Platte County junior Braden Hendee recorded the first tournament victory of his career, carding a 5-over 72 on Monday at Excelsior Springs Golf Course in Excelsior Springs. The Pirates finished second overall in the Kearney Invitational in what turned out to be the start of a promising week ahead of the Suburban Conference White Division Championships and Class 4 District 4 competitions.
Platte County senior Josh Knickman hits a tee shot during the Kearney Invitational on Monday at Excelsior Springs Golf Course in Excelsior Springs.
In addition to Hendee, Platte County sophomore Brayden Renno earned a medal while tying for 10th with an 83 at the Kearney Invitational. The Pirates’ team score of 336 also included freshman Jack Dillingham’s 86 (tied for 21st) and senior Josh Knickman’s 90 (tied for 38th).
Hendee, Renno and Knickman all qualified for debuts in the Class 4 MSHSAA Golf Championships a year ago, while senior Joshua Gentilia continues to maintain a spot as a full-time member of the top five after being in and out of the lineup as a junior. He shot a 91 and tied for 45th in the Kearney Invitational.
On Wednesday, Platte County finished second in a virtual three-team dead heat for the Highway 92 Showdown. Kearney recorded the top two individual scores and took home the bragging rights with a team total of 165 on the Posse Course at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville. The Pirates were second with a 166, while Smithville placed third with a 168.
Hendee and Knickman tied for fourth with matching 41s, while Renno and Gentilia were part of a four-way tie just one shot back with 42s. While Dillingham received the majority of recent looks in Platte County’s top, the Pirates used freshman Bryson Hevalow in the four-team field that also included Excelsior Springs (187). He shot a 42 and was 13th out of 20 golfers.
To conclude the busy week, Platte County shot a season-best 312 and tied for fifth in the Gavin McKenna Memorial Tournament at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City. The Pirates were the only Class 4 team in the Liberty Invitational field, and Hendee tied for fifth with a 1-over 73, while Knickman added a 77 and tied for 13th.
Platte County senior Joshua Gentilia watches a short chip shot during the Kearney Invitational on Monday at Excelsior Springs Golf Course in Excelsior Springs.
Renno and Gentilia both tied for 35th with 81s, while Dillingham returned to the lineup with an 84, tied for 47th.
“We are starting to see the players getting more comfortable and relaxed while playing and it is paying off,” Platte County coach Trevor Short said. “They are really hitting their strides as we head into the final part of our regular season. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going into the postseason events. There are still a few things that we need to tweak and tighten up, but things are falling into place nicely.”
Platte County plays in the White Division tournament Monday at Hoots Hollow in Pleasant Hill, hoping to dethrone Grain Valley. The Pirates finished second last year with Knickman and Hendee earning all-conference honors for a second straight season and Gentilia doing so for the first time. Renno finished in the top 15 to take an honorable mention spot.
Gentilia earned honorable mention honors as a sophomore, as well.
The Class 4 District 4 tournament will be Wednesday back at Paradise Pointe Golf Complex on The Posse Course. Again this year, the top two teams in the standings automatically qualify their top four players for the Class 4 MSHSAA Golf Championships. If an advancing team’s fourth and fifth player score is a tie or the fifth player finishes within 10 strokes of the individual cutline, those players advance to state tournament but do not count toward the total of 13 individuals not from the qualifying teams that also go to state.
Kearney, Platte County and Smithville should be in contention for the auto bids.
A year ago, Platte County nearly took second, only for Gentilia to end up disqualified due to signing an incorrect scorecard. The Pirates ended up fourth — the best team finish since the state went to five classes with four districts each for the 2021 season — and sent three individuals to state.
