Platte County not only won the first three matches in program history in Saturday’s Hy-Vee Arena Tournament, but the first and only loss so far in the inaugural season came to the eventual champion. The Pirates swept Park Hill, Grandview and Northeast (Kansas City) in pool competition before bowing out of bracket play.
With 28 teams competing at Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City, Platte County (3-1) made a strong statement about potential. The Pirates put up 32 service aces in the four matches, while juniors Joshua Echeverry (15) and Jokubas Lebedevas (13) and senior Bryton Bertram (12) all finished in double figures for kills to lead the attack.
Echeverry and junior libero Preston Cavan (team-high 26 digs) bring the most club experience to Platte County’s first boys volleyball roster, which includes just 12 players.
Lebedevas (five kills) and Echeverry (four kills) led Platte County in the 25-22, 25-18 sweep of Park Hill, and Echeverry added five of his 12 aces. The Pirates didn’t have a block, but Cavan topped the defense with 11 digs.
Platte County split setter duties between senior Alex Stinson and freshman Cooper Miles. The Pirates recorded 18 kills in the two-set win over Grandview, six for Echeverry and four for Lebedevas, with Stinson (seven) and Miles (six) nearly splitting the lead in assists.
Bertram’s best performance came against Northeast with six kills, while Platte County rolled up 11 aces in the dominant performance against the Vikings. Lebedevas had three of those with Echeverry, Stinson and Bertam adding two apiece.
Staley ended up going 6-0 and beat Platte County 25-19, 25-19 in the first round of bracket play. Echeverry put up five kills in the loss, while Bertram and Lebedevas added three apiece, but the Pirates were unable to defend at the same level despite Lebedevas and junior Drake White splitting a block.
Cavan had four of Platte County’s 13 digs. The Pirates ended up with 24 total errors — 10 service, seven attacking, four ball-handling and three serve-receive.
Platte County plays the first home match in program history Thursday against Northland Christian followed with the Oak Park Invitational this weekend. The Pirates also have an inaugural postseason assignment as part of Class 2 District 8, which also includes Staley. The Missouri State High School Activities Association went from one class to two in the sport’s third season of state affiliation.
