Platte County cultivated a difficult nonconference schedule in recent seasons, and this year’s roster must now endure the early tests in an effort to improve in challenging circumstances.
Platte County senior guard Rylee Carr takes a 3-pointer against Oak Park on Thursday at Oak Park High School in Kansas City.
Oak Park earned a 61-28 victory over the Pirates on Thursday at Oak Park High School behind a trio of double-digit scorers. The Lady Oakies were a struggling team in 2022-23 but came into this season off back-to-back winning records and looked dominant behind a smothering defense that produced 14 steals.
By contrast, Platte County put up winning records each of the past three seasons, but returned only two players with significant prior experience in senior guards Rylee Carr and Addie Ayers, while senior Emily Huehl saw minimal action as a junior.
Mostly a key reserve the past two seasons, Ayers made three free throws after drawing a foul on a 3-point attempt early, briefly cutting an early deficit to 5-3. She accounted for the Pirates’ first and only six points of the first quarter.
Oak Park junior guard Kiera Ross hit a 3 on the game’s opening possession and put up seven of her 11 in the opening frame. The Lady Oakies never trailed with sophomore Karissa Davis putting up a team-high 24 points and posting a double-double with 14 rebounds, while sophomore Jaelynn Carter added 14 points.
Platte County couldn’t keep up with sophomore guard Millie Parker’s lone basket coming in the second quarter to break a long scoring drought.
Oak Park led 22-8 at that point and answered with a 3-pointer. The Pirates were back within 27-11 on Carr’s first of eight made field goals, including their only other 3, but went into halftime trailing by 18.
Carr finished with a team-high 17 points, while Ayers didn’t score again after the first quarter.
Six players factored in the scoring for Platte County with freshman Eva Bane hitting a shot from the floor in the fourth quarter to finish with two points, while all of the production for sophomore Madeline Arthurs (two points) and junior Macy Doll (one point) came from the free throw line. The Pirates faced a running clock for a chunk of the fourth quarter while dropping to 1-4 overall, having dropped back-to-back games since the lone win going into Monday’s game at Benton in St. Joseph.
Platte County then starts Suburban Conference White Division play Thursday on the road winless Ruskin to close the 2025 portion of the schedule before a lengthy holiday break. The first home game for the Pirates will be January 5 against North Kansas City, starting a stretch of six straight played at Pirate Fieldhouse.
