For the third straight year, the home team dominated the Platte County Invitational. This year’s title came as a result of the Pirates’ expected veteran leaders performing well and the next generation of developing contributors making strides.
Platte County freshman Mackenzie Johnson swims in a dual with St. Pius X on Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Platte County senior Brooklynn Hays won both over her individual events Saturday at Platte County Community Center North, and sophomore Ashleigh Cruce turned in a consideration qualifying mark for the Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships in the 100-yard butterfly while freshman Mackenzie Johnson also claimed first in a pair of individual events. The Pirates also recorded victories in two of three relays.
Overall, Platte County accumulated 567 points and finished more than 200 in front of second-place Winnetonka in the six-team field that also included Savannah, Central (St. Joseph), Marshall and St. Pius X.
Cruce turned in a season-best time of 1 minute, 6.82 seconds in the 100 butterfly to finish in front of junior teammate Ireland Shank (1:11.91). This marks the second straight year for Cruce to post a consideration qualifying time in the event, and she is now just about a half second off of her career-best of 1:06.36 set last season as a first-year freshman.
Platte County freshman Ronnie Benford swims during a dual with St. Pius X on Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
While the fastest 32 individuals and relays qualify for state, swimmers are only permitted to enter and compete in a maximum of four events, no more than two of which may be individual events. That kept Cruce from competing at state last year, but although she currently sits outside the top 32, the event limits and an improved time later in the season could offer her a path into the field.
Hays already owns qualifying times in multiple events and made her season debut in the 200 freestyle and won in 2:04.04, currently a top-eight time in Class 1. Platte County freshman Ronnie Benford finished second in the event in a season-best 2:18.81.
The second victory for Hays came in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.80) with Cruce second at 1:21.76 — about 3 seconds off a consideration cut in that event.
Johnson continued an impressive start to her freshman season at Platte County with a win in the 200 individual medley (2:36.52) with Shank also a runnerup in that event (2:37.97). In the 500 freestyle, the Pirates’ freshman duo of Johnson (6:15.68) and Benford (6:15.84) was involved in a dramatic 1-2 finish with a cut of just more than 15 seconds needed for both to record a consideration time in that event.
Platte County senior Brooklynn Hays enters the pools during a dual with St. Pius X on Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Platte County senior Jayden Benninghoff came up with Platte County’s other runnerup finish, placing second in the 100 backstroke (1:12.40) — behind only Savannah standout Reece Gould.
Benninghoff, Cruce, Shank and Johnson were part of Platte County’s first relay victory with the 200 medley team taking first in 2:07.04, while the 200 freestyle quartet of Hays, Shank, Cruce and junior Chloe Pegler won that race in a season-best 1:53.05. The Pirates were second in the 400 freestyle relay with Hays, Benninghoff, Benford and Johnson posting a season-best 4:17.34 but coming in just over a second behind Savannah.
Platte County’s chase for a team title also included diving points from senior Addison Sloan, who finished fourth while freshman Thais Thompson also competed. The Pirates could benefit from the added production with few teams regularly putting competitors into the event.
Platte County senior Addison Sloan attempts a dive during a dual with St. Pius X on Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Platte County Dual
The Pirates won all but two events in a dual with St. Pius X on Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Those with individual victories for Platte County included Hays (50 freestyle, 26.66; 100 breaststroke, 1:11.90), Johnson (200 freestyle, 2:13.70; 100 butterfly, 1:11.68), Benford (100 freestyle, 1:05.75) and Shank (500 freestyle, 6:33.86). The Pirates also won all three relays with the teams of Benninghoff, Cruce, Shank and Hays (200 medley, 2:04.17); Pegler, Benninghoff, Johnson and Hays (200 freestyle, 1:55.07) and Shank, Johnson, Cruce and Benford (400 freestyle, 4:29.40).
In addition to swimming, Sloan (first) and Thompson (second) topped a five-diver field.
