Platte County went north to seek out a new challenge on the schedule and found one. The Pirates finished fifth out of 13 teams in the strong field of the Pella Invitational on Saturday at the Central College Course in Pella, Iowa.
Times were not as fast as the season-opening Tim Nixon Invitational, but Platte County senior Blake Herron again earned a medal, placing fifth in 16 minutes, 13.80 seconds. He finished well out of a breakaway top four of Iowa runners who all went under 16 minutes.
Platte County ended up with a team total of 131, just three points out of fourth place, and raced without senior Elijah Jackson, who missed due to a conflict with the ACT test. Herron and senior Donavin Ness (22nd, 17:24.10) continued to lead the way as three-time returning state qualifiers, while Jackson has gone each of the past two seasons.
Outside of those three, Platte County continues to integrate more inexperienced runners and could only run seven on the varsity roster at Pella. The Pirates’ team total also included the finishes of sophomores Tate Stone (17:38.00) and Landon McKinzie (17:38.40), who finished back-to-back in 30th and 31st.
Stone finished just off the personal-best of 17:35.80 he set a week earlier in Liberty.
Platte County junior Nick Flowers again finished in the top five for Platte County, placing 43rd (18:16.40). While Jackson posted the No. 6 time at the Tim Nixon Invitational, junior Zarren Moore (50th, 19:00.10) and freshman Haddon Newsome (52nd, 19:08.80) on Saturday. Moore actually set a career-best in just his second race for the Pirates, improving by 2 seconds on a tougher course.
