Platte County stays unbeaten in conference duals, wins program’s 1st-ever team tournament title

The program’s identity stems from a lengthening list of athletes willing to give the sport a chance and excelling in limited time.

Platte County’s current senior class of seven continues to build that legacy while achieving unprecedented overall success capable of shaping a sustained future. The group includes a pair of returning Class 2 MSHSAA Wrestling Championships qualifiers with similar experience but vastly different trajectories to reach this point (Giada Cucchiara and Madeleine Stone), two continually developing second-year starters more comfortable with their spot in the lineup (Annabel Beeman and Taylore Lavery) and a first-year transfer (Maddie Nichols) while the most experienced contributors (Alivia Juarez and Adrianna Ciccarelli) have helped build the depth that allows the Pirates to fill all weight classes this season when at full strength.

This past week, all seven seniors contributed to a sweep of four duals — three in Suburban Conference White Division action — and then adding the first tournament title in program history in a dominant showing at the Blue Valley West Tournament.

“This is a group of girls that is competitive,” Platte County coach Reggie Burress said. “They work hard and want everyone on the team to be successful.”

On Wednesday, Platte County (5-0, 4-0) dominated Raytown 66-9 and then held senior night ceremonies to honor Cucchiara, Stone, Beeman, Lavery, Nichols, Juarez and Ciccarelli before looking even stronger in a 75-0 shutout of Ruskin to cap a memorable and emotional night for a tight-knit group. The Pirates overwhelmed with sheer numbers, a newfound luxury as the roster continues to grow year-over-year.

Against Raytown, Platte County led 18-0 before the first match after freshman Harper Golden (100 pounds), junior Karrington Friddell and Adrianna Ciccarelli all took forfeits. Charley Sims, a second-year junior, added a pin in just 19 seconds at 115 pounds for the Pirates, who ended up winning four of the six contested matches with both teams open at 155.

This marked the first action for Platte County since prior to Christmas break after weather canceled all of the scheduled competitions the prior week.

“It was definitely rough, not being in the (practice) room,” Beeman said. “We had to come back ready to really work and really work hard. Burress definitely didn’t go easy on us. It was just relying on our teammates to get through the practices.”

Platte County capped the rout with pins for junior Nicole Fernandez (190) and Stone (235). Both came in the first period.

Stone, a former honorable mention all-state swimmer who switched winter sports as a junior, maintains a rapidly ascending profile as a potential two-time state qualifier with Class 2 medal hopes. She put Raytown’s Melanie Jimenez to her back with a powerful double-leg takedown and secured the fall in the 235 match after just 37 seconds.

“(Stone and Fernandez) are getting there,” Burress said of Stone, who went 1-2 at state to cap her first season. “Stone is just so dynamic when she wants to be.”

More of Platte County’s seniors were involved in the finale, although Adrianna Ciccarelli and Lavery took forfeits in both duals. The Pirates jumped to a 28-0 advantage against Ruskin after Lavery, who lamented in her lengthy senior night comments not listening to overtures for her to join the team until last season, took the six points at 125.

Beeman then added a pin against Maddison Jackson-Wright in under a minute at 130.

Previously a standout in both cross country and soccer, Beeman joined Platte County’s wrestling team as a junior and slowly built the experience necessary to come up just short of state qualification to end last season. She clearly enjoyed the process, internally famous with friends, family and teammates for declaring in an Instagram post that she found a new favorite sport credited with helping drive her toward a pending decision on which military service academy to join.

“My sophomore year, at the end of the school year, I just started telling people I was wrestling,” Beeman said. “And then I started, and it was hard. It was harder; it was different than any other sport I’d done because it’s intense work for two hours every day after school.

“There are definitely times I’ve wanted to quit. Tears have been shed, but it’s made me grow as a person.”

Cucchiara predictably dominated both of her 135 matches while rounding back into the form developed as a debutante sophomore. She reached state in 2023 but missed all of last season while recovering from a torn ACL but still maintained a leadership profile while occupying roles as manager and unofficial assistant coach.

“I think that last year with her being out with her knee injury, I think it was really hard for her,” Beeman said. “But she was there every day, cheering us on, giving us tips. And then for her, to see how much she’s grown this from her sophomore year — which she was still a state qualifier — is really great, and it’s really meaningful to see her have success here on senior night.”

In previous seasons thin in the back half of the lineup, Platte County benefitted from Nichols’ move into the district from Florida with her military family. She recently dropped to 145 and filled that spot Wednesday but went behind 5-0 after losing an awkward scramble for a takedown and going to her back against Ruskin’s Jimena Benavides.

Nichols survived the first period and then recorded a takedown and worked for a pin in 3:10 to keep the shutout going.

“I would’ve wanted that takedown (given to Benavides), too. Did I think maybe it was a takedown? No, not really, but I would want that takedown, too,” Burress said. “(Maddie) fought back.”

Juarez, a fourth-year senior like Adrianna Ciccarelli, opened her night with an 8-7 loss to Raytown’s Leuia Vai Tatala. The decision victory held up even with Vai Tatala finishing the match on her back after the official awarded Juarez only three near-fall points in closing sequence, ruling time expired before reaching the count of four for maximum points that would have forced overtime.

Against Ruskin’s Jenesis Harris, Juarez stayed patient and went into the second period scoreless before recording a takedown, turning her opponent and pinning her in 3:11.

“She didn’t let the first match carry over,” Burress said. “That’s good for her to step up, do some good things and finish out her night on a positive note.”

In addition to forfeits for Fernandez and Stone late, Platte County’s dominant effort included a 15-4 major decision for sophomore Anna Wiesehan at 125 and clear-cut victories for freshmen Ava Blankenship (pin at 140) and Harper Golden (18-0 technical fall in the finale at 100).

Blankenship needed just 11 seconds to throw Amiah Smith in a headlock, while Golden turned Dariona Williams to her back multiple times but couldn’t secure a fall against a flexibly defensive opponent.

“I think (Harper) doesn’t panic,” Burress said. “She just stays back and rides hard and looks for the turn without getting crazy. That’s an important thing.”

With sophomore Mila Cucchiara still out due to a concussion suffered prior to the holiday break, Platte County did shift Blankenship and Nichols down a weight in the interim. However, the Pirates appear better positioned to functionally fill all classes for the first time in seven years.

Beeman and Lavery in particular have benefitted from the ability to shift down multiple weight classes, while Golden reaching 100 looks critical for Platte County, which previously relied on high-end talent for the majority of successes. The Pirates now have the depth to serve as the only potential competition to White Division favorite Belton and the hopes to advance a record number out of the upcoming Class 2 District 4 tournament.

“We have a lot of senior girls this year, and not a lot of them have wrestled for long,” Beeman said. “But we’re all working so hard together to make this team successful and make an environment that everyone wants to be in. Our current freshmen are really great, and they’re super hard workers. And I think that means a lot because it shows maybe we’re doing something right.”

Platte County 40, Fort Osage 36

The Pirates benefitted from three forfeits to prevail in a White Division dual Thursday in Independence.

Fernandez’s pin at 190 in the finale secured the victory after Fort Osage put up maximum points from 140 to 170 to stage a dramatic comeback. The only forfeit for the Indians came at 155, while Bailey Wood turned Juarez to her back early in the third period for a pivotal pin at 170 that put them ahead 36-34.

Fernandez trailed Fort Osage’s Isabelle Adams 3-0 after the first period but secured the winning pin just 28 seconds into the second period.

Platte County led 30-3 after the first six matches with pins for Stone (235) and Sims (115) plus forfeits for Golden (100), Adrianna Ciccarelli (110) and junior Gabriella Ciccarelli (120). However, the Pirates won just two of the final eight, including a 10-0 major decision for Giada Cucchiara at 135.

Against Blue Springs, Platte County recorded a 72-0 win, but results were not immediately available.

Blue Valley West Tournament

Platte County put up an impressive 247 points Friday night to finish at the top of team standings in Overland Park behind eight total finalists. There were 14 total teams, the other 13 all from Kansas.

Stone (235), Beeman (130), Lavery (125), Sims (115) and Golden (100) all won individual titles, while Friddell (105), Gabriella Ciccarelli (120) and Giada Cucchiara (135) were runnersup for Platte County, which brought 13 wrestlers. Sims, Beeman and Stone all pinned their way through brackets, while Golden secured a pair of first period falls and then put up a 17-0 technical fall against Piper’s Savannah Bruce in the championship bout.

Lavery, who showed flashes of a potential breakthrough during last year’s debut season, pinned her first two opponents at 125. In the final, she grinned out a 6-0 decision victory against Diana Garcia of Topeka.

Friddell split her two matches at 105 with Kimberly Rodriguez of Highland Park (Topeka) securing the winning takedown in the final minute of the championship match. The two were tied 7-7 at that point, and Friddell scored the final point of a 10-8 loss by decision with an escape. She couldn’t come up with a winning takedown in the final 23 seconds.

Piper’s Maia Dolinar pinned Giada Cucchiara in the second period of the 135 championship match. In one of the most competitive brackets, Giada Cucchiara needed a takedown and late stalling point to win a 7-4 decision over Olathe West’s Jina Costas in their semifinal.

Currently battling Wiesehan for the 120 spot in the lineup, Gabriella Ciccarelli went from unseeded to the finals with pins in both her quarterfinal and semifinal matches. She scored the first takedown Olathe West’s Brooke Morgan but gave up the next 12 points and ended up pinned in the third period.

In addition to the finalists, Blankenship (140), Nichols (145) and Fernandez (190) all came back to finish third for Platte County. All three reached the semifinals.