Josh Nelson admittedly let thoughts wander to a potential celebration for a game-winning goal.
Platte County sophomore midfielder Cameron Habel (front) touches the ball for what would be senior forward Josh Nelson’s winning goal Monday night against Grain Valley at Pirate Stadium.
When the moment came, Platte County’s senior forward just reacted in the moment — clapping his hands in mostly stoic fashion before flashing a tongue-out grin toward the stands Monday night at Grain Valley. He slotted home the decisive goal early in the first of potentially two sudden-death overtime halves to deliver a comeback 2-1 victory important to the Suburban Conference White Division race.
“It was great. It felt amazing,” Nelson said. “I was thinking about it before, ‘You know if I score, what am I gonna do?’ I decided for the tongue.”
Platte County (6-3) entered off of a disappointing 3-0 loss to Liberty North before a lengthy layoff. The Pirates fell behind in the first half then rallied to tie through seniors Gavin Nichols and Fabian Risager in the second half to force overtime.
Just 3 minutes into extra time, Platte County senior midfielder AJ Schrick sent in a left-footed cross from the right, and sophomore midfielder Cameron Habel went high with his left foot to deflect the ball into the path of Nelson, who made the most of the quickly manufactured opportunity.
Platte County dominated the chances and placed 11 shots on target but didn’t lead until Nelson found the net.
Platte County senior forward Gavin Nichols chests the ball down during a game against Grain Valley on Monday at Pirate Stadium.
“I don’t know where the ball came from,” he said. “I saw it. I knew that a lot of my shots earlier didn’t go in, so I knew where to place this one. I put it bottom left corner, and it went in.”
Grain Valley took advantage of an opportunity in the first half for the opening goal and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.
Platte County junior goalkeeper Paul Havemeier only ended up with three saves but held up from that point, while the Pirates searched for an equalizer. Eventually, one of five corners produced a connection between Nichols and Risager that knotted the score at 1-1 in the 51st minute.
Grain Valley rarely threatened in the closing stretch, and Platte County senior midfielder AJ Schrick nearly scored a potential winner in the 77th minute. He lined up over an inviting free kick from 21 yards out in the 77th minute but saw a curling right-footed effort bend just outside the left post. The teams ended up in overtime, but the Pirates clearly held the momentum at the end of regulation.
“After all the shots that we had, I think some of us were getting a little frustrated,” Nelson said. “Once we started getting it going.”
Platte County went on to win three straight during the week, going to Kearney (3-0) and Van Horn (3-2) to collect road nonconference wins. The Pirates have started to gel with Risager, a foreign exchange student from Denmark, anchoring the center of defense alongside sophomore Jackson Goodale and senior Daniel Bunge.
Platte County senior defender Fabian Risager heads the ball away from a Grain Valley attacker on Monday at Pirate Stadium.
While without a dynamic leading goalscorer, Nelson and Nichols have formed a potent tandem up top with Schrick, fellow seniors Andrew Reinsch and Connor Currence and junior Julian Nemeth providing much of the service.
Platte County currently sits at 2-0 in White Division play ahed of Wednesday’s home game against William Chrisman.
Platte County 3, Kearney 0
Nichols scored once in each half to help the Pirates to a dominant victory over a chief rival Wednesday at Kearney.
Havemeier collected 10 saves to record Platte County’s third cleansheet of the season, while Platte County peppered the Bulldogs’ net with 15 shots. Nichols opened the scoring in the 13th minute, going around the goalkeeper for a tap-in that put the Pirates ahead 1-0.
Risager added a goal off of a Schrick corner kick just two minutes later to double the advantage, which held at 2-0 until 8 minutes into the second half when Nichols added a second unassisted marker.
Platte County 3, Van Horn 2
The Pirates prevailed in a game shortened due to inclement weather Thursday night in Independence.
All five goals came in the first half, and Platte County led 1-0 after less than 2 minutes but nearly went into halftime tied. Instead, Schrick found Nichols for a goal in the 40th minute that ended up being decisive due to the eventual stoppage with lightning in the area.
Nelson scored the opener in the second minute on an assist from Nichols, who then scored the second on a penalty kick in the 18th minute to put Platte County up 2-0. Van Horn leveled on goals in the 24th and 27th minutes, the first on a penalty kick.
