Platte County nearly wins team district title despite pushing only 3 through to state

Giada Cucchiara and Madeleine Stone shared an embrace and a clearly emotional exchange of words.

Two members of Platte County’s historic, program-defining senior class will likely keep the details of the conversation as private as possible. Cucchiara and Stone were attempting to find the delicate balance between the revelry of accomplishment and stark reality of disappointment for the Pirates in this past weekend’s Class 2 District 4 tournament. There were smiles and tears, joy and anguish as teammates, coaches, family and friends quietly observed.

After 18 months away from the sport, Cucchiara courageously joined elite company as Platte County’s fourth district champion Saturday at Pirate Fieldhouse, while junior Charley Sims and freshman Ava Blankenship both finished second in their brackets through vastly different paths to give Platte County three state qualifiers. The deepest lineup in the program’s seven-year history also produced a runnerup finish in the final team standings, ultimately unable to fend off Fort Osage’s late charge.

The circumstances for Platte County could have been vastly different, especially if Stone encountered different circumstances. Instead, she suffered a severe high ankle sprain in her first match and ended up eliminated after three district matches, ending her bid for a repeat trip to the Class 2 MSHSAA Wrestling Championships.

“I’m really proud of how far Madeleine has gone,” Cucchiara said between tears. “I know she fought really hard to come back. She’s in pain right now, but I’m so proud of where she’s come from last year to this year. She’s worked so hard.”

“You probably didn’t see,” Platte County coach Reggie Burress said, “but Madeleine was the first one to hobble down and congratulate Giada after her win.”

Platte County spent the majority of the two days in first place and finished with 146 1/2 points. However, the Pirates lost five of their final six matches.

Tied for a tournament-best with six state qualifiers, Fort Osage closed a sizable gap during the final two rounds and ended up eight points clear of Platte County for the district title. However, the Pirates’ three district finalists were their most in seven postseasons since the state added the sport at the high school level for the 2018-19 seasons, and Cucchiara joined KayLyn Munn, Sarina Bertram and EmmaLyn Burnett as the only multiple-time state qualifiers in program history.

Blankenship became the first freshman to reach state for Platte County since Munn in 2019, while Sims advanced in the postseason a year after back-to-back losses abruptly ended her district tournament. The Pirates’ three state qualifiers are tied for second most in a season behind only the 2023 team, which produced a record five that also included Cucchiara.

“It’s amazing to see the team grow,” Cucchiara said. “Having a very small team my sophomore year, and now, it’s just grown so much. I’m so proud of the girls; I’m so proud of where the program has gone.”

Platte County still received the district runnerup plaque with 12 of 13 wrestlers scoring points but saw the careers of seniors Adrianna Ciccarelli, Taylore Lavery, Annabel Beeman, Maddie Nichols, Aliva Juarez and Stone come to an end in various circumstances.

None were more cruel than the devastating outcome for Stone, who earned the No. 3 seed in the 235-pound bracket behind a pair of all-staters. She suffered the ankle injury in her first match Friday and ended up going 1-2 in three matches and bowed out two wins shy of a return trip to state.

“It hurts a lot as a coach when you see anyone work that hard and you think they’re going to get (to state) and don’t. It just hurts,” Burress said of Stone, an honorable mention all-state swimmer as a freshman and sophomore before making a swiftly successful transition to wrestling as a junior.

Continuing an impressive comeback story, Cucchiara went into the 135-pound bracket as the No. 2 seed with state credentials from her sophomore year. However, she technically continues to finish out only her second season in the sport after missing all of last season while rehabbing a torn ACL suffered in the fall of 2023 while playing club soccer.

Cucchiara (29-14) received a bye into the quarterfinals and quickly advanced to the semifinals, pinning Liberty North junior Iyana Reyes (7-14) in 47 seconds.

A third-place district finisher as a first-year sophomore, Cucchiara needed just one more win to earn a second trip to state. She took care of that with a 2-1 decision over Central (St. Joseph) senior Ashley Slade, a qualifier as a junior. The official assessed a decisive penalty point against Slade in the second period for grabbing Cucchiara’s singlet.

“I was really nervous going in,” said Cucchiara, who won a 6-4 decision over Slade a few weeks earlier during the Showdown in Joetown tournament. “She’s really tough, give her that. I was nervous going in, but getting into a match more, you get looser; you get more excited.”

In the final, Cucchiara went behind 7-0 against No. 1-seeded Liberty sophomore Heaven Jobe (35-13). However, she committed the first of three successive violations when the seven-point headlock transitioned into an illegal hold. Back-to-back clasping calls reduced the deficit to 7-4 and put Jobe one violation away from disqualification.

In the second, Cucchiara chose bottom, and Jobe immediately granted an escape rather than risk another clasping call. Cucchiara then took the lead with her first of three takedowns that also put Jobe to her back for two near-fall points.

Jobe’s only two points after the first period came on escapes, while Cucchiara continually turned attempted headlock attacks from her opponent into double-leg takedowns. She held Jobe down for the final 53 seconds after the third to finish off an ultimately dominant 16-9 decision that locked up a district title a long time in the making.

“It’s really difficult mentally,” said Cucchiara, who also joined the familiar list of Munn, Bertram and Burnett as district champions for Platte County. “Just trying to be there for my team (last year); they helped lift me up through recovery. Got back to it this summer, and I don’t know. I can’t express it, how exciting it is to get to wrestle again and just come back here and do something I’ve wanted to do for the past two years.”

A second-year wrestler, Sims (28-6) held the No. 3 seed in the 115-pound bracket and quickly advanced to the semifinals with a pair of pins. She matched up with North Kansas City senior Elena Moore (30-8) and never trailed in a 13-2 major decision.

Sims assured a state spot with the win and emotionally enjoyed the moment before turning attention to the championship bout with William Chrisman senior Maya Saldivar.

A year earlier, Sims lost a 4-3 decision to Saldivar in the district semifinals and then lost her consolation semifinal to end up one win shy of a state berth. The rematch saw Saldivar score a takedown late in the first period before putting Sims to her back for the first of three times in the match on the way to a 17-3 major decision.

“Get ready for a couple of weeks down the line and see if she can get on the podium,” Burress said of how he wants to see Sims respond.

Blankenship wrestled the most unique tournament of any entrant into the field from 23 participating teams.

One of two freshman starters for Platte County, Blankenship (24-18) wrestled less than 2 minutes total and ended up with only two matches. She needed just 19 seconds to pin Liberty North sophomore Tiana Thorn (11-19) in Friday’s quarterfinals.

That seemingly set up semifinal against Lee’s Summit sophomore Clara Meyer (27-16) for Saturday morning. However, Meyer — seeded second — failed to make weight on Day 2 and forfeited out of the tournament.

That automatically sent third-seeded Blankenship into the championship bout for a rematch with Fort Osage sophomore Madison Lightner (31-18). The first takedown went to Lightner, who immediately put Blankenship to her back and secured the fall at 1:24.

“Very odd when you wrestle only 19 seconds and make the finals,” Burress said. “But you know, sometimes it takes a little luck and good fortune. I think (Ava) beats the Lee’s Summit girl anyways, but it would’ve taken her a little longer than 19 seconds.”

Platte County went into the final two rounds — consolation semifinals and place matches — with a lead of more than 40 points on Fort Osage and North Kansas City, which ended up a close third place. The Pirates built the advantage after drawing into 11 second round matchups in the 32-slot brackets.

Cucchiara and Blankenship were the only ones without a match in the round, and Platte County went 9-2 overall with one of the losses coming after Stone suffered a serious injury in the first period. The wins included pins for freshman Harper Golden (100), junior Karrington Friddell (105), Sims, junior Gabriella Ciccarelli (120), Lavery (125), Nichols (145) and Fernandez (190).

However, Platte County only sent Sims, Cucchiara and Blankenship into the semifinals, enduring a tough quarterfinal round before advancing all but Adrianna Ciccarelli to Day 2.

“They responded, tried to rally around their team,” Burress said.

Golden, Lavery and Juarez all reached the consolation semifinals Saturday to move within one win of adding to Platte County’s state contingent.

In the 100 bracket, Golden (33-10) ended up with the No. 4 seed after Fort Osage sophomore and returning state qualifier Mikayla Stickler (35-13) moved down a weight class for the postseason. Golden ended up losing a consequential quarterfinal when Staley senior Alaina Bigham (28-14) used a reversal to create a pin in the second period.

Bigham went on to finish fourth and reach state, while Golden dropped a consolation semifinal to second-seeded North Kansas City junior Juliana Tice (37-7) by a 3-0 decision with the lone points scored on a questionable takedown awarded midway through the first period. Tice beat Bigham 5-1 in the third-place match.

Golden won via major decision against Bigham in their only meeting prior to Saturday.

Another second-year senior, Lavery also entered as the No. 4 seed and dropped her quarterfinal to Park Hill senior Rylin Beatty (8-5), a returning state qualifier. In a cruel twist, Beatty missed weight Saturday and forfeited out of the tournament, but the damage had been done to Lavery’s draw. Winnetonka junior Jorgie Johnston, the eventual third-place finisher, ended Lavery’s tournament and career with a pin in the second period of their consolation semifinal while unseeded Liberty North junior Carlie Hulme (34-14) advanced to state after receiving a forfeit into the third-place match.

A fourth-year senior, Juarez (25-20) turned in the best district showing of her Platte County career, starting with a 2-0 decision over Lee’s Summit junior Lexi Rosales (14-16) to reach the quarterfinals. Juarez’s losses ended up coming first against Fort Osage sophomore Isabelle Adams (35-12) and Staley sophomore Joanna Hinrichs (36-15) — both by fall.

Adams beat Hinrichs for third place.

“Even the girls who went out, I’m proud of what they’ve done,” Burress said. “We’re going to end up second here and get a second-place team trophy. We just came up a little short.”

Platte County’s losses in the first round of wrestlebacks on Saturday included Fernandez, Gabriella Ciccarelli and Friddell, who all have advanced to consolation semifinals in previous district appearances but went 2-2 in this year’s tournament.

Fernandez had reached that round each of the past two seasons but went unseeded in a deep 190 bracket. She dropped a 3-0 decision to Lee’s Summit senior Mia Gutierrez (24-13) in quarterfinals and drew third-seeded Central (St. Joseph) senior Hallie Wagner (28-7) in the fifth-round of wrestlebacks.

Wagner won a 15-6 major decision but did earn a repeat trip to state, while Gutierrez finished third.

Friddell’s 105 quarterfinal came against Blue Springs South junior and eventual runnerup Killian Evans (36-5), while Gabriella Ciccarelli (12-13) dropped to the consolation bracket after a loss to Raytown junior and eventual 120 champion Ulaila Butler (31-2).

Fridell finished with a 19-16 record.

Beeman, Nichols and Stone all saw their careers end Saturday morning. A senior in just her second season, Beeman went 24-17 and showed significant development in limited time. Nichols (22-13) transferred to Platte County before this school year and brought prior experience and helped the Pirates fill all 14 weight classes early in the season before sophomore Mila Cucchiara suffered a season-ending head injury before the holiday break.

That allowed Blankenship and Nichols to move down a weight class, and both nearly benefitted. Nichols’ losses at 145 came to two of the state qualifiers.

“It hurts when some of them don’t make it through but worked hard, especially the seniors,” Burress said. “You want to see them be successful, but that’s all you can ask from these ladies, to come in and give it their all every day. That’s what they did down to the end.”

Platte County built the depth in a creative manner and entered this season with just two returning state qualifiers — a pair of seniors who were clear leaders even with limited on-mat experience.

Giada Cucchiara remained around as a manager, unofficial assistant coach and supporter of teammates during the year lost to a knee injury. She provided encouragement during Stone’s debut season that ended with her going 1-2 in three matches at state that provided a hint of the future potential.

However, Stone didn’t have the anticipated opportunity improve on that finish. An early scramble in a second-round match with Northeast (Kansas City) senior Se’miyah Campbell (17-16) ended with Stone crumpling to the mat in obvious pain.

Campbell’s weight ended up compressing onto Stone’s right leg. She attempted to finish the match but ended up pinned in 1:13 shortly after the first restart while in the bottom position.

Stone received an X-ray at a nearby facility with results showing no broken bones. She came back later in the night and kept her career alive with a 22-second pin against Central (St. Joseph) freshman Grace Dean (11-11).

“I’ve never seen Madeleine show signs of pain in practice or anything,” Burress said. “I knew it was pretty serious.”

That set up a consolation wrestleback against Truman junior Majesty Harrison in a rematch of a previous meeting from just over a week earlier in a dual with Platte County. Stone pinned her in the second period of a competitive matchup but faced much different circumstances the second time around.

In the first action of Saturday’s match, Stone’s injured ankle gave out, and she went straight to her back and ended up pinned in 24 seconds to finish her tournament and career. She finished 29-8 as a senior with her only two losses to Missouri competitors prior to districts coming against Grain Valley junior Jayden Moehle (31-7), the defending Class 2 state champion who finished as District 4 runnerup behind Liberty junior Alexis Stinson (40-2).

“Balance is one of Madeleine’s big things. She’s kind of like a cat, and when she doesn’t have that, it made it hard,” Burress said.

Prior to this season, Platte County never put more than two wrestlers into the district finals, but the Pirates have ended up with at least one state medalist in each of the past five seasons. Continuation of that streak falls to Cucchiara, Sims and Blankenship.

Cucchiara went 0-2 at state as a sophomore, while Sims and Blankenship will make debuts Friday, February 28 at Mizzou Arena in Columbia.

Regardless of the results, Platte County already achieved the next evolution of the program, which started the inaugural season with four wrestlers and went into the 2019 Class 1 District 4 tournament with just three. The Pirates have a new standard moving forward and if — or more likely when — the program wins a team district title this current group will have paved the way.

“We definitely had a full roster buy in,” Burress said. “Obviously, we weren’t ranked second coming into this dang thing. We wanted to finish higher than people believe we can, and sometimes, I think we’re the only ones who believe in us. We’ve just got 13 girls who wanted to come in and fight.”