With a timeout available, Platte County put the ball in the hands of senior quarterback Rocco Marriott — to the surprise of absolutely no one in the overflow crowd at Pirate Stadium. He took a shotgun snap and went right, plowing into the end zone to provide the last of five changes in the second half of Friday’s Class 5 District 8 championship game between two of the most historically successful programs in Kansas City.
Platte County survived for a thrilling 29-22 victory over Rockhurst to keep hopes of a second straight state championship alive, extending the state’s longest winning streak to 25. The Pirates drove 66 yards in 1 minute, 36 seconds with Marriott scrambling to the 1-yard line with 6 seconds left, and after using one of two timeouts remaining, he scored on the next play.
“Any doubt? There really wasn’t,” Platte County coach Bill Utz said. “I say that with as much respect as possible. Obviously, they got that late one but with a minute 42 and two timeouts, that’s a lot of time, especially with our ability to break some plays. I’d be lying if I said there was a whole lot of doubt. I felt like we could go down and score.
“With these kids, these kids never cease to amaze me.”
Platte County (11-0) trailed 12-0 at halftime after a lackluster start but scored on four straight possessions to close the game. Marriott finished 17 of 30 for 184 yards with a pair of touchdown passes — both in the third quarter to give the Pirates their first lead. He also rushed for a game-high 131 yards on 20 carries with two rushing scores in the fourth quarter, the first erasing a 15-13 deficit and then the second on the quarterback sweep less than two minutes after Rockhurst went ahead 22-21 with a 69-yard touchdown pass.
Marriott drove Platte County down the field on nine plays to reach the 1 on a series of clutch plays that included a 20-yard completion to senior wide receiver Ty Christopher. On the play before the scramble down to the 1, Rockhurst deflected a pass into the air that Marriott caught and turned into an 8-yard gain. His final two carries went for 10 yards and put the Pirates into the playoffs for a second straight year and setting up next week’s state quarterfinal at Grain Valley (8-3).
“The coaches trusted me, and I love them for that,” Marriott said. “I just knew as soon as they called that play I knew that there was no way I was going to get stopped and I had to go finish the game.”
Rockhurst finished with just over 300 yards of offense with nearly half coming on junior quarterback Garret Miller’s two long touchdown passes — a 75-yarder in the first half and the late potential game-winner that nearly secured an upset. The Hawklets led 6-0 early after intercepting Marriott on each of Platte County’s first two drives. That marked the first deficit the Pirates have faced since going behind 7-0 in a Week 3 win against Fort Osage last year and first scoreless first half since a loss to Oak Park in 2023.
However, Platte County’s defense held Rockhurst to two short field goals but eventually went behind two possession when Miller hit sophomore wide receiver Tristan Johnson for a 75-yard touchdown with 7 minutes, 7 seconds left before halftime. The Hawklets went for two but failed, leaving the lead at 12-0.
“At halftime, we we were off. We were off, and everybody could see that,” Marriott said. “(The defense) did a great job of picking us up.”
Platte County failed to score on the final possession of the first half but still took the opening possession of the third quarter with a chance to establish some momentum.
Instead, Rockhurst (9-3) stopped Marriott on a fourth and 1. The Hawklets immediately went three-and-out and didn’t have another stop on defense the rest of the way. Marriott turned the trajectory of the game with a 36-yard throw to Christopher, who came down with a pass in the end zone in between double coverage.
“He made a great play. That’s what really started the momentum,” Marriott said of Christopher, who finished with team-highs of four catches for 61 yards. “That’s what kickstarted our offense. I just trusted him to go make a play and that’s exactly what he did.”
Platte County trailed 12-6 after a blocked extra point. The Pirates then came up with another quick stop after a pair of holding penalties derailed the next Rockhurst drive with Miller nearly throwing an interception on second and long.
On a short bouncing punt, Platte County senior wide receiver Braiden Stevens scooped up the ball and made a return to Rockhurst’s 29. The Hawklets then committed a personal foul on the next play, and Marriott’s second touchdown pass went 14 yards on a well-placed ball to senior tight end Jack Utz. The extra point gave the Pirates their first lead.
“Huge,” Bill Utz said of Stevens’ punt return. “I’ll go a little bit further. The defense gave us that stop. Rockhurst was playing behind the sticks quite a bit. Special teams is big. Being able to get that punt return is huge.”
Rockhurst’s lengthy drive spanning into the fourth quarter resulted in senior Henry Tsevis’ third field goal, a 31-yarder to put the Hawklets up 15-13 with 8:03 left in regulation.
Marriott capped the ensuing possession with a 10-yard touchdown on a quarterback sweep left, and Platte County looked on the brink of finishing off the win after a two-point pass to senior wide receiver Tres Baskerville (three catches for 34 yards). Out of timeouts, Rockhurst faced a fourth and 9, but Miller hung in and slung a pass over the middle to junior Warren Robertson, who broke at tackle and went for a 69-yard score to leave the Pirates with a 22-21 deficit and just 1:42 on the clock.
After Christopher’s short kickoff return, Platte County methodically moved down the field without spending either of the available timeouts and leaving Marriott just enough time to deliver a dramatic victory — one of the most memorable in program history. He then completed a two-point conversion pass to Stevens, who totaled three catches for 17 yards.
On the ensuing kickoff, Rockhurst tried multiple laterals on the return with Platte County junior linebacker Hank Fowler eventually falling on a fumble to set up a raucous celebration.
“(I’m) good now, but man, I was so scared,” Platte County junior linebacker Carlos Baskerville said. “That last touchdown, that big touchdown they had, that’s on me. I should have been backed up, but it’s a great feeling. This win is a great feeling.”
Platte County’s quest for the fifth state title in program history and second straight in Class 5 continues against a familiar opponent. The Pirates beat Grain Valley 54-23 in Week 2 despite allowing two kickoff returns for touchdowns in the first half.
Rockhurst’s lone losses were to Class 6 Liberty North and Blue Springs. Both lost in district finals on Friday night.
