Platte County ended up in the tougher of two divisions in Friday’s Eubank Invitational at the Raytown Schools Wellness Center. The Pirates also used entries mostly on off events for swimmers but still found success.
Finishing fourth out of six teams in the Blue Division, Platte County won the 200-yard medley relay, while senior stars Deacon Gutshall and Palmer Keith combined to finish first in three individual events. The Pirates totaled 159 points and were only 26 back of third-place Park Hill.
Platte County entered off of back-to-back weekends in large, highly competitive meets that produced school records and season-best times in bunches. The schedule now eases a bit ahead of the Suburban Conference White Division and postseason stretch run.
With a chance to put the optimal medley relay lineup together, Gutshall, Keith, senior Cobie Parkin and junior Jack Hokanson combined for a season-best finish of 1 minute, 47.14 seconds. This cut a tenth of a second off the previous fastest time but tentatively moved the Pirates into 16th for Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships qualifying marks.
Platte County currently ranks eighth in the 200 freestyle and 10th in the 400 freestyle relays but has effectively qualified all three for state.
Gutshall added a season-best 22.78 while placing first in the 50 freestyle and also won the 100 freestyle at 50.49. He recently set the school record in that event at 48.26 while swimming the opening leg of the 400 freestyle relay in the COMO Invitational.
Keith nearly broke 5 minutes in a 500 freestyle victory (5:00.47) — a feat only Gutshall and former school record holder Nathan Savage have achieved. That gives Keith the No. 12 time in Class 1 at this point, although with swimmers limited to two individual events each he would be extremely unlikely to compete at state while holding top 10 marks in the 100 breaststroke and 200 individual medley.
In addition to the 500 freestyle win, Keith finished second in the 200 yard freestyle with a season-best 1:52.22 to add a state consideration cut.
Hokanson finished sixth in the 100 breaststroke at 1:09.76 but put up a potential start qualifying time. He competed in the Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships in two individual events last year and has a chance to do the same this season.
