Platte County ended up one shot and then six shots away from a team title at the program’s home Pirate Invitational on Monday at Shiloh Springs Golf Course.
Platte County junior Lily Ricketts watches a putt during the Pirate Invitational on Monday at Shiloh Springs Golf Course.
Park Hill finished tied atop the standings with the hosts and then prevailed on the fifth-player tiebreaker. Platte County placed sophomore Ella Green (t-third, 83), junior Mackenzie Borland (t-sixth, 87) and senior Bailey Silcott and junior Lily Ricketts (both t-ninth, 88) in the top 10 and in medalist positions, but the Trojans had two in the top five, three in the top eight plus a 91 to round out the team score.
In what became a two-team race, Platte County and Park Hill ended up with matching 346 team totals, but Maggie Hosking’s 96 bettered the 102 for Pirates senior Brylie Kovar in the No. 5 spots. St. Joseph Central (376), Grain Valley (378) and Smithville (383) rounded out the top five in a field of 13 teams.
Incidentally, Platte County matched its team total from a year ago in the same event.
“We had a pretty good day out on the course,” Platte County veteran coach Trevor Short said. “The team was able to put some quality shots together and was able to produce an identical team score that we posted last season, 346. As of two events into the season we are starting off on a good note, but will continue to focus on some of the little things that will help elevate our game to the next level.”
Platte County came up with a second straight strong showing to start the year with a lineup including three top-five players with Class 3 Missouri State Golf Championships in Silcott, Green and Ricketts. Borland and Kovar both have significant varsity experience, as well.
Platte County senior Bailey Silcott watches a drive during the Pirate Invitational on Monday at Shiloh Springs Golf Course.
On the par-71 setup, Green’s 12-over round was seven shots back of individual champion Ali Perry from Central. The matching 17-over scores for Silcott and Ricketts ended up accounting for the final two medalist spots.
Platte County also fielded a B team in the event that placed 11th with a 477. Izzie Grell led the way for the second set of Pirates with a 117 (41st place).
Ray-Pec Scramble Invitational
Platte County put six players into action in Friday’s season-opening scramble at Hoot’s Hollow Golf Course in Pleasant Hill. The Pirates put a pair of teams in the top 10 to earn medals and placed third behind Park Hill South (142) and Lee’s Summit West (147) — both Class 4 programs.
Each team was allowed three two-person teams in a scramble format where each player hits a shot and then plays from the preferred location out of the two shots through completion of the hole. The top two round scores were used to determine the team total.
Platte County ended up with a 152, four shots better than fifth-place St. Michael’s the Archangel. Green and Ricketts led the Pirates with a 3-over 75, which tied for fifth, while Silcott and Kovar were part of a four-way tie for 7th with a 77.
Out of 56 two-player teams, Platte County’s Borland and senior Ava Villarreal were tied for 21st with an 85. The Pirates were two strokes better as a team this year and moved up from fourth to third.
“The Ray-Pec Scramble is a great tournament to start the year out with and get the ball rolling,” Short said. “I saw a lot of great things that we can build on with the team as we continue through the season.”
Platte County expects Silcott and Green to compete for the No. 1 spot in the lineup this season with Ricketts a likely No. 3 given the combined state experience of the trio. Borland and Kovar were the top choices in the top-five for the first two tournaments, but Wednesday’s dual with Park Hill at Tiffany Greens Golf Course in Kansas City will offer the first chance for a nine-hole competition.
