By almost any available measure, Ella Green already held a solid claim to best player in program history.
Platte County senior Ella Green hits a chip during Tuesday’s round of the Class 3 MSHSAA Golf Championships at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.
This year’s all-state finish for Platte County’s star senior only provided further validation, even if the results over the two-day Class 3 MSHSAA Golf Championships tournament at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield didn’t meet the lofty expectations. Green finished her career with an 83-84—167 and tied with four others for 14th place.
A year earlier, Green became the second all-state player ever for Platte County when she tied placed sixth with the two lowest scores in an 18-hole round for the program (76-71). Now, she stands alone as the Pirates’ only two-time all-state player with the top 15 individuals including ties all earning that honor.
“Ella Green played well both days, but it was not the results that she had been working toward,” Platte County coach Trevor Short said. “There were a few bounces here and there that didn’t go the right way, but Ella stayed true to form and handled the situations with great poise. The accomplishments for Ella are major, but when you are so passionate about something, and put so much time and effort into something, sometimes the end results aren’t what you expect.”
Green came into state off of a Class 3 District 4 runnerup showing looking to compete for a state title.
Those hopes were ultimately dashed in Monday’s opening round when eventual champion Page Bowman opened with a 3-under 69. Green recorded three birdies while shooting an 83 but carded only seven pars while enduring four double bogeys and a triple bogey. Still, she went into the second round in 13th and still in an all-state position.
Green started slowly Tuesday with a pair of double bogeys while going 5-over on the first three holes. She bounced back with alternating pars and birdies on the next four holes but finished the front nine at 6-over following a bogey-double bogey finish. A run of five straight pars on the backside helped level out the round but left some doubt on the finish.
Platte County junior Grace Handke hits a shot during Tuesday’s round of the Class 3 MSHSAA Golf Championships at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.
Eventually, Green ended up in a five-way tie for the last of 18 all-state spots.
“Ella Green has been an invaluable asset to the Platte County High School golf team,” Short said. “She has aspirations of playing at the next level and her qualifications should help her have many choices on where she would like to attend.”
In 2022, Bailey Silcott endured a similar finish to become Platte County’s first all-state player. In that same Class 3 state tournament, Green ended Day 1 in position to do the same but finished in a tie for 30th after tying for 25th as a freshman.
Green ends her career as the second four-time state qualifier, joining 2024 graduate Lily Ricketts, in addition to winning two of the past three Suburban Conference White Division individual champions. Her four all-district finishes went from ninth to fourth to tied for third and then second as a senior when she won four total tournaments.
Platte County junior Grace Handke also made her state debut and tied for 78th with a 215 total, bouncing back from a 110 in the first round to card a 105 on Tuesday. The 110 on Monday included five pars, and she might have finished in a better position if not for a troublesome 10th hole.
Handke’s second round started with another difficult time navigating No. 10, a short par five, but she came in on a run of eight straight bogeys in one of the best 18-hole scores of her career.
“Grace Handke also did an amazing job,” Short said. “If there was an award for most positive player of the tournament, it would be Grace. She plays so relaxed and makes her playing partners more relaxed. Grace is always on the positive side of things and it makes her play even better. She gained some great experience at the state level and will be sure to keep making progress on her golf game going into next season.”
Handke played as a regular in Platte County’s lineup for a second straight year. After placing 30th at Class 3 District 4 in her postseason debut as a sophomore, she made the state cut by three full strokes this season.
In addition, Handke has placed eight in the White Division each of the past two seasons to give her a pair of all-conference honors to her credit.
