Platte County just keeps rolling and looks more and more like the overwhelming favorite in Class 4 District 16. The Pirates’ winning streak hit 12 straight — they’re unbeaten in the last 18 — with three more Suburban Conference Blue Division victories over the past week, including another four-set triumph over league and district rival Kearney.
Platte County sophomore Karysn Stehlik hits a spike against Kearney last week at Kearney High School.
On Tuesday, Platte County traveled to Kearney and came away with a 25-17, 25-17, 22-25, 25-22 win. In the prior meeting, Kearney took the opening set before losing the next three, but this time around, Platte County led 2-0 and then closed out the victory after a third-set hiccup.
Platte County senior Aly Anderson (16 kills) and junior Kate Brown (11 kills) led the offense, while junior Mary Grace Hunter added nine. Pirates seniors Bryn McGehe and Haley Luna both finished with eight kills.
Brown had three of Platte County’s nine service aces, and Hunter and McGehe had two apiece.
Platte County looked especially strong on defense with five players in double figures for digs — senior libero Presli Firkins (21), Anderson (17), McGehe (15), Brown (14) and junior setter Emerson Walter (13). Walter added a team-high 22 assists, while McGehe had 20 in the Pirates’ two-setter formation. Firkins even managed 10 assists.
Platte County junior Emerson Walter goes to set the ball against Kearney on Tuesday at Kearney High School.
The win over Kearney was sandwiched between Blue Division sweeps of Grandview and Winnetonka. Platte County is now 9-0 in conference play with rematches against Smithville, Raytown South and Ruskin remaining, and the Pirates swept each of those teams the first time around.
Two days after the win over Kearney, Platte County didn’t have a letdown against Winnetonka, prevailing 25-16, 25-18, 25-11.
McGehe had a breakout game with 13 kills and 12 assists. Walter benefited from McGehe’s involvement at the net with 26 assists, while Anderson (13) and Firkins (12) were tops in digs for the Pirates.
Walter also had five of Platte County’s 11 service aces.
Against Grandview last week, Platte County prevailed 25-11, 25-8, 25-8 with Brown accounting for a team-high eight kills and Luna adding six and Hunter five. Walter had team-highs of 16 assists and seven service aces, and Anderson had four more aces in a dominant showing for the offense.
Firkins led the defense with seven digs.
