Platte County can officially enter the postseason on a definitive winning streak after a pair of strong performances this past week. Despite one cancelation due to potential inclement weather, the Pirates topped William Chrisman 5-1 on the road Tuesday and Belton 8-0 on senior night at Pirate Stadium on Thursday.
Platte County senior central defender Fabian Risager chests the ball down against Belton on Thursday at Pirate Stadium.
In between, Platte County and Raytown opted not to play on Wednesday with rain and storms in the area and little for the teams to gain from a busy week with district play starting on Saturday.
Platte County ultimately ends up with an unbeaten Suburban Conference White Division title — second straight — at 7-0 following the last two wins and secured the outright crown regardless of any potential result against Raytown. The Pirates have now run off four straight victories since a shock 4-0 loss to Central (St. Joseph), and overall, they have lost just once in the nine games before Saturday’s first round Class 3 District 8 matchup with Guadalupe Centers at Pembroke Hill High School in Kansas City.
In the regular season finale vs. Belton, Platte County dominated start to finish with senior forward Gavin Nichols completing a hat trick early in the second half while assisting on two other goals, while senior forward Josh Nelson scored twice and set up Nichols’ opener in the eighth minute. Cameron Habel, a sophomore, midfielder also ended up with two goals, while senior AJ Schrick continued his recent run of form with a score right before halftime to increase the lead to 4-0.
Platte County scored four in each half, and Habel’s second in the 62nd minute ended the game early as a result of the eight-goal mercy rule.
Before the game, Platte County honored eight seniors including the high-scoring featured offensive trio of Nichols, Schrick and Nelson plus starting defenders Daniel Bunge and Fabian Risager and starting midfielders Andrew Reinsch and Connor Currence and reserve Calvin Thrasher. The group leads the second-seeded Pirates into district play in search of the program’s first playoff berth since reaching the Class 3 state championship game in 2019.
Platte County senior forward Josh Nelson takes a shot against Belton on Thursday at Pirate Stadium.
Platte County lost in the district title game in both 2020 and 2021 before bowing out in the semifinals last season to sixth-seeded host Pembroke Hill. The Pirates overcame a slow start to the season with Risager, a foreign exchange student from Denmark, unable to complete the required number of practices until after the first week of the regular season.
After going 1-2 in the Park Hill Kickoff Classic, Platte County won 10 of the next 12 games to earn the No. 2 seed. The Pirates face seventh-seeded Guadalupe Centers (9-11) — the 2021 District 8 champion — in the first round with the winner advancing to Monday’s semifinals to play either No. 3 Lincoln Prep (7-4) or No. 6 Pembroke Hill (3-15-1), which owns a deceiving record thanks to a difficult schedule.
The defending district champion Kansas City East (13-2) owns the top seed after reaching the Class 3 state title game last year, while Kearney (13-7) and Smithville (17-5) match up in the 4-5 game. Platte County beat both Smithville and Kearney this season but has not played East.
However, Platte County continued to build momentum in the dominant performance against Belton while posting the sixth cleansheet of the season thanks to a combined effort from junior goalkeepers Paul Havemeier (no saves) and Aidan Murray (two saves).
Platte County senior midfielder Connor Currence sends a ball upfield against Belton on Thursday at Pirate Stadium.
Platte County gave Thrasher a start, putting all eight seniors on the field at once. Fittingly, Nichols turned home a header setup from Nelson for the opening goal in the eight minutes, and Platte County extended the lead to 2-0 in the 16th minute on an unassisted effort from Nichols.
Schrick then set up Nelson’s first goal just three minutes later then added his scoring on an assist from junior midfielder Julian Nemeth at the tail end of the 38th minute.
Nelson scored eight minutes into the second half on a pass from Nichols, while Habel scored two of the final three. The first for Habel came on Nichols’ second assist, while sophomore Jonny Ibarra set him up for the winner.
In between, Thrasher earned an assist on Nichols’ third and final goal.
Platte County 5, William Chrisman 1
The Pirates wrapped up the conference title on the road Tuesday in Independence with Nichols scoring two more and Nelson also on the scoresheet.
Platte County junior Tug Thornton looks to take on a Belton defender Thursday at Pirate Stadium.
William Chrisman trailed 3-0 at halftime but pulled back a goal 12 minutes into the second half to close the deficit to 3-1. Nichols scored in the 62nd minute to stretch the lead back to three goals, and Nemeth turned home a pass from sophomore reserve Chaz Cox in the 76th minute to close out the scoring.
Havemeier and Murray made one save apiece.
Platte County put 12 shots on goal total, and the second was a goal for Nichols off of a cross from Nemeth in the 15th minute. The one-goal advantage held for much of the first half until a flurry just before halftime.
In the 38th minute, Platte County junior reserve Tug Thornton scored his first career goal on a cross from Schrick, and Nelson pinged a shot into the net off of a William Chrisman moments later in the 39th minute. Risager recorded the assist on Nichols’ second goal.
