Platte County taking the stage for encore season, ready to chase repeat

For a seemingly unfair and lengthy span of time, the questions always centered around if and when Platte County would break back through and claim another state championship. The consistent success in the years and eventually decades since a historic run of three consecutive unbeaten titles for the Pirates in Class 3A/3 from 2000-2002.

Now, the focus turns to an encore for a historically dominant 14-0 season — the fourth in program history — while now dealing with rightfully lofty expectations for a repeat.

Platte County posted a more-than-convincing 49-14 win over Helias in the Class 5 Show-Me Bowl last December to finish as the only unbeaten 11-man team in the state for 2024. The Pirates dominated all 14 opponents, and while set to replace 22 seniors, they have a deep and experienced roster ready to make a repeat run.

“If you look back at the history of our program and you really dissect it, there’s a ton to be proud of,” Platte County coach Bill Utz said just nine months removed from the first state championship of his long career that also includes time at Stewartsville and Mid-Buchanan. “But for whatever reason, the (state) championship defines things — right or wrong. It’s definitely one of those things that changes the perception of who we are from the outside. From the inside, it doesn’t change a whole lot. We come back and go to work.”

Under Utz’s direction, Platte County has now made the state semifinals in four of the past eight seasons but also completed a somewhat drastic turnaround from a 5-6 campaign in 2022 — just the fourth losing record for the program since 1983 — when the current group of seniors was starting to create murmurs of championship pedigree as freshmen. The Pirates were 9-3 in 2023 with a disappointing loss to Grain Valley in the Class 5 District 8 championship game.

Ranked in the top three of the Missouri Media Class 5 polls all season but never No. 1 until the end, Platte County put a running clock on 11 of 14 opponents. The closest final scores ended up being 28-13 over Fort Osage in Week 3 when the Indians scored a touchdown on the final play of the game and a Class 5 semifinal against MICDS when the Rams reached the end zone on their last offensive snap to pull within 44-30.

“The beauty of these kids that come back is that they aren’t just resting on the fact that they won one a year ago,” Utz said. “They’re definitely in a spot similar to what they did last year. Their goals are the same. They want to get another one, and we’ve seen that work in the offseason intensify, which goes to that idea of what’s changed from we might do it or we could do it. Now that we’ve done it, there’s a belief put in there that helps the drive.”

Platte County likely opens this season at No. 1 in the Class 5 state poll but did graduate 22 seniors, including 10 of 11 starters on a defense that allowed more than 21 points just twice. However, the Pirates have an arsenal of proven offensive weapons — six of last year’s 10 Missouri Football Coaches Association (MFCA) all-state picks — generally only limited last year by the lopsided results that allowed coaches to liberally substitute in reserves early and often.

And the success of last season doesn’t cloud the opportunity ahead.

Platte County reached the Class 4 state semifinals in 2017 but lost to Webb City. The Pirates went to back-to-back Show-Me Bowls in 2019 and 2020 but again came up short of a title — first against Webb City in Class 4 and then Jackson after a move up to Class 5.

For years, Platte County battled behind Harrisonville, Kearney and Webb City at different points in the 22 years between the Class 3 title in 2002 and finally climbing back to the top last year. The Pirates don’t want to settle for just one championship run, and the seniors have become accustomed to expected success and expectations.

“The interesting thing with this group is as soon as you give them something to win, a true competition, they change,” Utz said. “They’re just a competitive group, and you would hope all kids are competitive but these kids really enjoy the competition part of football. If there’s a chance to go win, they’re going to do it, and they want to leave the program in a great place and finish as ‘those guys.’

“But they’re still having fun, are looking forward to the season and just want want to go play.”

With the same nine-game regular season schedule only with home-away flipped, Platte County faces only three teams that posted a winning record last year — Smithville (8-3), Fort Osage (7-4) and Grain Valley (7-4). District assignments will be released later this week.

Below is a position-by-position breakdown to preview Platte County’s upcoming season.

QUARTERBACK

Back for a third year as a starter, Platte County senior Rocco Marriott already owns the top line on most of the program’s passing and some of the overall offensive records.

Marriott saw action as a freshman and enters off one of the best seasons for any Platte County quarterback, earning Class 5 Offensive Player of the Year honors from the MFCA. He set Platte County’s single-season passing touchdown record with 39 compared to only five interceptions — just one in five postseason games. He broke Tanner Clarkson’s mark of 38 from 2017 and goes into his senior year with 63 in his career, also a program record.

Last season, Marriott passed up a decorated top three on the all-time list of Chris Ruhnke (52, 2018-2020), Brandon Gutshall (56, 1997-2000) and Justin Mitchell (59, 2013-16), among others. Gutshall led the Pirates to their first state title as a senior, while Ruhnke became the first in program history to start two state championship games at quarterback.

Mitchell started three seasons but missed the majority of one due to injury.

Marriott also became just the third in program history to put up more than 3,000 yards passing, and his 3,081 ranks behind only Tanner Clarkson’s 3,382 in 2017 and just in front of Ruhnke’s 3,046 in 2020. Adding in rushing totals, Marriott totaled 3,704 yards of offense and 58 touchdowns — two more school records. Clarkson previously held the yardage mark at 3,559 and touchdowns mark at 43.

“I’ve been blessed with quarterbacks — just go down the list,” Utz said. “The thing with Rocco that we’re doing is challenging him on-next level plays. What different wrenches and challenges can we throw him? What can he do to spread the offense out, see the whole field? We want him to be the best he can be so he can make us the best we can be when we face the biggest challenges.”

After graduating primary backup Brady Davis, Platte County turns to junior Brandon Reynolds and sophomore Paxton Bennett in the reserve role behind Marriott. Reynolds received limited snaps as a sophomore, while Bennett looks to be a future starter for the Pirates at some point in his career.

RUNNING BACK

Due to injuries, Platte County needed both halves of last year’s top running back duo to carry the load at certain points and then went even deeper to try and have the full complement of options available for the postseason. The Pirates don’t appear to have the same type of dynamic depth this season but likely return to a true No. 1 taking the majority of carries.

Despite missing three games due to a shoulder injury, Platte County senior Adam Gisler just missed a second straight 1,000-yard season rushing in 2024 and finished with 855 on 78 attempts. This included going over 100 yards in all three playoff games — successive wins over Webb City, MICDS and Helias.

Gisler scored at least one touchdown in each of Platte County’s final nine games after sitting out Weeks 3, 4 and 5 against Fort Osage, Washburn Rural (Kansas) and Belton. He totaled 13 rushing scores despite entering the postseason with just 43 total carries in the Pirates first 11 games.

Gisler goes into his senior season as only the eighth in program history to go over 2,000 career rushing yards. His mark of 2,109 ranks behind Joe Brown (2,184 from 2009-11), Cayden Davis (2,403 from 2018-20), Krae Kelso (2,527 from 2009-11), Joe Henson (3,193 from 2002-2005), Michael McNair (3,516 from 2013-16) and record-holder Zach Sherman (7,727 from 1998-2001).

“Adam’s a special player, probably the most explosive kid that we’ve had at that position for a long time,” Utz said. “He can go at any point.”

With a desirable blend of power and speed that allowed him to commit early to Division II Northwest Missouri State, Gisler turned in a breakout season as a sophomore (1,254 yards and 15 touchdowns) after Dayton Doll suffered a season-ending shoulder surgery in Week 1 of the 2023 season. Last year, Doll — a three-year starter who saw time at wide receiver as a sophomore and running back after that — returned and ran for 614 yards and caught 13 passes while scoring 11 touchdowns.

Doll also missed a game as a senior due to a foot injury, and with the top two options, Platte County went deeper into the depth chart. The Pirates used Isaiah Seymour (383 yards rushing and seven touchdowns), another graduated senior, as the primary third-string option.

However, Platte County senior Zach Burch, who has moved around to multiple spots during his career, received an extended look in win over Belton and now goes into this season backup Gisler. Burch ran for 145 yards on just 21 carries and scored two touchdowns as a junior.

Platte County sophomore Caleb Hill also sits on the current depth chart with a chance to see significant playing time this season.

WIDE RECEIVER

Platte County brings back the top three pass catchers in the speedy senior trio of Braiden Stevens, Ty Christopher and Tres Baskerville. In fact, the Pirates lost only one of seven players to record at least 10 receptions last year from Marriott, and wide receiver Lane Webb‘s 12 was tied for fifth on the team.

After a school-record-tying four touchdown catches in last year’s season-opener against William Chrisman, Stevens — committed to South Dakota State — finished with a team-highs of 48 catches and 15 receiving scores with 886 yards. Baskerville led the Pirates with 1,049 yards on 44 catches with 10 touchdowns, recording just the sixth 1,000-yard receiving season in program history, trailing only Dylan Gilbert (1,171 in 2018), Scottie Wilson (1,138 in 2012), Kyle Knox (1,105 in 2006) and Devin Richardson (1,079 in 2017).

Stevens’ single-season receiving touchdown total ranks behind only the 16 for Jim Myers (1968) and Richardson (2017).

Both set to be third-year starters, Stevens (72 catches; 1,323 yards and 19 touchdowns) and Baskerville (84 catches; 1,432 yards and 17 touchdowns) have the chance to challenge career school records — Gilbert’s mark of 2,442 yards and the record of 27 scoring receptions he shares with Aliek Reid. Stevens made the MFCA all-state second team while Baskerville earned third-team honors at the end of their junior seasons.

Christopher returned to the offensive side of the ball after starting as a defensive back during his sophomore year. He posted 26 catches for 424 yards and eight touchdowns last season, including two-score games against both Grain Valley and Truman.

“We’re able to put a lot of speed on the field with that first group for sure,” Utz said. “We have a lot of parts that are interchangeable. We have a lot of kids that can be a guy to take over a game.”

The top four wide receivers coupled with two productive tight ends limited snaps for others in passing situations.

However, Platte County senior Grant Fadler and junior Jude Brown have the next spots on the depth chart. Brown caught one pass for minus-3 yards as a sophomore.

TIGHT END

Platte County seniors Jack Utz and Brooks Hall — both with imposing 6-foot-5 frames — have both played significant and important roles each of the past two seasons, and despite limited offensive production, both have already committed to play Division I football in college.

Jack Utz plans to sign with Kansas after earning first-team all-state honors in 2024. Hall’s commitment went to South Dakota, which competes in Division I’s FCS division.

Both set career-highs for catches and yards as juniors and came up big in critical moments.

Utz goes into his senior season with 29 career catches for 438 yards and four touchdowns, including 12-182-2 last fall. Those totals included scores against Grain Valley and Central (St. Joseph) and a catch over the middle in traffic at a pivotal point of a state semifinal win over MICDS.

Hall’s career numbers sit at 21 catches for 283 yards and five touchdowns, including 10-125-2 last fall. His scores both came in the postseason at home — against St. Pius X in the Class 5 District 8 title game and early against MICDS.

“For years, we kept looking for tight end bodies and develop tight ends, and suddenly, I’m blessed with two really good ones that create matchup problems,” Bill Utz said. “They’re both really good with athleticism on top of size that creates some fun things we can do. It’s just amazing what a tight end can do to help an offense and make us more diverse. We did some last year and can do even more now.”

OFFENSIVE LINE

Platte County used just two different starting combinations on the offensive last season but did employ a six-player rotation in the second half of the season after an injury to one of four senior starters. The Pirates lose two-year starters Riley Hixson (guard/center) and Drew Doll (guard) plus Gus Keeton (guard) and Owen Rawlings (tackle) from the Week 1 lineup.

However, Platte County returns senior left tackle Quinn Lightle, who anchored the group on an offense that averaged 49.3 points per game while totaling 5,701 offensive yards — 3,209 passing and 2,492 rushing. He made the move to left tackle as a junior after starting the majority of his first two seasons on the right side.

Lightle moved into the starting lineup early his freshman year and missed the start of his sophomore campaign due to injury but brings back by far the most experience.

Platte County senior Michael Poncavage comes back at left guard, having started seven of the final nine games after a midseason knee injury for Keeton. Poncavage also missed a pair of postseason games due to a head injury.

“That’s definitely the one spot (on offense) where we have a lot to replace,” Bill Utz said. “Quinn being there is great because he’s such a smart kid, and he knows what we’re doing and gets the big picture. Mike’s a big physical kid who works well with Quinn.”

Platte County currently expects senior Lucas Dillingham to replace Hixson at center, while junior Reece Moppin (guard) and junior Cooper Koenigsfeld (tackle) currently have the starting spots on the right side. The Pirates also hope to bring back senior Ian Gold at some point from a knee injury with a chance compete for time at right tackle, while junior James Moiyallah also factors into the top end of the depth chart.

“The other kids are all stepping up, and it’s fun to see some of those kids who haven’t had that opportunity before but get a chance to get on this field,” Bill Utz said. “They know there’s a chance that if they just do their job, we’ll be in pretty good shape. That’s a fun position for them to be in because the potential is so high for success.”

DEFENSIVE LINE

Platte County loses three of four starters up front yet brings back a pair of All-Suburban Conference White Division performers and easily the most experienced group of proven commodities. This includes third-year senior starter Cale Buntz, another South Dakota State commit who recorded 29 total tackles (eight for loss), a team-high 5 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles, one recovered and an interception last season. He returns at one defensive end spot with junior Brody Hawk on the opposite side after a breakout sophomore campaign.

Hawk totaled 25 tackles (7 1/2 for loss), five sacks, two fumbles recovered and one forced last season as an often-used and disruptive substitute.

Platte County does need to replace the steady defensive tackle duo of Kameron Doyle (three-year starter and 2024 all-state selection) and Jordan Miller plus linebacker turned early-down defensive end Archie Wesley. On the inside, the Pirates built experience last season for senior Cole Johnson (44 tackles (14 for loss), two sacks, two forced fumbles and two recovered) and junior Kyler Parker (16 tackles (six for loss), one sack).

In fact, Johnson earned all-conference honors despite having no games started as a junior who moved up front from linebacker as a sophomore.

In addition to a formidable starting unit, Platte County also plans to rotate in senior Cooper Hammontree (10 tackles (two for loss) and 1 1/2 sacks), senior JoJo Wolo and sophomore Miller Bigus in an effort to recreate last year’s depth and production.

“If I had to pick which level I wanted some experience, I’ll take the defensive line very single time,” Bill Utz said. “We’ve always tried to put athletic guys there so instead of just being pluggers, we let them be active up there. All seven kids we are rotating are aggressive, and that makes this defense fun when we wreak havoc.”

LINEBACKER

While the line and secondary accounted for the majority of 32 sacks, 17 interceptions and 16 fumble recoveries, the now-graduated duo of Cobe Pollard and Brock Fowler were steady presences in the middle tier of Platte County’s 4-2-5 defense.

Fowler moved back from Staley to rejoin his youth teammates for the last year of his career and earned all-state honors, while Pollard started the majority of three extremely productive seasons. However, injuries and game circumstances helped junior Carlos Baskerville and senior KJ Stallings earn multiple opportunities to see significant action as the next in line to take the two starting spots.

Carlos Baskerville recorded 38 tackles (5 1/2 for loss), 1 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one recovered as a sophomore. He started multiple games due to injuries, while Stallings played a more limited role and totaled eight tackles and two pass breakups.

Platte County also sees more rotational opportunities with juniors Devin Lumm (four tackles and one sack in an injury-filled season) and Hank Fowler (five tackles and one pass breakup) and Maverick Troncin competing for playing time.

“All of those kids, really everybody, got some good varsity time, even if some was at the end of games while playing with a cushion,” Bill Utz said. “So there’s still going to be a growing curve there that you have to get through when the lights are actually on and you’re the guy, but they still did it. They’ve played at that level and did a pretty darn good job when they were in there.”

DEFENSIVE BACKS

Platte County must replace every significant piece of a secondary that endured and adapted to multiple injuries, including cornerbacks Taylor Stambersky, Montez Clemons, Bronson Ryan and Seth White and safeties Darrell Smith, Trevor Hay and Caden McGhee. In fact, Stambersky and White missed the majority of the season due to injuries but Hay (team-high seven interceptions, three returned for scores) and Smith both earned all-state honors.

A three-year starter, Smith moved to Platte County’s secondary as a hybrid defender and made the Class 5 team at linebacker in a nod to a skill set that helped him accrue 248 tackles (28 for loss), six sacks, three fumbles forced, three fumbles recovered and two interceptions. He led the Pirates last season with 82 tackles and the 16 of those for loss and served as the emotional leader of the defense.

Despite those losses, Platte County does bring back experience with senior Mogie Walkingstick and juniors Jack Johnson, Matt Cisco and Jordan Moore.

“We just happened to lose a lot of seniors all in one area that were pretty darn good when you go back and look and see how they played — almost guys you took for granted with how good and consistent they were across the board,” Bill Utz said. “You’re going to have to figure that stuff out a little bit, and the nice thing is the groundwork has been set. We’ve seen flashes of (ability) in practice against our offense so we feel good about that.”

Platte County’s expected cornerback duo brings a lot of speed and athleticism with Jack Johnson moving over from safety. He produced 22 tackles (one for loss) and a pass breakup as a sophomore despite playing nearly the entire season with undiagnosed shoulder injury. He could open the season paired with senior Adeboye Akande (one tackle) after both turned in record-setting track and field seasons in the fall.

With two inexperienced starters, Platte County also could give a look to senior Mudi Egbedeju.

None of the three safety spots seems locked down either with Walkingstick (14 tackles, one forced fumble and one recovered), Cisco (seven tackles, one interception), Moore (four tackles, one pass breakup) and seniors Drew Tyson (one tackle) and Kylar Howren also in the mix. Howren moves over from wide receiver.

KICKER

Platte County turns to junior Sterling Wilson in the starting role with senior Jackson Goodale not back on the roster after holding the spot the past two years. He made 123 extra points in his career and four field goals as a junior.

Wilson appeared in six games as a sophomore for Platte County and made five extra points, while not attempting a field goal. He average 45.3 yards on kickoffs and continued to spend offseason time specializing on placekicking and attending camps.

PUNTER

Braiden Stevens will be the No. 1 option in the predicted limited opportunities this season. He’s punted 50 times over the last two years, averaging 32.8 yards per attempt.

LONG SNAPPER

Platte County senior Grant Fadler retains the duties for long snapping on punts for a third years and ield goals and extra points for a second. Zach Burch will hold on field goals and extra points.

RETURNERS

Platte County possesses plenty of dynamic options to return kicks with Bill Utz expecting initially to use Ty Christopher, Braiden Stevens, Tres Baskerville and Adam Gisler in different combinations. Stevens took on primary duties for punts last year and averaged 6.4 yards per attempt on eight returns, while Tres Baskerville returned one for a touchdown in Week 1 against William Chrisman.

Christopher has 21 kickoff returns over the past two years with an average just over 20 yards, while Tres Baskerville brought one back 86 yards for a score to open the second half of a Week 9 rout of Raytown.