Platte County junior Jenna Wheeler hits a serve during a match with Liberty North on Tuesday at Platte County High School. TODD NUGENT/PC Preps Extra

Platte County responds well after 11-game win streak ends

Following loss to Class 5-ranked Liberty North, Pirates rout St. Joseph Central behind Wheelers, Stehlik, Johnson.

Platte County created discomfort from the outset, determined not to let a disappointing result earlier in the week linger. The Pirates have shown a knack for strong responses in an impressive start to the season, and Thursday’s dominant 25-7, 25-17, 25-15 sweep of St. Joseph Central at Platte County High School.

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Platte County senior Madison Hoyt hits a spike against Liberty North on Tuesday at Platte County High School.

Two days after Class 5 state-ranked Liberty North snapped an 11-game winning streak, Platte County continued its seemingly inevitable march toward a sixth straight 20-win season.

“Honestly, we kind of use (losses) as power and momentum,” said Platte County junior Emma Harned, who finished with 17 assists, two service aces and five digs. “We kind of get fired up and want to win the next game straight away.”

Platte County opened on 7-0 and 4-0 runs behind strong service of junior Ava Wheeler, who finished with an ace and six digs in an increasingly deep set of back row options. The Pirates never trailed in the match, overcoming some brief mental lapses that allowed Central to tighten the second set, and junior Jenna Wheeler finished with three service aces — one of them starting a run of four unanswered that closed out the match.

“I think when we start out with great serves and just start off great from the beginning I think it gives us the momentum to finish the rest of the game fast,” Harned said.

Platte County (16-6) totaled 10 service aces and repeatedly kept Central from any consistent offense. When the Indians did attack, the Pirates were staunch in defense with junior Avery Walter recording a team-high 11 digs as part of her apparent emergence as the top choice defensive specialist, while senior Madison Hoyt and Jenna Wheeler finished with three block assists each in the middle of defense.

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Platte County junior Emma Harned hits a set in a match with Liberty North on Tuesday at Platte County High School.

The balanced and varied standout performances epitomized Platte County’s rapid development since a season-opening loss to Kearney. The Pirates have consistently outplayed inferior opponents and been mostly competitive in losses to tough competition in a schedule built to prepare for the Class 5 postseason.

Instead, Platte County returned to Class 4 after a one-year hiatus and now looks like a contender for a second playoff appearance in three years after last year’s disappointing loss to Park Hill in the Class 5 District 16 championship match.

“I love that this year I feel like we’re all a community,” Harned said. “This year, I feel like we’re all so tight, and a lot of us our juniors and so I think that helps because we’ve all grown up together. I think that community of us being together helps us push through and trust each other a lot.”

Against Central, the defining first set featured essentially four extended runs in a quick burst to 25 points.

Ava Wheeler’s run established control for Platte County, and one of Harned’s two aces and a return error led to an Indians’ timeout when their deficit reached 15-4. Karlee Riggs, the Pirates’ emerging sophomore outside hitter, then added a kill to finish a long rally out of the timeout to make it 16-4.

Platte County immediately forced a hideout, and junior Ava Filger’s lone appearance in the match included five unanswered points at the service line that included her only ace. The Pirates then finished off the 25-7 set victory on the second set point.

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Platte County players celebrate a point against Liberty North on Tuesday at Platte County High School.

Riggs came up with one of her eight kills — tied for team-high with senior outside hitter Karsyn Stehlik and Jenna Wheeler — to open the second set.

Platte County’s initial 4-0 lead included one of Jenna Wheeler’s eight kills, and the Pirates started to shuffle through alternative lineups. Ava Wheeler ended up finishing with a team-high 18 assists, as coach Katlyn Donovan took a look at a two-setter rotation in a blowout.

Central went on to trail 8-1 and by as many as eight but would twice lose the gap to four and then all the way to 17-15.

Riggs had a kill, Ava Wheeler another short service run and Jenna Wheeler an ace to create separation. The Pirates then closed on a 4-0 run to set up the chance at the sweep.

“It happens,” Harned said. “I made mistakes … but that’s another thing with community. We all just shake it off; we all love each and so we know we make mistakes. So we just shake it off and move to the next point.”

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Platte County junior Avery Walter hits a pass during a match with Liberty North on Tuesday at Platte County High School.

Central also hung close at the start of the third set, but Hoyt came up with a kill to start another big run.

Platte County went from up 9-8 to 14-8 in a blink with junior Kendall Johnson (five kills) adding back-to-back aces and one of her five kills in what became a quick five-point burst. Stehlik then took over with her best stretch of the match with a kill, and Jenna Wheeler and Ava Wheeler both had service aces in the closing moments.

Stehlik finished off the sweep with back-to-back kills.

While Stehlik and Johnson have started to emerge as Platte County’s most reliable offensive threats, Riggs continues to be an occasionally dynamic contributor while Hoyt and Murray (three kills apiece in the middle) have also started to embrace their roles. In addition to Walter, the Pirates have received solid back row play from Harned, Ava Wheeler, Johnson (seven digs) and Jenna Wheeler (four digs) as the rotation takes shape.

Liberty North 3, Platte County 0

The Pirates’ 11-match winning streak came to an end against the No. 2-ranked team in Class 5, according to MaxPreps rankings, in a 25-14, 25-15, 25-17 sweep Tuesday at Platte County High School.

In all, Platte County managed only 23 kills in the three sets with six apiece coming from Stehlik and Riggs while Johnson added four. Johnson also led the Pirates with a pair of service aces.

Murray provided a bright spot in the middle of the defense against Liberty North’s talented frontline, recording assists on three of Platte County’s four blocks. Walter also stepped up and played all three sets with a team-high 10 digs, while Harned added nine to go with her 17 assists.

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Platte County junior Tatiana Murray hits a spike against Liberty North on Tuesday at Platte County High School.

Lincoln Pius X Invitational

Platte County went 1-2 with a pair of tough three-set losses to out-of-state competition Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In the opener, six players recorded at least two kills to account for all 22 of Platte County’s kills in a 25-17, 25-21 victory over Lincoln (Nebraska). Stehlik and Johnson led the way with five kills apiece, while Murray added four, Harned and Riggs three apiece and Hoyt two. The key for the Pirates were the 12 service aces, including three apiece for Harned and Johnson and two each for Ava Wheeler, Jenna Wheeler and Murray.

After making it two straight wins, Platte County dropped the final two matches that will be a short skid leading into a stretch of four straight road matches against Park Hill South, Smithville, Raymore-Peculiar and Raytown.

Platte County actually won the opening set against Norris (Nebraska) but never found a rhythm after that in a 20-25, 25-14, 25-14 victory for the Titans.

In the finale, Platte County forced a third set but couldn’t complete the comeback in a 25-20, 17, 25, 25-17 loss to Millard North (Nebraska). Johnson (11 kills) and Stehlik (10 kills) were again sublime for the Pirates, while Hoyt and Stehlik each had an assist on three of five total blocks.

However, the defensive effort came from the back row with Walter putting up a match-high 23 digs. Harned added 15, and Ava Wheeler and Jenna Wheeler 10 apiece.

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