At least partially in jest, Zach Keith said he didn’t build the Platte County Invitational for the Pirates to win.
Platte County junior Maggie McBratney hits a forehand during a Platte County Invitational singles match last Friday at Platte County High School.
Yet, Platte County did just that last Friday in a competitive and varied eight-team field, even in wake of a devastating injury to a key member of the lineup. The Pirates were strong in the back end of the lineup with senior Delaney Bachmann winning the No. 5 singles flight bracket in the morning and then pairing with fellow senior Lucy McClain to do the same in the No. 3 doubles flight bracket in the afternoon.
Platte County’s veteran coach went into the tournament minus junior Summer Jenni, who suffered a season-ending knee injury days earlier late in a match during a dual with Staley.
With Jenni facing surgery and a long recovery process, Bachmann moved up to No. 5, while McClain went from a likely starter in doubles only to No. 6 singles, as well. In addition to their contributions, Pirates junior Maggie McBratney (No. 2) and senior Olivia Holbrook (No. 3) also took first place in singles.
Platte County senior Lucy McClain hits a serve during a Platte County Invitational singles match last Friday at Platte County High School.
Platte County ended up accruing 19 team points to finish three points clear of Liberty North and Central (St. Joseph). Liberty North won a tiebreaker between the two Class 3 programs, while Class 1 Savannah was fourth. The Pirates were the only Class 2 school in the field with Class 3 Raymore-Peculiar and Park Hill South plus Class 1 Chillicothe and Warrensburg filling out the field.
Entering the season with three returning starters, Platte County continues to face tough tests early in the season and has responded well to the additional adversity of the injury to Jenni, who moved into the No. 4 spot.
Addie Mayne, another senior and returning Class 2 Missouri State Tennis Championships doubles qualifier along with Holbrook, moved up to No. 1, while McBratney dropped one spot to become an extremely strong No. 2. She showed as much as the No. 6 in her bracket and winning three straight to take the title.
Mayne dropped a tight first-round match as the No. 5 seed and ended up placing sixth after a loss in the fifth-place match.
Platte County also saw junior Lily Fish move up to No. 4 and place fourth in singles, while McClain came back from a first-round loss at No. 6 to win the consolation side of the bracket. The Pirates’ No. 1 doubles team of Mayne and Holbrook, state qualifiers but on separate teams last year as juniors, placed third while the No. 2 duo of McBratney and Fish also reached the third-place match but wound up fourth.
Platte County junior Ellie Fish hits a shot during a dual with Liberty North on Wednesday at Platte County High School.
Importantly, Platte County scored at least one point in every flight, while Liberty North and Central did not have any individual champions.
Platte County 6, Park Hill 3
The Pirates recorded their first-ever win in this series Tuesday at Platte County High School, staging a comeback in singles to pull away.
Park Hill led 2-1 out of doubles with the lone loss at No. 2. Platte County’s team of McBratney and Fish won 8-5, while the Pirates’ two losses were by scores of 8-6. The tight matchup continued into singles, but McBratney (No. 2) and Fish (No. 4) were dominant with scores of 8-3 to help turn the tide.
Mayne (8-6 at No. 1), Holbrook (8-5 at No. 3) and Bachmann (8-6 at No. 5) also recorded wins, as Paltte County took 5 of 6 singles matches.
Liberty North 5, Platte County 4
The Pirates carried the momentum over into the doubles portion of Wednesday’s home dual but this time let a lead slip away.
Liberty North won 4 of 6 singles match after trailing 2-1 out of doubles. McBratney and Fish (No. 2) and Bachmann and McClain (No. 3) recorded victories for Platte County in doubles, but only McBratney (8-3 at No. 2) and Fish (9-8 in a tiebreaker at No. 4) were winners in singles. Mayne lost 8-6 at No. 1, while Holbrook dropped a 9-7 decision at No. 3 in what ended up being tight results favoring the Eagles.
Platte County dropped to 5-4 on the season, having alternated wins and losses over the past six. The Pirates’ have an important week ahead, first going on the road to Oak Park then Class 2 District 8 foe Kearney before hosting Grain Valley (7-2) on Thursday in a dual that will likely decide the Suburban Conference White Division championship.
