Platte County took the occasion to honor the three seniors on this year’s roster prior to Wednesday’s six-team home meet at Platte County Community Center North. Formalities out of the way, the Pirates can now turn the focus to the next goal on the checklist for this season.
Ashleigh Cruce, Erin Anderson and Janelle Koch were all formally recognized, and Platte County marked the occasion by winning five individual events and outpointing Savannah, Smithville, Central (St. Joseph), Summit Christian and Pembroke Hill.
This represented the final competition for Platte County before this weekend’s Suburban Conference White Division Championships. The Pirates enter looking to win an eighth straight conference title.
The results from Wednesday won’t serve as a predictor with many swimmers competing in off events.
Platte County finished first in both the 200-meter medley and 400 freestyle relays, while juniors Ronnie Benford (200-meter IM) and Mackenzie Johnson (500-meter freestyle) and sophomore Penelope Thompson (100-meter butterfly) the individual event winners. The Pirates have plenty of depth back from a group that won a third straight White Division title in 2025 after claiming the Blue Division crown each year from 2019-22.
Last season, Platte County won only 2 of 12 events in the conference meet but still held off a challenge from Grain Valley in a two-team battle.
The key came from Platte County’s spread of 10 different medalists with returners including Anderson, Cruce, Johnson, Benford and Thompson plus junior Alex Yurko, Vivienne Sayre and Thais Thompson. The Pirates also have expected first-year contributors in junior Lillian Talbot and freshmen Remi Woolard and Sarah Lanier.
In particular, Thais Thompson brings important potential in 1-meter diving. She placed second in Wednesday’s senior night meet in the event and posted a fourth-place showing last year at conference to earn team points vital to the final margin of victory.
Grain Valley won 9 of 11 events overall but finished 35 back of Platte County in the final standings.
Cruce won a conference title in the 100 breaststroke, while Platte County opened the meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay. Cruce and Johnson both return for the Pirates from that first-place team.
Platte County also looks to improve positioning for Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships state consideration marks. Currently, Cruce (26th, 100 butterfly; 36th, 100 breaststroke), Johnson (30th, 100 backstroke; 30th, 200 IM; 40th, 500 freestyle; 55th, 200 freestyle; 56th, 100 butterfly), Woolard (49th, 200 freestyle; 53rd, 500 freestyle; 71st, 100 freestyle) and Benford (39th, 100 breaststroke) have all hit individual state cuts.
All three of Platte County’s relays set season-bests during the COMO Invitational with the 400 freestyle (20th) and 200 medley (23rd) currently in position to qualify while the 200 freestyle team sits one spot out in 23rd.
The top 32 in each event go to state, but swimmers can only compete in four total events with a maximum of two individual races. That means those not currently in a state position can still advance once decisions are made on participation.
Cruce is Platte County’s only swimmer with previous state experience in an individual event, having qualified in both the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke each of the past two seasons. She placed 15th in the 100 butterfly as a junior to earn honorable mention all-state honors.
Benford, Johnson, Anderson and Yurko have all swam at state on relays.
