Platte County went into the Suburban Conference White Division Championships with three players somewhat familiar with the challenge. Yet, the Pirates were in a deeper field Monday at Hoot’s Hollow Golf Course in Pleasant Hill looking to return to the top of the standings.
In the end, Platte County placed second to champion Grain Valley (378) for a second straight season in the final team standings. The Pirates won seven straight conference titles from 2016 to 2022 before the back-to-back runnerup finishes in the their third season in the White Division, which added Fort Osage, Ruskin and Truman this school year.
Platte County senior Ella Green highlighted the showing, winning her second conference title in three years with a 1-over 73. She became a four-time all-conference honoree having placed fourth as a freshman and second as a junior with the medalist finishes coming in her sophomore and senior seasons.
Grain Valley’s Mallory Crane finished second with a 79.
“We are very proud of how the team played today,” Platte County coach Trevor Short said. “They did a great job out on the course and came away with a very respectable finish. Now it is time for us to focus on the district tournament.”
Platte County junior Grace Handke set a career-best while playing in the conference tournament for a second straight season. She finished eighth with a 100 to better the 103 she shot while also earning all-conference honors as a sophomore. The Pirates’ 398 team score also included senior Macie Garland (111) and junior Emma Mizell (113), who made her conference debut along with senior Izzie Grell (118).
Garland played at conference for a second straight season, but only Green and Handke have experience in Class 3 District 4 play. This year’s tournament will be Monday at Eagles’ Landing Golf Course in Belton.
Green goes into the postseason off of her fourth tournament victory of the season looking to become Platte County’s second four-time state qualifier, joining 2024 graduate Lily Ricketts. The Pirates finished a distant third in the final district standings last year while Green and a pair of now-graduated teammates advanced on to the Class 3 MSHSAA Golf Championships.
The district team champion and runnerup automatically send their top four players to the Class 3 MSHSAA Golf Championships, while the next 13 individual players not from those teams, including ties, also advance. If a state-qualifying team’s fifth score falls in the top 13 individuals or within 10 strokes of the individual cut line, that player advances and does not count toward the top 13 individuals.
After placing fourth in Class 3 District 4 as a sophomore and ninth as a freshman, Green came in a somewhat disappointing four-way tie for third last fall before going on to become the second all-state golfer in Platte County history with the two-lowest rounds ever for the program in any 18-hole competition. The Pirates last sent a full team to state in 2021 during her freshman season.
Handke posted the No. 4 score for Platte County last season and placed 30th in her postseason debut. Grell, Garland and Mizell have the chance to do the same for the Pirates while in search of another automatic team berth.