Platte County continues to pile up accomplishments during an impressive two-year turnaround under head coach Eric Mitchell.
Note a favorable schedule or any other circumstance, but the improved play and confidence in the players can’t be ignored. This past week, the Pirates piled up a pair of dominant victories in Suburban Conference White Division play to earn a share of this year’s league crown — the first for the program since 2010 in the Blue Division.
Platte County improved to 19-3 overall with four straight wins and 16 of 17 overall.
The only blemish during that stretch dating to early December came in a road loss at Grain Valley, which shared the White Division crown with matching 7-1 records. The two teams split their conference matchups and otherwise dominated the five-team league.
On Thursday, Platte County held Raytown to just two made field goals in a 51-7 win that locked up the share. The Pirates totaled 23 points in the first quarter alone, including three 3s for senior guard Lydia Doole and a pair of baskets from fellow senior Delaney Childers.
Doole ended up with a team-high 12 points, while Childers totaled eight points and three steals.
Eight players scored for Platte County with sophomore forward Rylee Carr continuing a strong run of play as the first option off the bench. She put up 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals, while sophomore reserve Addie Ayers took advantage of extended playing time with nine points and four rebounds.
The big early lead limited production for Platte County’s junior leading scorer Lauren Stone (three points) and junior center Addy Schlake (two points, four rebounds, two assists), while junior reserve Haley Schank scored four points and junior point guard Haley Barlow also scored two. The Pirates now enter a much tougher closing stretch ahead of the Class 5 District 8 tournament.
Platte County hosts North Kansas City (19-4) on Wednesday and closes the regular season at Oak Park (14-9). The Pirates have already locked up the No. 1 seed for district play, looking to better last year’s runnerup finish to Lincoln Prep that resulted in the program’s first winning season since 2018-19.
Already this year, Platte County reeled off a 12-game winning streak — longest since winning the Class 4 state championship in 2008-2009. The Pirates open district play at home against winless KC East and likely play the winner of fourth-seeded Kearney (6-16) and Lincoln Prep (7-7). Smithville (20-4) owns the No. 2 seed.
Platte County 55, Belton 22
Earlier in the week, Platte County recorded another 30-point, running clock victory Tuesday at Belton to complete a White Division sweep of the purple Pirates.
Carr and Schlake each totaled 12 points, while combining for 10 rebounds. Carr also added four steals, tying for the team-high with Doole (five points, four rebounds). The Pirates again spread out the scoring with Childers putting up nine, Stone seven, Barlow four and Schank, freshman Amani Harlin and freshman Macy Doll two apiece.
Schank finished with a team-high seven rebounds and three assists.
Platte County led 16-2 after the first quarter and took a 32-6 lead into the halftime break in a game that was never close, thanks in part to 18 steals. Carr had eight in the second quarter and ended up with six rebounds and has now scored double figures in four of the past five games.
