For different reasons, Platte County seniors Blake Herron and Donavin Ness took a weekend off with a chance for extra rest. The Pirates were still fourth as a team in the Pink Division in the Sock It to Cancer Grain Valley Invitational on Saturday in Grain Valley.
Platte County sophomore Landon McKinzie finished as runnerup, and none of the Pirates’ five scoring runners were seniors.
In fact, Herron rested a sore foot, while Ness didn’t start a week after passing out mid-race in the Gans Creek Classic in a DNF. Platte County senior Elijah Jackson also ran junior varsity, meaning three of the five runners with previous state experience weren’t even in the lineup. The Pirate still put up a team total of 79 and were just 11 points back of runnerup Blue Springs (68).
Grain Valley captured the team title with a 42.
McKinzie finished in 17 minutes, 51.00 seconds, less than eight seconds back of Grain Valley senior and race winner Landon Blew. Plate County sophomore Tate Stone (12th, 18:40.30), junior Nick Flowers (15th, 19:02.50) and freshman Haddon Newsome (19th, 19:19.30) were all in the top 20. The Pirates’ team score also included junior Jacoby Keith (32nd, 19:47.70).
Keith led a bunched finish of three Platte County runners that also included junior Alexander Miller (33rd, 19:57.90) and senior Jack Shroyer (34th, PR of 19:59.20).
Newsome entered off of a PR in the Gans Creek Classic, while Keith continued to seek a return to form that helped him make Platte County’s postseason roster a year ago. Herron and Ness have both been three-time state qualifiers, while Jackson, who won Saturday’s JV race and would have posted the third-fastest varsity time for the Pirates (18:40.70), went each of the past two years. McKinzie and Keith both made their debut in 2024.
Platte County now takes a week off ahead of the Suburban Conference White Division Championships scheduled for Saturday, October 18 at Jesse James Park in Kearney. The Pirates and Grain Valley will likely be the top contenders.
