The state trophies have become the physical representation of newfound success and increased expectations.
Platte County enters this season having won three straight Suburban Conference White Division and Class 2 District 8 championships, leading to a string of playoff berths. The Pirates have ended up second at state in 2024 and fourth a year ago but now must replace five of the six starters from last season’s inspired run to the Class 2 semifinals.
In fact, Mitchel McBratney, a junior, played No. 6 singles and should see a big move up in Platte County’s lineup, which expects to continue a trend. The Pirates have used 14 different players over the past three years and have consistently filled in gaps to maintain consistency.
“These current guys are well aware of the footsteps they’re walking in, but they’re also aware of how many of those guys looked just like them — C team as freshmen, JV as sophomores, etc. — as they made their progression into the varsity lineup,” Platte County coach Zach Keith said. “I love the guys on this team, the makeup of this team, and what I’m seeing so far. We’ll see where we’re at in late April.”
In addition to McBratney, Platte County junior Jacoby Keith and sophomore Jackson Kluck also saw spot varsity action last year but did not make the state lineup. The Pirates also expect juniors Wyatt Beeson and Owen Behne to compete for spots in what has generally become a lengthened roster for a program with deepening tradition.
Platte County hasn’t posted a losing record in duals since at least 2009 despite an increasingly difficult schedule. The Pirates were 12-9 last season but saw the early struggles pay off late.
“Here’s the reality: our nonconference and tournament schedule is going to test us and make us better,” Zach Keith said. “How we respond to challenges will tell me all I need to know about what to expect from this group of guys this year. I will tell
you this: I’m optimistic.”
Platte County posted the best season in program history two years ago, going 19-4 and reaching the Class 2 championship dual. The Pirates lost four of the seven players from that lineup and incredibly ended up with a second straight state trophy in memorable fashion with seniors in the top five spots — Paul Havemeier, Jack Bralley, Hayden Cook, Will Kimlinger and Jake Diano.
Havemeier played singles only for Platte County as a first-year junior and moved all the way from No. 6 to No. 1 last season. Bralley spent all four years in the lineup and slotted in at No. 2 for a second straight season, while Cook occupied the No. 3 spot in both of his years as a varsity contributor for Platte County. However, the key for the Pirates stemmed from the ability for Kimlinger, Diano and McBratney to make an immediate impact.
Havemeier (singles) and Bralley/Cook (doubles) both earned individual district championships, while Kimlinger (singles) and Diano/McBratney (doubles) both came up one win short of earning state berths in the Class 2 District 8 individual tournament. The Pirates then carried the momentum into the team bracket and recorded dominant 5-0 shutouts over Kearney and William Chrisman to earn a return to the playoffs.
Diano then provided perhaps the most clutch win in Platte County’s program history in the state quarterfinals, overcoming a 9-6 deficit in a third-set tiebreaker to win a marathon match and reverse the result of a prior loss to Branson (18-6) during the regular season. He prevailed 6-2, 6-7 (7-1), 14-12 in the No. 5 singles match.
Platte County won the dual 5-4 after losing to Branson 7-2 week earlier. The Pirates then lost 5-0 in the semifinals to eventual state champion MICDS in a rematch of the 2024 championship dual before dropping the third-place dual 5-3 to Warrensburg.
Now, the next rebuild starts in Tuesday’s home dual against Willard with Platte County also adding 2025 Class 1 state runnerup St. Pius X to the Class 2 District 8 field due to the state’s private school championship factor.
“Our expectations are to compete for a state trophy,” Zach Keith said. We graduated our top five players from a final four team, and I haven’t heard a single guy on our team who believes we will lower our expectations heading into this season due to
our relatively inexperienced lineup. Mitchel and Jackson have transformed themselves into legitimate top-of-the-line-up guys and right behind them we have Owen Behne and Wyatt Beeson whose parents both had to take out a second mortgage to pay for all the shoes, tennis balls, string, etc., these guys went through during the offseason. Jacoby is very athletic on the court and presents a lot of problems athletically for opponents, especially in doubles.
“The competition for who will start the season in the final varsity spot — or spots, depending on challenge matches — will be really tough because we have eight guys who show potential. Those guys have worked really hard to get to that point.”
Others who have put in the work saw the payoff.
Havemeier went 1-2 in his first and only trip to state as an individual but gave Platte County a fifth straight district champion in singles after Gavin Nichols won the previous four. Bralley and Cook became the first two-time medalists in doubles after finishing sixth in Class 2. They were eighth as juniors.
Platte County has sent at least one doubles team to state in four straight seasons, and Bralley left as the program’s only three-time qualifier in doubles.
