Platte County receives 1st look at new-look lineup in challenging home tournament bracket

Hosting one of the metro’s top eight-team tournaments comes with pluses and minuses.

Platte County again received three strong early tests but came away winless in matchups with St. Pius X, Raymore-Peculiar and Kearney this past week in the Platte County Invitational. With a bit of unexpected attrition in the projected returning lineup, the Pirates still have roles to define on offense (two goals in three games) and defense (six goals allowed), and the tough early schedule will again do no favors.

In the opening round, sixth-seeded Platte County leveled with St. Pius X just before halftime through junior attacking midfielder Lily Kytasaari but gave up both goals in the second half of a 3-1 loss. Raymore-Peculiar dominated the offensive chances in a 3-1 consolation semifinal victory over the Pirates, who did see reserve freshman forward Amela Dzilic net her first career goal to briefly tie the score 1-1 in the first half.

Kearney and Platte County went scoreless for all 80 minutes of regulation in the seventh-place game, but the Bulldogs converted all penalty kick attempts in a 4-2 shootout victory.

Coming off of a season that ended with a record one game below .500, Platte County could have brought as many as nine full-time starters back. The Pirates instead also lost junior defensive midfielder Giada Cucchiara to a torn ACL in the offseason, and her best hope is to possibly return late in the season, while junior forward Lauren Stone opted not to return to the roster.

Platte County turned to Kytasaari and junior forward Rylee Burris to help replace the production of last year’s top two scorers, while Dzilic takes on a more prominent role. The Pirates also tried multiple options in the midfield position in front of the back four with junior Brooklynne Jenni — a first-year transfer — and junior Annabel Beeman and Madison Palmer — returning starters on defense — receiving the first looks.

After freshman Caroline Linn started on the left wing of defense against St. Pius X, Platte County went with senior Alex Beeman and Palmer in the middle of defense with senior Kaelyn Bellach on the right opposite of Annabel Beeman on the left in the final two games. Linn continued to sub in, while senior Addison Sloan and sophomore Saige Dickens teamed up with Dzilic in a new look midfield behind Kytasaari and Burris up top.

Sloan and Dickens both received substantial time last year and some starting opportunities last spring, and Platte County will soon mix in senior Marissa Orellana, who missed the first three games due to illness.

Platte County’s inexperience showed in slow starts to open each of the first two games.

St. Pius X quickly found room down the right side of the attack just 3 minutes into Saturday’s game at Pirate Stadium. Pirates junior third-year starting goalkeeper Finley Kaser made two initial saves but spilled the second, leading to a tap-in goal for senior Macy Wilderson.

The 1-0 lead held for most of the first half with St. Pius X dominating possession much of the way.

Momentum shifted after the first 25 minutes, and Kytasaari took advantage of a bad giveaway in the back in the 30th minute. She ended up one-on-one with Warriors senior goalkeeper Ava Coons and did not miss, burying a right-footed shot to level the score at 1-1 in the 28th minute.

However, Platte County did not have any other shots on goal, and while Kaser recorded eight saves, St. Pius X struck for a goal in the first minute of the second half, and Wilderson slotted home her second in the 55th minute to advance to the semifinals. The Warriors went on to finish third after losing to champion Park Hill South but coming back to beat Grain Valley.

In Monday’s consolation semifinal at Pirate Stadium, Raymore-Peculiar put 15 shots on goal, and Kaser finished with 12 saves in another standout performance. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first minute on the first of two goals for junior forward Grace Vest, already a Division I commit to TCU. Platte County again fought back, and Dzilic tallied her first career goal on a give-and-go with Burris in the 17th minute. The Pirates finished with just two shots on goal.

Raymore-Peculiar continued the struggles for Platte County early in both halves and went ahead for good in the 46th minute, and Vest finished up the scoring in the 75th.

Platte County’s frustrations continued in the scoreless matchup with Kearney, a Class 3 District 8 common opponent. That makes the upcoming matchup between the teams on April 1 that much more important with the Pirates also facing off against defending champion Smithville this upcoming Wednesday as part of a brutal opening five-game stretch.

Kearney converted all four penalty kicks in this past Wednesday’s seventh-place game at Platte Purchase Middle School while Platte County alternated makes and misses. Kytasaari opened with a conversion from the spot, and Sloan brought the Pirates within 3-2 after the third round. However, the Bulldogs’ final successful kick and a stop ended the matchup, which didn’t go to extra time first due to tournament rules.