Closer to full strength, Platte County ended up with the second-best time differential in the large school division of Saturday’s Raymore-Peculiar Invitational in Peculiar. The Pirates were fourth overall with a team total of 83, just four points back of Blue Valley Northwest (Kansas).
Only 46 seconds separated Platte County junior Landon McKinzie from the Pirates’ No. 5 runner.
McKinzie did not finish the season-opening Tim Nixon Invitational a week earlier due to a blister on his his foot but finished 11th in 17 minutes, 14.50 seconds on the course at Raymore-Peculiar High School in a race with a delayed start due to lightning in the area the morning of the race. He flirted with breaking a career-best of 17:12.39 in last season’s Class 5 District 4 race.
A year earlier, McKinzie ran more than 35 seconds slower on the same course.
Platte County juniors Tate Stone and Evan Backer were the top finishers in the first race of the season and this time were sandwiched around senior Nick Flowers. Stone came in 14th (17:25.40) while Flowers, who missed the Tim Nixon race, ended up 16th (17:26.00) essentially tied in a dead heat with Backer in 17th.
Backer posted the same time as Flowers but was shown in the official standings as a place behind. Flowers set a PR, while Stone and Backer were coming off career-best runs of sub-17 minute times on the much-faster course at Capitol Federal Sports Park from the season-opener.
Platte County sophomore Haddon Newsome ran a PR to round out the team score. He finished 30th in 18:00.70 for the Pirates, who also ran senior Jacoby Keith (49th, 19:12.80) and freshman Wyatt Burnich (64th, 21:07.90). While Flowers returned, senior Jackson Townsend did not run and continues to nurse a sore ankle, while senior Zarren Moore had finished just ahead of Burnich a week ago.
McKinzie and Keith both have prior state experience but at the Class 4 level.
Platte County recently found out this season’s postseason will again start at Class 5 District 4. The Pirates always have a tough schedule but will have a great shot to compete for a team title in Thursday’s home Judge “Chris” Stubbs Invitational at Platte Ridge Park. The race occurs in the morning for a second straight year in a unique mid-week format.
