Fraker becomes latest runner to set Platte County school record

The updates to the school record book continue, this time at a longer distance.

Platte County senior Josh Fraker turned in an impressive victory in the 800-meter race during Friday’s Ken Peek Invitational while running the event for just the third time in his career. He went to the front going into the final curve and easily bested a talented field to the line.

Fraker’s finish in 1 minute, 55.07 seconds erased Connor Currence’s Platte County school record in the 800 after less than a year. He set the previous mark of 1:55.59 at last year’s Suburban Conference White Division Championships.

Even shorthanded and enduring a notable disqualification, Platte County totaled 62 points and finished sixth out of strong collection of 22 teams from Missouri and Kansas.

With a previous career-best of 1:58.40 from his only other start in the 800 this season, Fraker highlighted the day in what turned into a memorable two-lap sprint. He settled comfortably into third place but changed the dynamic of the race with a little over 200 meters to go in the final lap.

Fraker went past both the two lead runners and ended up finishing almost two full seconds in front of Liberty (Wentzville) senior Cale Eldredge, who placed second in 1:57.02. Nixa senior Aaron Ashley came in third at 1:57.16.

Platte County coaches stretched Fraker out a year ago mostly as a key part of a 4×800 relay that qualified for Class 5 Sectional 4 but ended up DQ’d and just short of qualifying for state. He previously focused on the 200 and 400 in his first two seasons also owns a piece of the school record in the 4×400, which placed second last year in the Class 5 MSHSAA Track and Field Championships.

Fraker ran the open 800 just once last year and now twice as a senior with Friday’s result giving him the second-fastest time in the state this season for that event. He also ran one of the fastest 400s in program history earlier this season (49.04).

Platte County senior Tanner Jenks added a career-best in the 3,200, placing third in 9:38.11. The Pirates took some emphasis off the 4×800 with Fraker, Jenks and junior Blake Herron all in individual events.

Jenks ran the 3,200 not long after finishing just behind Herron and outside the top 10 of a strong 1,600 field.

Platte County junior Braiden Stevens didn’t run the 100 after recently setting a school record in the event. However, the Pirates ended up with three scoring runners and earned the ability to enter up to four individuals into the postseason after the results Friday.

In the 100, Platte County junior Adam Gisler went under 11 seconds for the first time, placing fifth in 10.82 and just in front of junior teammate Ty Christopher (sixth, 10.92). Adeboye Akande, another junior, scored one team point for the Pirates while placing eighth at 11.04. All three set PRs.

Teams are limited to just two entries per events unless more individuals hit a specific qualifying standard.

Stevens ran a school-record 10.64 in his last 100, and now, all four members of Platte County’s 4×100 relay have went under that mark of 11.05. However, the Pirates didn’t record a finish in the shortest sprint relay Friday after Gisler false-started, leading to a DQ. The group of Gisler, Stevens, Akande and Christopher have set multiple school records over the course of the past two seasons.

However, Stevens, Akande, Christopher and senior Caden McGhee placed second in the 4×200 at 1:28.42, just a week after setting Platte County’s school record at 1:27.81. The Pirates were also fifth in the 4×400 with a team of Fraker and sophomores Jack Johnson, Noah Omoike and Nick Fetterman.

Platte County remained without junior standout Jackson Goodale (hamstring) while attempting to chase last year’s school record in the 4×400. Fraker and Goodale were on that unit, and the Pirates also expected to bring back senior Brayden Eschliman, who suffered a torn ACL in football and will not run this season.

Fraker, Goodale, Johnson and Christopher have posted the fastest time for Platte County in the 4×400, but injuries along with depth of events has limited their ability to run together to this point. However, the Pirates have just one regular season meet left before conference and the stretch of three postseason meets — districts, sectionals and state.

Johnson continued a comeback from offseason shoulder surgery and placed sixth in the 300 hurdles at 40.39, still trying to cut back to the career-best of 39.54 he set in his first start of the season.

Platte County’s best finish in field events came from junior Cale Buntz, who finished third in the javelin with a PR of 49.11 meters. He previously threw 48.97 meters this season and continues to chase the school record of current throwing coach Dakota Schmidt (49.78 meters in 2018).