After more than two weeks, Platte County finally returned home for a much-anticipated rivalry clash at Pirate Stadium on Tuesday night only to look completely uncomfortable in the opening moments.
Platte County senior midfielder Andrew Reinsch controls the ball against Smithville on Tuesday at Pirate Stadium.
Smithville bolted to an early lead only to see the momentum completely shift minutes later. Platte County ended up trailing by one and building three different two-goal advantages and ultimately prevailing 5-3 after another more-difficult-than-necessary finish. The Pirates (11-4) followed with a 2-0 shutout of Grain Valley on the road Wednesday to improve their run of form to 11 wins in the last 13 games since an 0-2 start.
The developed chemistry for Platte County’s top senior attacking trio consisting of forwards Gavin Nichols and Josh Nelson and attacking midfielder AJ Schrick continues to drive the success. Nelson scored a hat trick against Smithville — two of the three goals on assists from Schrick — and Nichols’ marker on the stroke of the 17th minute put the Pirates ahead for good after the disastrous start.
“It was a tough start,” said Platte County senior midfielder Andrew Reinsch, who scored the Pirates’ fourth goal early in the second half to restore a two-goal advantage. “We weren’t feeling it; we weren’t really together, but over time, we started getting the rhythm.
“We started connecting.”
Platte County senior midfielder AJ Schrick goes to slide in a pass for one of his two assists against Smithville on Tuesday at Pirate Stadium.
After Reinsch’s goal in the 48th minute, more scoring seemed inevitable in an open, free-flowing game.
Smithville came close in the 55th minute on a well-struck shot on the right that rolled wide left. Near the midway point of the second half, Smithville junior goalkeeper Jackson Whitacre went high to punch away a strong shot from Schrick on a free kick taken from 23 yards out. The Warriors countered the other way on an attack that ended with a shot off the post.
However, Platte County’s 4-2 lead remained in place until the 78th minute.
Smithville pulled within one and nearly drew level on another foray forward that pressured the Pirates as they mostly tried to kill off the remaining time. However, the Warriors were caught again in the final minute of play when Nelson took on a defender and freed himself for a shot while working right to left. His left-footed shot from 21 yards out provided insurance and finished off a deserved hat trick.
“I definitely didn’t expect that much scoring,” Reinsch said.
Entering off a loss five days earlier at Central (St. Joseph), Platte County ended up playing from behind again after only 2 minutes. A bad giveaway at the back led to a dangerous shot in the box that Pirates junior goalkeeper Paul Havemeier kicked away. The ball didn’t travel far, and he then attempted a punch that also failed to clear the danger. The Warriors then finished from in close to take a shock 1-0 lead.
Platte County senior forward Gavin Nichols tracks a loose ball against Smithville on Tuesday at Pirate Stadium.
Shortly after, Platte County senior defensive midfielder Connor Currence limped off the field with an apparent ankle injury, and the Pirates continued to look out of sorts.
Smithville nearly doubled the advantage in the seventh minute but skied an uncontested shot over the bar from the back post. The Warriors might have regretted the missed opportunity moments later when Schrick and Nelson connected for the first time.
Platte County junior midfielder Julian Nemeth dumped the ball into the box, and using some shifty footwork, Schrick found some space and sent a cross in front of goal that found an unmarked Nelson, who hammered home a shot into the net.
There minutes later, Nichols collected a pass from sophomore midfielder Andrew Habel, made a turn and fired a left-footed shot from the left side of the box into the lower right corner to suddenly put the Pirates ahead 2-1.
“After the first (Smithville) goal, we knew we needed to get our stuff together,” Reinsch said. “It was Smithville. We had to turn up.”
The momentum shift continued into the 22nd minute when Schrick made a long run and managed to use a slide to keep the ball from rolling across the end line. With Whitacre coming across to try and stop the cross, the ball traveled in front of goal for Nelson to tap in again for a 3-1 lead.
Platte County senior Daniel Bunge defends against Smithville on Tuesday at Pirate Stadium.
Smithville regained some edge late in the first half, and Havemeier sprawled well to he left to beat away a shot 5 minutes before the break — one of his nine saves. However, the Warriors pulled within one a minute later after the official whistled Platte County for a handball in a dangerous area just outside the box.
On the free kick, Smithville senior Noah Swenson stepped up and blasted a right-footed shot past Havemeier, who might not have had a great look at the effort and didn’t have a chance to react. The Warriors let the early lead slip away but went into halftime down just 3-2.
“It definitely hurt our momentum,” Reinsch said. “Second half, came out strong and performed good.”
Smithville nearly came up with an equalizer in the 44th minute with an outside of the right foot flicked shot from the left that traveled wide right.
Having avoided the scare, Reinsch’s goal came in the 48th minute off of a Schrick corner kick. Platte County senior central defender Fabian Risager went high to head the ball down, and the Warriors couldn’t clear with a chance quickly falling to Reinsch about 13 yards out. His shot left no doubt and easily bypassed Whitacre, who finished with eight saves but faced consistent pressure.
“Just landed on the right spot, had the opportunity so I just took it,” Reinsch said.
Platte County senior defender Fabian Risager hits a clearance against Smithville on Tuesday at Pirate Stadium.
Platte County’s defense significantly improved when Risager, a foreign exchange student from Denmark, gained full eligibility in early September. He now anchors a three-man backline that also consists of senior Daniel Bunge and sophomore Jackson Goodale, while Currence returned to play most of the game against Smithville and also fills a key role in the defensive midfield. However, the Pirates have recorded just five cleansheets total.
The good news is two of those have come in the past four games now.
Platte County had run a winning streak to five after an adventurous 3-2 win September 28 over Pembroke Hill, but the Pirates then took a full 11 days off due to the discontinuation of Park Hill South’s Panther Classic this season. They returned to action last Monday with a 4-0 shutout in White Division play of Belton behind a hat trick for Nichols on assists from Nemeth, Bunge and Nelson, while Currence scored a penalty kick late in the first half.
However, Platte County’s winning streak came to a grinding halt last Wednesday in a frustrating and flat 4-0 loss to Central (10-7) in St. Joseph. Coupled with the win over Smithville, the Pirates had allowed seven goals in two games going into a key conference clash at Grain Valley.
Platte County 2, Grain Valley 0
Platte County junior goalkeeper Paul Havemeier comes off his line to collect a loose ball Tuesday against Smithville at Pirate Stadium.
Schrick assisted on goals for Nelson and Nichols on either side of halftime Wednesday in Grain Valley.
Platte County took a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute when Schrick won a ball in the middle of the field and fed Nelson for the opening goal. Schrick’s one-on-one play set up Nichols’ goal in the 57th minute that supplied the needed insurance.
Havemeier made four saves to record the shutout.
Platte County now closes the regular season next week at William Chrisman and home vs. Raytown with a chance to finish out an undefeated conference title. The Pirates only need to beat William Chrisman to lock up the crown with Raytown (14-2-1) having lost 1-0 to Platte County early in the season and 3-1 to Belton earlier this week.
Currently at 6-0 in conference play, Platte County has already swept Belton and Grain Valley.
Platte County also recently earned the No. 2 seed in the upcoming Class 3 District 8 tournament. Kansas City East will enter as the defending champion after advancing to the state championship game and finishing as runnerup to Webster Groves in 2022.
In the opening round, Platte County plays Guadalupe Centers at Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City on Saturday, October 28. The winner advances to play either Lincoln Prep or sixth-seeded Pembroke Hill in the semifinals.
Last year, Platte County lost a semifinal in overtime to sixth-seeded Pembroke Hill. The Pirates previously exited in the district title game in both 2021 (Guadalupe Centers) and 2020 (Smithville) and have not reached the playoffs since 2019 — the best season in program history that concluded with a Class 3 state runnerup finish.
