With victory already secured, Kevin Taylor didn’t have any reason to feel pressure in the 157-pound match of a dual with Park Hill South.
Platte County senior Caden Hulett wrestles in the 120-pound match of a dual with Park Hill South on Wednesday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Yet, Platte County still had an opportunity to cap off an almost perfect celebration on senior night Wednesday at Pirate Fieldhouse, and Taylor made the most of an opportunity — just as he has done every time out over the past two seasons. He trailed 8-3 in the third period but came back to record a pin in the third period against Mason Quarles.
The only minor negative for Platte County ended up the absence of one of four seniors. Shane Leary did not wrestle due to illness but did participate in the pre-match ceremony, while Jake Fernandez (215 pounds), Caden Hulett (120 pounds) and Taylor all recorded pins in a 58-15 victory.
“It’s whatever I can do to help the team out, be a team player,” Taylor said.
After honoring the seniors prior to the dual, Platte County dominated start to finish in the nonconference matchup.
Park Hill South had three open weights, only won three matches overall and fell behind 36-0 right off the bat. Fernandez — a three-time Class 3 MSHSAA Wrestling Championships qualifier, two-time medalist and 2022 state champion — needed just 57 seconds to pin Pierre Reid in the opening match, and sophomores Quinn Lightle (285) and Gabriel Wittel (113) took forfeits around a pin for freshman Jaxson Shute at 106.
Platte County senior Jake Fernandez works for a takedown during the 215-pound match of a dual with Belton on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Shute took down Park Hill South’s Colt Hallquist five times in the first period then added a sixth in the second before recording the fall at 2:25.
“We’ve just got to keep building on each other,” Burress said.
Hulett followed with a 46-second pin, taking down Park Hill South’s Noah Kleinwolterink and put him to his back twice. The fall came on the second turn for the three-time state qualifier.
After Platte County went up 30-0 when sophomore Liam Franksen (126) took a forfeit at 126, Park Hill South recorded back-to-back pins at 132 and 138. Pirates sophomore Grant Fadler, one of seven returning state qualifiers on the roster, ended up in a scramble with Magnus Hoenshell in the second period and nearly scored a tying takedown only to end up on his back and pinned in 2:36.
Park Hill South’s Landon McDowell controlled the 138 match from the start and pinned sophomore Jackson Woolsey in the first period.
Platte County then won five more in a row, starting with a 6-4 decision for freshman Jack Johnson at 144. He led 2-1 going to the third period after an early takedown against Park Hill South’s Connor Jackson, who could not escape from bottom for the entire second period.
Platte County freshman Jack Johnson finishes off a takedown in the 144-pound match of a dual with Park Hill South on Wednesday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
However, Johnson went behind 3-2 and needed a second takedown and a penalty point before fending off a late challenge.
“Jack’s changing a couple of things and getting better every time out,” Burress said.
Platte County junior Evan Maccuish recorded five takedowns, a reversal and three near-fall points to take a 13-0 major decision at 150. That left the Pirates with an interesting situation at 157, Leary’s normal spot.
Taylor spent most of the season wrestling at 165 and 175 with junior Darrell Smith and sophomore Cole Johnson battling injuries. However, Taylor made 157 to give the Pirates a third senior in the lineup and avoiding a forfeit.
Quarles took Taylor down right off the bat and turned him to his back for two near-fall points.
“As soon as he decided he wanted to throw me, I had to switch my strategy up completely from being straight aggressive to a bit toned back,” Taylor said.
Taylor did have a reversal but went into the third period trailing 8-3. He then scored a reversal and went to one of his strengths, turning from the top to end up with a pin.
Platte County sophomore Cole Johnson works for a turn in the 175-pound match of a dual with Park Hill South on Wednesday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
“I had to keep pushing, keep pushing,” Taylor said. “I just did not want to give up.”
Smith stayed at 165 and scored an early takedown against Jacen Safly, who eventually tied the score in the second period with an escape and a judgment penalty point. The official ruled that Smith made intentional head-to-head contact on a double leg shot attempt that sent Safly sprawling out of bounds.
At 2-2 going to the third period, Smith scored a go-ahead escape and added a second takedown in a 5-2 decision victory.
Cole Johnson added a first period pin at 175. The run of five straight victories included victories for returning state qualifiers in Maccuish, Smith and Cole Johnson. Park Hill South’s final victory ended up a 6-4 decision for Ethan Saft over sophomore Cooper Hammontree, who gave up five points late.
Platte County 52, Belton 19
With a chance to wrap up the Suburban Conference White Division title outright, Platte County never trailed Thursday night in a battle of Pirates at Pirate Fieldhouse. Belton entered with a chance to force a three-way tie for the title and won four matches but only after falling behind 18-0.
Platte County sophomore Gabriel Wittel finishes a takedown during the 113-pound match of a dual with Belton on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
This marked the final action for Platte County before next weekend’s Class 3 District 4 tournament scheduled for February 16 and 17 at Belton. Platte County looks to build on last year’s successful postseason with Shute (No. 4 at 106) and Fernandez (No. 2 at 215) the only ranked wrestlers according to Missouri Wrestling but a lineup full of potential top four seeds.
“I’m proud of them being conference champs,” Burress said. “It’s good for the kids, but we still want to get bigger things.”
Originally not slated to have a match, Shute needed just 40 seconds to pin Gordon Holbert, and Wittel went only 55 seconds before doing the same against Bryce Hodgson at 113. Hulett took a forfeit to push Platte County’s lead to 18-0.
After Franksen dropped his match by fall at 126, Fadler continued an important series of results against Belton’s Aidan Moody with a 5-0 decision. The first two takedowns went to Fadler — one each in the first and second period — and an escape in the third period finished the scoring.
Platte County sophomore Grant Fadler controls his opponent in the 132-pound match of a dual with Belton on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
“Those are just key for (district) seeding, so we needed to go out and get those,” Burress said of Fadler’s win — the first of two decision that similarly to the win a night earlier against Park Hill South stifled any chances of an upset.
Belton’s Jaden Lambert pinned Jackson Woolsey at 138 to cut the deficit to 21-12.
However, Platte County went on a run of five straight victories to lock up the win. Jack Johnson took a 5-0 lead over Belton’s Diego Suarez, who then recorded a pair of late takedowns but could not fully come back in a 7-4 decision.
Maccuish and Leary — back from illness — both recorded dominant pins, and Smith put up five takedowns before adding a turn and three near-fall points late in a 13-3 major decision. Having missed a lot of mat time, the back-to-back 6-minute matches were important in prepping him to make a run at a second straight state berth
“Scoring in the third period, that’s huge,” Burress said. “I think he’s not taking as many bad shots early so he’s not getting as tired late, so he’s being a little more patient, a little more efficient and doing a great job of making adjustments.”
Platte County junior Darrell Smith turns his opponent in the 165-pound match of a dual with Belton on Thursday at Pirate Fieldhouse.
Belton sophomore Quinten Attebury (175) and Jameson Lyons (190) recorded the final two victories for the visiting Pirates.
A returning state medalist, Attebury topped Cole Johnson for the second time this season but under very different circumstances. The two first met in pool wrestling at the Platte County Invitational with Attebury inadvertently dropping Cole Johnson on his face during a mat return.
Cole Johnson managed to finish the match, which resulted in a third period pin for Attebury. However, Cole Johnson ended up medically forfeiting out of the tournament due to concussion protocol while also suffering a very visible black eye.
This time around, Attebury recorded a pair of takedowns and a reversal, while twice turning Cole Johnson to his back for a total of five near-fall points on the way to a 12-1 major decision. The lone point scored against him came on an escape in the second period.
“There’s a couple of things we can do better, a couple of situations where we could have avoided giving up big points and close the gap,” Burress said.
Lyons then added a 3-0 decision victory over Hammontree.
Coming off a loss in the de facto final of the Lydia Lights/Blue Springs South Tournament, Fernandez recorded a second straight first period pin, this time in 1:11 against Cam’ron Morris. Lightle took a forfeit at 285.
