Platte County never doubted the lineup this season would look different, but how quickly the development took hold for a group that included multiple inexperienced pieces remained a question.
Platte County juniors Tatiana Murray (8) and Kendall Johnson go up for a block attempt against Smithville on Tuesday at Smithville High School.
The answers have been immediate.
Platte County ran off three straight wins this past week, including a 25-11, 25-12, 25-16 sweep of Raymore-Peculiar in nonconference action Thursday night in Peculiar. The Pirates now sit at 19-6 overall and on the cusp of an inevitable sixth straight 20-win season and definitively in contention for the No. 1 seed in Class 4 District 8 with Kearney and Pembroke Hill.
“I think that’s one thing I really appreciate after I watch games,” Platte County coach Katlyn Donovan said. “I think we always have confidence in ourselves.”
Against Raymore-Peculiar, Platte County’s balanced and multi-faceted attack shines behind 18 assists from junior No. 1 setter Emma Harned and 12 more from junior Ava Wheeler. The Pirates received nine kills from junior outside hitter Kendall Johnson plus an impressive nine from Harned as her rotations were switched up with Wheeler taking more looks as the No. 2, while senior Karsyn Stehlik added eight and junior middle hitter Tatianna Murray seven more.
Platte County senior middle blocker Madison Hoyt only had two kills but had three block assists, while emerging and often-dynamic sophomore outside hitter Karlee Riggs only had four kills.
Platte County junior libero Avery Walter receives a serve Tuesday against Smithville at Smithville High School.
Donovan’s tinkering has continued throughout the season with junior Avery Walter recently emerging from a deep-set of backline options to win the libero job. She recorded a team-high 13 digs against Raymore-Peculiar, and junior Jenna Wheeler, Harned and Johnson added seven apiece.
Ava Wheeler originally held the starting libero spot, but Donovan has created more versatility in her lineup with Walter earning more opportunity.
“Avery knows that she needs to take every ball she can. That liber jersey is hers,” Donovan said. “She brings a good confidence in herself and the team and moving Ava Wheeler to that right back position gives us the option to flip from a 5-1 to a 6-2 at any point in time so I think it’s a good move for us.”
Returning only three-year starter Stehlik plus Johnson and Murray from last year’s Class 5 District 8 finalist, Platte County opened the season with a frustrating three-set loss to Kearney but has continued to run off long win streaks while also finding out they would move down a class. The Pirates also have a two-set win over Pembroke Hill that came in a run to the Winnetonka Invitational championship, and the Raiders took their matchup with Kearney during the regular season, which creates the murky situation for the seeding of the upcoming Class 4 District 8 tournament.
For now, Platte County returns to mostly Suburban Conference White Division play, looking to continue a lengthy winning steak in league play. The Pirates came into the season having won 39 straight Blue Division conference games and have started their first year up a tier in the conference at 4-0. They have one match left with each of Belton, Grain Valley, William Chrisman and Raytown with a chance to win a fourth straight conference title.
Platte County 3, Smithville 0
Platte County junior Emma Harned looks to set up an attacker during Tuesday’s match with Smithville at Smithville High School.
SMITHVILLE, Mo. — In a nonconference rivalry matchup Tuesday, the Pirates started the first and third sets on big service runs for Harned and rolled to a 25-16, 25-20, 25-19 sweep at Smithville High School.
Smithville made the final set score look relatively close but were never truly a threat after going behind 6-0. Harned opened with a dump kill from her setter spot and then five straight service points on her way to three aces, 30 assists and a team-high nine digs in a well-rounded showing. The Warriors ended up going behind 11-1 when Murray recorded an emphatic solo block on an attack attempt from left-handed junior Siliva Fisher that came out of system and from well back of the net.
“Smithville’s always a big game for us, and I think starting off the first set and third set that way is always a good confidence builder for us because we come out with some nerves, a little tension because they have a good student section,” Donovan said.
In the opening set, Smithville opened with a service error, and Harned immediately served up an ace to make it 4-0. The Warriors botched each of their first two serves and were down 8-2 very early.
Platte County’s lead would dwindle to 13-9 only to come up with a 5-0 run that ended most realistic hope of a comeback.
Platte County junior Kendall Johnson attacks the net against Smithville on Tuesday night at Smithville High School.
“Smithville’s a good team,” Donovan said. “They’re a really good blocking team, and I think that gives them a lot of energy, so when they get a lot of touches on the block or get those blocks it gives them confidence. They started to do that, and I don’t think we responded the best to it but we came out with a win.”
Smithville would lead most of the second set only to allow a steady, relentless comeback.
Platte County’s offense came to life featuring almost equal parts of Johnson (10 kills), Stehlik (seven kills), Murray (seven kills), Hoyt (seven kills) and Riggs (five kills), but aces from Jenna Wheeler and Murray keyed a push at the midway point. From there, a scrambling tip kill from Johnson turned an 11-8 deficit into a 13-11 lead. Riggs added a pair of kills later in the set, and the Warriors took a second timeout down 22-17 but couldn’t recapture the momentum.
“We definitely gave them too many points,” Donovan said. “I think we had five service errors and three or four serve receive errors, which isn’t normally like us. We just gave them too many points.”
Johnson emphatically ended the second set with a kill from the left side to keep Platte County in position for the sweep. The Pirates also had seven total aces, including two apiece for Murray and Jenna Wheeler, while Hoyt finished with four block assists out of their six total. On the back end of defense, Walter, Jenna Wheeler and Johnson recorded six digs apiece, while Ava Wheeler had five.
Platte County 3, Park Hill South 1
The Pirates overcame a first-set loss to win the next three and take an important nonconference victory Monday in Riverside.
Riggs rolled up a match-high 19 kills, while Johnson added 14 and Stehlik and Hoyt nine apiece in Platte County’s 21-25, 25-16, 25-16, 25-14 victory. The momentum started early in the second set with the Pirates jumping to a 9-1 lead and then continued all the way through the fourth set.
In the third, Park Hill South never recovered from an early 7-1 deficit, and Platte County led 11-4 and 16-6 in the fourth in what became a decisive comeback.
Murray served up four aces, while Hoyt contributed five assists out of Platte County’s seven total blocks. Walter’s 24 digs led the Pirates, while Harned added 10 to go with her 43 assists without a ballhandling error.
