A week after seeing a potential share of a Suburban Conference White Division title seemingly evaporate, Platte County suffered a shock loss on the road at Belton before celebrating senior night with 57-46 win Friday night at Pirate Fieldhouse. Neither result resembled the first meeting between the teams, possibly creating some discomfort with the postseason just a week away.
Platte County senior guard Lauren Stone goes up for a layup against Raytown on Friday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Platte County (14-7) drew the No. 2 seed in Class 5 District 8 and opens play March 6 against Van Horn (13-11). What type of momentum Platte County carries through depends on the response from two lackluster performances while closing out the regular season at home Monday against William Chrisman and Thursday at Fort Osage.
On senior night, Platte County finished with 16 steals to help create enough offense to keep Raytown at bay. The Blue Jays hung closer than expected after facing a running clock and losing by 26 in the first conference matchup between the two teams. The Pirates held on behind four double-digit scorers with senior guard Lauren Stone and junior forward Rylee Carr leading the way with 14 points apiece.
Addie Ayers, a junior reserve guard, added 12 points with four 3-pointers off Platte County’s bench, while senior center Addy Schlake just missing a double-double with 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds.
Prior to the game pushed back a night due to a weather postponement on Thursday, Stone, Schlake and fellow seniors Haley Barlow (two points, two assists) and Haley Schank (five points) were honored. Barlow has started all four years at point guard, while Stone, who led Platte County with five assists and four steals, and Schlake joined her the past three seasons. Schank is a second-year contributor for the Pirates starting at forward in her senior season.
Platte County’s seniors walk off the court during a game against Raytown on Friday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
The 11-point win came three days after a shock 53-49 loss on the road to Belton (6-16).
Platte County won the first White Division game between the two teams 58-28, but the Pirates have gone 4-3 since a season-best five-game winning streak toward the end of January. The run included a loss to Grain Valley (21-1) — seemingly headed toward an unbeaten conference championship — in double overtime. The Eagles took firm control of the title race with the win, and Platte County’s loss to Belton a week later ended any hope of a split.
Belton erased a 25-17 halftime deficit with 22 points in the third quarter — 14 from senior Amaya Crowder, who hit three or her five 3s in the frame.
In the second half, Platte County hit just seven shots from the field, and free throw troubles were costly. The Pirates went just 12 of 24 overall at the line, while hitting just three 3s — one each for Stone, Ayers and reserve freshman Kinleigh Howren.
Platte County senior guard Haley Barlow goes up for a shot against Raytown on Friday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Stone recorded Platte County’s only double-digit scoring performance with at team-high 13, while Schlake added nine. Barlow put up four of her six in the first half, while Carr, Ayers and Howren. Schank and reserve forward Amani Harlin, a sophomore, and Malin Cole, a junior, put up two apiece.
Platte County now sits at 9-3 in White Division play and hopes to finish season sweeps of William Chrisman and Fort Osage to close out the regular season before attempting to end a lengthy playoff drought by navigating a difficult district. The other quarterfinal on the Pirates’ half of the bracket involves No. 3 seed Smithville (18-6) and No. 6 seed Lincoln Prep (9-11).
In an earlier meeting, Platte County led Smithville most of the way in a tight victory, but the Warriors enter as the defending champion. However, St. Teresa’s Academy (14-5) owns the top seed after moving over from District 7.
Platte County last reached the state playoffs in 2009 when the Pirates won the lone state championship in program history while in Class 4.
