Platte County sets baseline in 1st 5 matches with another season in Class 5 on tap

Platte County’s second consecutive season in Class 5 started much like the first ended.

Liberty North dominated early in a 25-6, 25-15, 25-18 sweep in a season-opening match Thursday at Liberty North High School. Platte County entered with a lineup filled with experienced players but with most stepping into much larger roles and faced a harsh trial by ordeal. The Pirates now have a baseline for development needed to become a postseason factor again.

Last fall, Liberty North won a Class 5 District 8 first-round matchup between the two teams. The Eagles were the 2025 Suburban Conference Gold Division champions in the regular season but were eliminated in the semifinals.

Platte County advanced the Class 4 playoffs four times in the past six seasons with the only two exceptions in that span when bumped up to Class 5. The Pirates found out the morning after the loss to Liberty North of a return to the nine-team Class 5 District 8 with Central (St. Joseph), Liberty, Liberty North, North Kansas City, Oak Park, Park Hill, Park Hill South and Staley.

Despite the opening loss, Platte County grew into the match during the final two sets, and senior Kate Brunner (six), sophomore Kylie Hill (five) and junior Miah Omoike (four) predictably led the attack in kills, while senior Emma Brinkman and junior Charlotte Schlake added three apiece from the middle. The Pirates did struggle with errors — 19 in attack, nine in serve receive and six in service.

Hill moved into a featured full-rotation position as a first-year starter, while Omoike missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.

Platte County junior Ella Cruce dished out 16 assists with no errors as the No. 1 setter to go with seven digs, while junior Phoebe Pennington put up the only service ace. Mikah Buntz, another junior, led the defense with 14 digs, while Hill added 11, and Brinkman — set to play inside — accounted for four block assists.

Lincoln Northeast Blastoff Tournament

Platte County went an even 2-2 and finished second in the Silver Bracket of the Lincoln Northeast Blastoff Tournament on Saturday in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In the morning pool competition, Platte County beat Lincoln (Nebraska) 25-10, 25-16 for the first win of the season but couldn’t quite complete a comeback for a split in a 25-14, 25-22 loss to Lincoln Southeast (Nebraska). The Pirates were second and moved to the silver bracket and lost 22-25, 25-21, 25-17 against North Platte (Nebraska) but closed with a 25-18, 25-12 sweep of Lincoln Northwest (Nebraska).

Platte County now goes into the first full week of the regular season with a 2-3 record overall.

In the opener, five Platte County players recorded at least four kills in the dominant sweep — Hill (seven), Omoike (six), Schlake (six), Brunner (four) and Brinkman (four). Cruce (four) and Hill (two) combined for six service aces in a needed shot of confidence for the Pirates.

Cruce added 21 assists, while Buntz (eight digs) and junior Collins Cole (six digs) led Platte County’s defense.

Hill matched her seven kills and added a team-high seven digs in Platte County’s loss to Lincoln Southeast, which barely held on to win the second set. After going 1-1, the Pirates were in the Silver Bracket and went a full three sets for the only time on the day, and Hill set a career-high with nine kills. Omoike matched the nine to tie for the team lead, while Brunner added five.

Platte County put up seven service aces against North Platte with Brinkman and Hill accounting for two apiece. Buntz set a career-high with 21 digs, while Cruce put up 25 assists to go with five kills on dumps and tips at the net.

Omoike (eight), Hill (six) and Schlake (six) led Platte County’s attack in the closing win over Lincoln Northwest. Cruce hit 20 assists again with four more service aces while tying Buntz for the team lead with eight digs.