Platte County finally makes season debut, looks solid in unique Falcon Relays

KANSAS CITY — Forced to wait more than two weeks from an originally scheduled season-opening meet, Platte County saw stiff competition and also battled gusting winds in the uniquely formatted Falcon Relays on Friday afternoon and evening. The adverse conditions weren’t conducive to low times or impressive distances, especially adding in the limited running events and timing in late March.

However, Platte County senior Reese Pickett won the high jump competition, while the distance medley relay team of senior Carmen Gentilia, juniors Sisely Mitchell and Marissa Orellana and sophomore Madison Palmer also recorded a victory. The Pirates were regularly in the top five of team standings that were not included in the official results and could have been higher if not for scratches in long jump and a DQ in the 300-meter hurdles.

First, the background on the Falcon Relays.

Platte County originally planned to start the season March 17 until Liberty North canceled the meet. The Pirates then entered the Ron Ives Invitational on March 24 only for inclement weather to force postponement. That left the Falcon Relays at Staley, and the setup includes all four traditional relays (4×800, 4×400, 4×200 and 4×100) plus two sprint medleys (100-100-200-400 and 200-200-400-800) and a distance medley (1,200-400-800-1,600). There were also all all field events plus an open 1,600 and both hurdle races.

That leaves coaches with decisions on how to allot entries different from a normal meet, and team points in individual events were based on the best combined finish of three entrants from each team.

For example, Platte County’s shot putters finished first thanks to the showings of senior TK Lawson (third, 9.81 meters), senior Joslyn Hupp (sixth, 9.70 meters) and sophomore Addy Schlake (eighth, 9.61 meters). Pickett also won the individual high jump title at 1.52 meters, and the Pirates also had the best team with sophomore Chloe Peeler and senior Madison Hoyt finishing in a tie for sixth.

However, Platte County missed more chances at big team points.

Pickett finished second in the long jump at 5.2 meters, while sophomore teammate Payton Stadel came in fifth at 4.83 meters. The Pirates likely would have won the competition, but sophomore Rylee Carr scratched on all of her attempts, which would have produced a solid distance.

Similarly, Platte County looked strong in the 300 hurdles with junior Ava Filger leading the way in fourth (52.12 seconds), but freshman Heaven Jale clipped a hurdle and eventually exited the track before finishing the race, leaving the Pirates with only two finishers.

Filger also finished fifth in the 100 hurdles.

A Missouri State Track and Field Championships qualifier over the past two seasons in her three field events, Pickett also placed second in the triple jump (10.03 meters), while senior Kenzie Palmer was fifth at 9.34 meters despite the gusting winds wreaking havoc on the participants on the extended phases of the event. Palmer went to state in the event as a sophomore.

Schlake added a third-place finish in the discus (30.61 meters).

Platte County’s relays were also successful with the choice made to load up those lineups rather than put an emphasis on the 1,600. The distance medley team received a strong start from Gentilia on her three laps, hung close to St. Joseph Central on Madison Palmer’s 400 and then pulled away behind Orellana and returning state qualifier Mitchell, who also ran in the 4×800 but scratched the 4×400 as a precautionary measure after experiencing some leg discomfort.

With 10 teams participating, Platte County ended up top four in four of the seven relays. The 4×100 team of Stadel, senior Hannah Mand, sophomore Haley Barlow and freshman Charley Sims impressed with a runnerup showing (52.28). The 4×200 team of Mand, Carr, Sims and Barlow was fourth (1:52.01), as was the pieced together team of Mand, Orellana, Madison Palmer and Sims.