program.
