Platte County didn’t have as many finalists as hoped but took full advantage of racing top competition in the two-day North Kansas City Invitational this past weekend at Gladstone Community Center in Kansas City. The Pirates were 19th out of 30 teams from across the state but posted seven Class 1 MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships consideration marks — some coming in a one-and-done during Friday’s preliminaries.
Platte County freshman Grisham Gutshall swims in the 200-yard freestyle during the finals of the North Kansas City Invitational on Saturday at Gladstone Community Center in Kansas City.
The highlight from Saturday’s finals came from senior Jack Hokanson, who posted a career-best of 54.96 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly to finish 10th. Platte County ended up with two B finalists, and freshman Grisham Gutshall came in 12th (55.28). Hokanson now owns the No. 13 time for the event in Class 1 so far this season, while Gtushall’s mark of 54.62 from earlier in the season ranks No. 9.
Gutshall ended up making two individual finals and placed 16th in the 200 freestyle. However, he ended up 16th in 1:56.68 on Saturday after posting a PR of 1:54.54 in preliminaries to move into 20th in Class 1 for that event.
Platte County also posted the No. 11 time in Class 1 for both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays with the same combination of senior Finn Smith, Hokanson, sophomore Beau Jonkman and Gutshall. The Pirates were faster in prelims for both races and claimed the better finals showing in the 200 freestyle relay (11th, 1:36.08) after putting up the season-best the day before at 1:35.79. Jonkman also hit a state qualifying mark in that race for the 50 freestyle as the lead leg.
Platte County senior Finn Smith swims the breaststroke during Friday’s preliminaries of the North Kansas City Invitational at Gladstone Community Center in Kansas City.
The 1:46.42 mark in the 200 medley relay also moved Platte County up the state list to 11th before finishing 14th in the finals at 1:47.27.
In addition to the finalists, Hokanson (23rd in Class 1 for the 200 individual medley, 2:08.97) and Jonkman (36th in Class 1 for the 100 backstroke, 1:01.36) both set new PRs and state qualifying marks in preliminaries but did not make the finals.
Platte County Pentagular
In last Tuesday’s home meet, Platte County finished in the middle of five participating teams at Platte County Community Center North, outscoring Savannah and St. Pius X but losing to both Park Hill and Central (St. Joseph).
Grisham swam “off events” but won both individuals races and posted state qualifying cuts in the 200 IM (2:15.24) and 100 backstroke (1:02.09). He now ranks No. 42 in Class 1 for the 100 backstroke and No. 46 for the 200 IM.
Grisham 200 IM, No. 46 and 100 back, No. 42 time
Hokanson placed second in the 500 freestyle at 5:35.36, just less than a second behind Park Hill’s Ronan Waters (5:34.38).
Platte County’s 400 freestyle set a season best with Hokanson, Smith, Jonkman and Gutshall, finishing as runnerup to Park Hill. However, the Pirates’ time of 3:51.01 now sits 24th in Class 1.
In the 200 medley relay, Platte County’s same leading combination of Hokanson, Smith, Jonkman and Gutshall also finished second 1:51.05. The Pirates were almost 5 seconds faster in the NKC Invitational preliminaries three days later.
Jonkman added a third-place finish in the 100 freestyle at 55.91, about 2 seconds off a state qualifying consideration time.
