Platte County didn’t necessarily turn in the fastest times of a young season in Saturday’s Independence Invitational, but the Pirates did show their depth and potential.
Platte County freshman Remi Woolard swims in the 200-yard medley relay during a home quad Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Despite no entries in 1-meter diving and a disqualification for one of three relays, Platte County came away with the team championship at Henley Aquatic Center in Independence. The Pirates earned wins in four different events and piled up 524 points — more than 200 in front of second-place Pembroke Hill.
There were 20 teams total.
Platte County’s first victory came in the opening event with the combination of senior Ashleigh Cruce, juniors Ronnie Benford and Mackenzie Johnson and freshman Remi Woolard finishing the 200-yard medley relay in 2 minutes, 6.01 seconds — just off the Pirates’ season-best but more than 9 seconds in front of runnerup Summit Christian. Woolard (200 freestyle), Cruce (100 butterfly) and Johnson (500 freestyle) also won individual events for the the Pirates.
Woolard posted the first state consideration cut of her career in the 200 freestyle, coming in at 2:13.52 with Benford second (2:20.62).
The top 32 in each event make the field for the Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships with swimmers limited to no more than two individual events and two relays — three if qualified in one or fewer individual event, meaning those without a top-32 time can end up making the cut.
Platte County senior Ashleigh Cruce swims in the 50-yard freestyle during a home quad Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Last year, only Cruce made state for Platte County in an individual event, having now competed in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke each of the past two seasons. She made honorable mention all-state in the 100 butterfly (15th) as a junior.
On Saturday, Cruce posted a season-best of 1:03.71 to win the 100 butterfly, just off the PR of 1:02.81 she set at state in 2025. She currently ranks 12th in the event for Class 1 through the first few weeks of this season.
Johnson posted consideration cuts in three events as a sophomore but didn’t make the state field in any of those. That includes the 500 freestyle, a race she won Saturday in 5:58.09 while going under 6 minutes for the second time this season.
In addition, Johnson placed second in the 200 IM (2:29.37).
Cruce (second, 1:18.05) posted a second state cut while Benford (third, 1:19.95) finished just behind her in the 100 breaststroke to score big pints for Platte County. Those became more important after the 200 freestyle relay ended up DQ’d. The Pirates’ 400 freestyle relay team of Cruce, Benford, Johnson and Woolard came in second at 4:18.09 behind first-place Pembroke Hill (4:12.89).
Platte County junior Mackenize Johnson swims in the 100-yard butterfly during a home quad Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Platte County already posted state qualification cuts in all three relays, but the season-best times all came in the previous weekend’s Winnetonka Holiday Invitational. In addition to the top-three finishes, junior Jillian Talbot (50 freestyle, 28.92) and freshman Sara Lanier (100 backstroke, 1:15.47) both posted fifth-place showings for the Pirates in individual events.
Platte County Quad
Johnson posted a state consideration time in 200 freestyle, highlighting a home meet with Kearney, Smithville and Savannah on Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North. She finished second in 2:13.26.
Last season, Johnson’s state consideration cuts were in the 200 individual medley and 200 and 500 freestyle.
Platte County won five individual events plus one of three relays, finishing first in the 400 freestyle race to close the meet. Johnson also topped the 100 butterfly field in 1:08.66, while Cruce claimed victories in both the 50 freestyle (27.92) and 100 freestyle (1:02.61). She raced solo in the first of four heats of the 50 freestyle but posted the only time under 28 seconds.
Platte County junior Ronnie Benford swims in the 100-yard freestyle during a home quad Tuesday at Platte County Community Center North.
Woolard (2:35.96) and junior Alex Yurko (2:40.16) gave Platte County a 1-2 finish in the 200 IM.
Winnetonka Holiday Invitational
Platte County finished seventh out of 29 teams in a two-day meet held at Gladstone Community Center the previous weekend. The Pirates posted their season-best in the 200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays, although lineups for the races weren’t available on submitted results.
The fifth-place 400 freestyle relay posted the current No. 16 time in Class 1 (4:16. 42), while the seventh-place 200 medley relay now sits at No. 18 (2:05.98).
Woolard finished third in the 200 freestyle (2:14.56) and just missed hitting a consideration cut before lowering that at Independence a week later. Johnson posted Class 1 qualification times in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle. She placed fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:52.87) and sixth in the 200 IM (2:27.72).
Platte County’s only other top-eight individual finish came from Woolard in the 100 freestyle (eighth, 1:02.53).
