Mired in a lengthy season-opening stretch of road games, Platte County stopped a losing skid in the Pirates’ Suburban Conference White Division opener Wednesday night.
Platte County junior midfielder Thien Nguyen looks for space against Park Hill on Monday at Park Hill District Soccer Stadium.
Four different players scored in a 4-2 victory over Fort Osage. Platte County put up two goals on either side of halftime, and senior Tug Thornton’s marker off a throw-in from senior defender Aidan Murray put the Pirates ahead in the 32nd minute. They didn’t trail again but needed second-half goals from junior midfielders Ian Mathews and Thien Nguyen to hold off the Indians.
Thornton set up the eventual game-winner.
Platte County entered off back-to-back losses to Class 4 foes Blue Springs South (8-0) and Park Hill (6-0) but own a 2-3 record going into road conference games against Truman on Monday and Raytown on Wednesday before traveling to Central (St. Joseph) on Thursday. Those will the last of eight road or neutral site games before the Pirates play at home against William Chrisman on Monday, September 23.
With only two full-time starters back from last year, Platte County continued to face consistent tests during the opening stretch.
Fort Osage also scored in each with Platte County senior goalkeeper Paul Havemeier making a pair of saves. The Pirates’ first goal came from sophomore Camden Noller, his second this season, off of a free kick from senior defender Bresner Garcia, who started in a limited role as a junior and currently starts on a four-man backline with Murray, junior Wally Baldwin and freshman Kai James-Gallimore.
Platte County junior midfielder Cameron Habel looks for a loose ball against Park Hill on Monday at Park Hill District Soccer Stadium in Riverside.
Platte County conceded early in the second half but answered back in the 53rd minute with Thornton assisting on Mathews’ first career goal. The 3-2 lead held until 74th minute when Nguyen converted a breakaway for the last of the scoring in the matchup.
Players like Thornton, Garcia and junior Abe Norman received playing time mostly as reserves a year ago, while Havemeier and junior midfielder Cameron Habel were mainstays on a 15-win team that reached the Class 3 District 8 finals. Against Fort Osage, the Pirates started Thornton up front with a midfield of sophomore Ryan Waldman Nguyen, Mathews, Habel and Norman in front of the almost entirely new defensive back line, although Murray had received some playing time as a goalkeeper before making a switch this season.
However, Platte County continues to look at other combos with senior defender Quinn Traas, freshman Josiah O’Rourke, junior William Babcock and Noller also having starts in the first four games. The Pirates have also used a large amount of reserves while trying to rebuild off the loss of a large and influential senior class.
Results have been mixed with the third loss of the season coming in the season-opener, 2-0 to defending Class 3 District 8 and eventual state champion East (Kansas City).
Platte County then came back to beat Lincoln Prep (7-0) before the lopsided losses to Blue Springs South and Park Hill. The Pirates hope to build momentum in the new look White Division with Fort Osage, Truman and Ruskin expanding the slate to include home-and-homes with seven teams.
