Stepping up to the challenge of competition helped evolve the identity of Platte County’s program. Even with mixed results for a renovated lineup, Pirates veteran coach Zach Keith needs the full depth of his roster to trust the process.
Platte County senior Jack Bralley hits a serve during a match in a dual with Belton on Thursday at Platte County High School.
Platte County went 2-2 during Friday’s 12-team Joplin Tournament, which utilized a format with three singles and two doubles matches for each dual. After winning a pool with victories over the hosts and Nevada, the Pirates dropped a championship bracket semifinal to small-school power Boliver and finished fourth after a tight loss to Lee’s Summit West.
The conclusion to a busy week that also included Suburban Conference White Division wins over Raytown and Belton sandwiched around a loss to Class 3 playoff contender Park Hill
“I was really pleased with what I believe were very obvious improvements throughout the week,” Keith said. “We saw some great competition. It was definitely a long week of tennis, but the guys responded to the challenge very well.”
Returning only three contributors from last season’s Class 2 runnerup, Platte County (6-6) utilized seven players in the Joplin Tournament and gave freshman Jackson Kluck true debut varsity opportunities. The 5-0 wins against Joplin and Nevada included singles sweeps but utilizing different combinations. Against Joplin, seniors Paul Havemeier and Jake Diano plus sophomore Mitchel McBratney were the choices, while Havemeier, Diano and senior Hayden Cook played in those spot against Nevada.
That left Platte County senior Will Kimlinger with Kluck in doubles matches during both duals, while senior Jack Bralley — a four-year starter — teamed with both Cook and McBratney in wins.
A year ago, Havemeier played No. 6 singles but limited doubles for Platte County in a seven-player lineup but moved all the way to No. 1 this spring. Bralley plays at No. 2 again after qualifying for the Class 2 MSHSAA Tennis Championships on two different doubles teams the past two seasons, last year placing eighth and earning a medal along with Cook. Those three helped the Pirates to the program’s second-ever playoff appearance, which resulted in a magical run to the state championship dual and ended with a loss to MICDS.
Platte County senior Jake Diano hits a shot during a match in a dual with Belton on Thursday at Platte County High School.
“We have five seniors but only three of us were on the varsity team last year,” Havemeier said. “So we do have some players that have experience, but they all have the talent and the skill.”
With sights set on another postseason push, Platte County’s semifinal provided a stern test.
Bolivar (15-0) earned state trophies in five of the past seven seasons, including a Class 1 state title in 2017 and runnerup finishes in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The Liberators won 4 of 5 matchups with Bralley and Cook taking a 6-4 win at No. 1 doubles for the lone blemish.
Keith switched up the lineup again Lee’s Summit West in the third-place match and nearly pulled off the win.
Diano and McBratney played No. 2 doubles and scored a 6-0 shutout with Platte County putting the top three players in singles. Cook won 6-2 at No. 3, but the Titans held on for a tight 3-2 victory.
The strong competition seen in recent weeks propels Platte County into Monday’s pivotal dual at Grain Valley that will likely decide this year’s conference title. The Pirates have won the past four matchups between the two teams, which resulted in the 2023 and 2024 White Division and Class 2 District 8 championships.
“I believe we are as prepared as possible for that always fun showdown,” Keith said.
Platte County 9, Belton 0
Improving to 3-0 in conference play, Platte County put up shutouts in six of the nine matches Thursday at Platte County High School.
Platte County sophomore Mitchel McBratney hits a backhand during a match in a dual with Belton on Thursday at Platte County High School.
All three doubles matches ended with 8-0 scores. Platte County’s normal dual lineup remained consistent with Havemeier/Bralley at No. 1, Cook/Kimlinger at No. 2 and Diano/McBratney at No. 3. The unblemished singles wins came from Havemeier (No. 1), Kimlinger (No. 4) and McBratney (No. 6), while Cook and Diano dropped just one game each and Bralley recorded an 8-2 victory at No. 2 in a tidy sweep.
Park Hill 9, Platte County 0
The Trojans were dominant in Tuesday’s rescheduled nonconference matchup at Platte County High School.
Originally slated to play two weeks earlier but postponed due to inclement weather, the meeting pitted two returning playoff teams. Park Hill (9-2) went to the Class 3 quarterfinals a year ago and returned a strong lineup. The tightest doubles score came at No. 2 with Platte County’s state team of Bralley and Cook staying within 8-4, while Cook lost 8-5 at No. 3 singles in another competitive match.
Platte County 9, Raytown 0
The Pirates used a junior varsity lineup in a dominant conference shutout Monday at Platte County High School.
In singles, Platte County went with juniors Jack Hokanson (No. 2), Gabe Miller (No. 3) and Bryce Isaacson (No. 4) plus sophomores Wyatt Beeson (No. 1), sophomore Josh Herpel (No. 5) and Zach Schmidt (No. 6). Beeson, Hokanson, Isaacson and Schmidt all recorded 6-0 shutouts to finish off the sweep. The Pirates’ doubles teams of sophomore Jacoby Keith/Kluck (No. 1), Beeson/Miller (No. 2) and Hokanson/Isaacson (No. 3) all won by scores of 8-0.
