Even with a favorable path in place, Platte County left no doubt in carving out the newest path to the playoffs. The Pirates scored quick shutouts in both the Class 2 District 8 semifinals and championship dual at Platte County High School.
Platte County senior Hayden Cook hits a shot during the No. 3 singles match in the Class 2 District 8 championship dual Thursday at Platte County High School.
Platte County’s 5-0 win over second-seeded William Chrisman on Thursday afternoon — a day after the matchup originally started before rain and wet court conditions forced a postponement — sent the Pirates to the state quarterfinals for the third straight year. They earned the berth despite returning only three of the seven players in the lineup last year in what ended up the best season in program history.
“It feels really good,” Platte County senior Hayden Cook said. “A lot of people didn’t think we could do it, and we did it anyway.”
Platte County (11-7) went into the championship dual shorthanded but were not challenged in relatively short proceedings. The Pirates were the unquestioned No. 1 seed and overwhelming favorites, having won a regular season matchup with William Chrisman 8-1.
In the rematch, Platte County exited doubles with a 3-0 lead, and senior Paul Havemeier (No. 1) and Cook (No. 3) recorded the first singles victories to end the dual. The Pirates also led in all four of the other matches that did not finish.
Havemeier, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over William Chrisman senior Giuseppe D’Angelo, played No. 6 singles and didn’t factor into doubles play in the postseason as a junior. He moved all the way up to No. 1 with senior Jack Bralley (No. 2) and Cook (No. 3) back in the same spots as the only players with previous postseason experience.
The win over William Chrisman allows Platte County to host Branson (18-5) in the state quarterfinals on Monday. Branson won the regular season matchup between the two teams 7-2 back in early April, while Platte County won both of last year’s meetings, including a Class 2 semifinal.
Platte County senior Paul Havemeier hits a shot during a singles match Wednesday at Platte County High School before rain forced postponement of the Class 2 District 8 championship dual with William Chrisman.
“I’m really excited. I think we can do it,” Cook said. “I think we’re good enough. We just got to get out there and show some energy, give some intensity — put it all out there on the court. I have high hopes. I think we’re going to do well.”
Platte County quickly built on success from the Class 2 District 8 individual tournament the previous week. The Pirates put all four entrants — both singles players and two doubles teams — into the semifinals with Havemeier, Bralley and Cook all earning state berths.
Havemeier became the second singles qualifier in program history as the district champion, while Bralley and Cook advanced back for a second straight year in doubles. Bralley became Platte County’s first three-time qualifier in doubles and goes back to state with Cook for a second straight year after they finished eighth in Class 2 last season.
In addition, Platte County senior Will Kimlinger, who plays No. 4, lost a third set tiebreaker in the district semifinals against Kearney’s No. 1 player, while the doubles team of senior Jake Diano and sophomore Mitchel McBratney also came up one win shy of reaching state after playing in the No. 3 spot together most of the year.
Against William Chrisman, Havemeier and Bralley were back together at No. 1 doubles and scored an 8-0 victory for Platte County, while Cook and Kimlinger were next to record a win at No. 2 (8-1). Diano and sophomore Jacoby Keith then finished the Pirates’ sweep of the first three matches, taking the No. 3 match 8-4.
Keith played in place of McBratney, who missed the dual to a scheduling conflict with another activity.
Platte County senior Will Kimlinger hits a shot during the No. 4 singles match of the Class 2 District 8 championship dual against William Chrisman on Thursday at Platte County High School.
“I think the intensity level and the nerves were at a similar level as individual districts, and it really prepared everybody for kind of what to expect here,” Cook said. “I think it was crucial to our success. For a lot of these guys, it’s the first time playing some postseason matches, and they really got kind of their nerves out and kind of saw what it was like to play in a pretty high-profile match.”
The current streak represents all three of Platte County’s all-time playoff appearances. The Pirates lost to Helias in the 2023 state quarterfinals then went all the way to the Class 2 championship dual a year ago behind senior star Gavin Nichols — a four-time district champion in singles who graduated as by far the most accomplished and decorate player in program history — before losing 5-1 to private school powerhouse MICDS.
The winner between Platte County and Branson advances to face either MICDS (11-0) or Fort Zumwalt South (13-4) in the state semifinals later this month. The individual Class 2 tournament is this week at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
Platte County 5, Kearney 0
The Pirates also swept doubles in Tuesday’s semifinal dual on the way to a comfortable win over the No. 4 seed.
Kearney also trailed in all six singles matches with straight set wins for Bralley (6-0, 6-3), Kimlinger (6-1, 6-1), Diano (6-1, 6-1) and McBratney (6-1, 6-3) plus Havemeier’s 6-0, 1-6, 11-9 victory at No. 1 all being recorded on Platte County’s official scoresheet. Cook took the opening set at No. 3 by a score of 7-5 and was tied 1-1 in the second.
The two teams did not play during the regular season.
