With success comes expectations. With expectations comes pressure.
Platte County enters the season having won at least 22 matches in each of the past five years. This includes a run of three-straight 28-win campaigns from 2018-2020 with a run to a third-place finish in Class 4 and the first team state trophy in program history in the final year of that run. With another experienced and talented lineup, the Pirates went 24-10 last fall but bowed out in devastatingly disappointing fashion in last year’s Class 5 District 16 championship match.
After moving back into the state’s largest classification, Platte County earned the No. 1 seed in the bracket and led Park Hill 2-0 in the final, only for the Trojans to stage a comeback that put them into the playoffs and ended the careers for a senior class of two-time all-stater Kate Brown, two-year setter Emerson Walter, versatile outside hitter Mary Grace Hunter and libero Morgan Cox. The Pirates will have a solid group from last year’s rotation back expecting to keep the winning run going but definitive questions to answer.
“I think we need to focus our attention on the little things and not worry about getting so many wins a season, or a conference title,” Platte County coach Katlyn Donovan said. “We need to focus on one day at a time, one practice at a time, one game at a time. If we can do that we will have the success we want at the end of the season.
“We have had some great success these past five seasons, and I think if we can focus on these three goals we will continue with our success.”
Part of the challenge will be both continuing one impressive streak of success but in a different part of the Suburban Conference.
Platte County captured each of the past three Blue Division titles and won each of the last 39 in conference play, but the Pirates will move to the White Division this season alongside Belton, Grain Valley, Raytown and William Chrisman. They also expect to remain in Class 5 meaning the postseason path will remain daunting in the third year of the state’s five-classification setup for the sport.
Seeking a second playoff trip in three years, Platte County will rely on senior right-side hitter Karsyn Stehliik (188 kills, 25 blocks, 25 service aces and 65 digs in an all-conference 2021 season) and junior outside hitter Kendall Johnson, who peaked late in hr sophomore campaign. She ended up with 174 kills, 29.5 blocks and 15 aces playing out of the middle. Donovan anticipates they will be the top two offensive options looking to help make up for the lost production of Brown and Hunter.
“Karsyn has been a starter for us since her sophomore year,” Donovan said. “She will have the most playing experience coming into this year, and we will look to her to provide us with her knowledge and experience that she has to help guide everyone else. Kendall was a middle for us last year but we are looking to move her to the outside hitter position. Kendall has grown tremendously throughout the offseason to improve her volleyball skills. She has a strong arm swing from the outside position and hits with a lot power.”
Platte County will also have junior middle hitter Tatiana Murray back, while junior Ava Wheeler extensively played last season as a defensive specialist but will likely move into Cox’s libero role.
Murray was a dynamic first-year contributor who finished with 63 kills and 47.5 blocks who provides both a unique offensive weapon and consistent defensive presence despite being somewhat undersized. Wheeler also received some time at setter as a sophomore and became a strong presence at the service line (42 aces). She totaled 151 digs and 38 assists.
“She has really owned being a vocal leader for us and provided great guidance to our younger athletes,” Donovan said of Wheeler. “She has a strong solid platform and has a great range defensively.”
Platte County’s biggest question mark will likely be in replacing Walter’s consistency at the setter position. As a junior, she led the Pirates with single-season school records of 631 assists as the main setter in a 6-2 formation and 121 service aces. Donovan switched to a one-setter look in 2021, and Walter topped her previous record with 859 assists to become a two-time all-conference performer.
Walter missed the final match of the regular season against Ruskin after suffering a wrist injury in a minor car accident that morning, and Wheeler ended up taking the majority of the setter duties that day with Emma Harned also unavailable. However, Harned is expected to start at that spot this year as a junior after recording 20 assists in 29 sets played as a sophomore.
“Emma will have some big shoes to fill as a setter for us,” Donovan said. “She brings great energy and intensity to practices and games. She holds herself and teammates accountable. She is always wanting to get better.”
Platte County will also look to senior Madison Hoyt, junior Jenna Wheeler and sophomore Karlee Riggs to fill out the attacking rotation after receiving limited time a year ago. The options will be important considering the production of Brown and Hunter.
Brown became a two-time selection to the Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association all-state team, joining former teammate Bryn McGehe and Morgan Johnson as the only two in program history to earn that repeat distinction. Brown is also the only Class 5 all-state player in program history.
Before signing to Division II Newberry in South Carolina, Brown finished an accomplished four-year career as Platte County’s all-time leader in kills with 949, including a career-high 336 as a senior. This included a team best 27.6 hit percentage to go with 60 service aces, 255 digs and 20 blocks. The career total for kills passed the previous mark Aly Anderson set from 2017-2020.
Hunter’s breakout senior season resulted in all-conference honors, and she finished second on the team in kills with Stehlik third and Johnson fourth.
Jenna Wheeler will be a defensive specialist and attacker after recording 71 kills and 58 digs as a sophomore, while Hoyt had 27 kills and Riggs 17 as a freshman. Donovan also expects senior Makenzie Ryerson to compete for time.
On the back row in addition to Ava Wheeler and Jenna Wheeler, Platte County will have senior Madison Haugsven and juniors Avery Walter and Ava Filger in the mix. Haugsven has the most experience of that trio after playing in four sets as a junior. The Pirates have depth even without the proven star power, and only Stehlik played a significant role during the historic 2020 run to the state semifinals.
How the pieces come together to continue the current streak of success, albeit with a much different look, will ultimately determine if there is a sixth straight 20-win season.
“We have a great group of seniors leading our team and a lot of others who are ready to compete for their spot and guide us towards the season,” Donovan said. “We are excited to get this year started. With us being in a tougher conference this year and getting some tough nonconference matches, we are looking to get better every day and hopefully it will translate to us playing our best volleyball at the right time of the year. We have a good mix of returners and newcomers.”
