SAINT JOSEPH – North Platte wanted to trade its baseball cap for a crown, but fate stepped in and forced the Panthers into a goodbye.

JEFFERSON CITY – Dread it, run from it, destiny arrives all the same or should it be said: the North Platte girls’ track and field has.

JEFFERSON CITY – Sometimes it seems like it may never rain, and it’s followed by a downpour; that was exactly the case for the North Platte boys’ track and field program.

ADRIAN – Out of the combined 44 possible state qualifying events, West Platte and North Platte qualified 33 past the Class 2 Sectional 4 Track and Field Meet at Adrian High School on May 11.

PLATTSBURG – Being on the verge of a stunning, first-round postseason loss, the North Platte baseball team (18-3) poured out 15 runs in the final four innings to eliminate Bishop LeBlond (5-16) at Perkins Park on May 13.

PLATTSBURG – North Platte has made a habit of hanging track and field banners in recent years and is on track to keep that going after an impressive outing at the Class 2 District 8 Meet at Plattsburg High School on May 4.

DEARBORN – Some programs wait decades between the clinching of conference titles, which was the case for the North Platte baseball team (17-2) that ended the 23-year drought in a unique way.

WESTON – The bleachers were full in the always competitive KCI Conference Track and Field Meet at West Platte High School on April 27.

KANSAS CITY – North Platte (17-2) will forever be imprinted in the history books of being the inaugural champions of the First Annual Northland Christian Baseball Invitational on April 27.

VIRGINA BEACH – Getting the chance to spend the offseason wrestling against some of the top competition in the country, North Platte freshman Cooper Kirkham took eighth place in the National High School Coaches Association Championships on April 7.

DEARBORN – Spending the last 11 months remembering the 4-3 loss to Plattsburg in the 2023 Class 2 District 15 Baseball Tournament, North Platte (12-2) was able to get revenge on April 18.

HAMILTON – The North Platte baseball team (11-2) was nearly flawless when they moved to 3-1 in KCI Conference play on April 11.

DEARBORN – West Platte has familiarity at the North Platte track and field and that was apparent when the Blue Jays swept the Panther Invitational on April 15.

DEARBORN – Meeting up with similar records at the time, the North Platte baseball team (7-2) rattled off 13 hits opposed to one by West Platte (5-3) en route to the 9-0 win on April 4.

SMITHVILLE – The track and field season has officially begun as North Platte and West Platte had some early competition at the Smithville Invitational on March 28.

DEARBORN – Coming off a one-run, 11-inning heartbreaking loss against Lawson (9-1), North Platte played stellar baseball through two innings against St. Joseph Christian (3-1) before a thunderstorm caused a postponement on April 1.

DEARBORN – North Platte (5-1) entered the spring with high expectations on the baseball field and the Panthers are officially off to their best start in more than 15 years.

DEARBORN – Coming up one run shy of a district title, the North Platte baseball team has a chip on its shoulder this spring.

DEARBORN – Since 2019, North Platte has hung up a combined nine state banners in cross-country and track and field with the goal to add to the collection this spring.

PLATTE COUNTY – In the aftermath of an eventful basketball season, the KCI Conference shared what players deserved awards for their strong play on the court, which includes 12 from North Platte and West Platte.

DEARBORN – Needing one more win to make it to the Class 2 Girls’ Basketball Final Four, North Platte (24-6) ran into the No. 1 ranked team in the state, Skyline (28-2), on March 1.

COLUMBIA – In the brief history of North Platte collabing with Mid-Buchanan for a boys’ wrestling program, there have been five state medalists – three of which are 2024 seniors who made it back to Mizzou Arena on Feb. 21 and 22.

DEARBORN – In pursuit of the first district title since 2019, North Platte (24-5) has exceeded past that through three postseason games so far to reach the Class 2 Girls’ State Quarterfinals.

GOWER – In what ended up being the greatest season in nearly 20 years for the North Platte boys’ basketball program (18-8) ended in heartbreaking fashion with a tough playoff loss when East Buchanan (19-8) drilled 11 shots from downtown on Feb. 20.

LATHROP – West Platte 113-pounder Canton Wilkins wrapped up the Class 1 District 4 Boys’ Wrestling Tournament with a third-place finish at Lathrop High School to take third place on Feb. 17.

Panthers use electric home atmosphere in Courtwarming thriller

KEARNEY – All four wrestlers who attend school in Platte County came up shy of keeping their seasons alive beyond the Class 1 District 4 Girls’ Wrestling Tournament, which took place at Kearney High School on Feb. 9 and 10.

DEARBORN – In what was a relatively even game in three of the four quarters of play, the North Platte girls’ basketball team (18-5) used a strong second period to hold a double-digit margin over Lawson (15-9) and defeat yet another KCI Conference foe on Feb. 6.

DEARBORN – Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, the North Platte boys’ basketball team (16-6) has officially clinched its first winning season since 2016 and has earned its most wins since 2011.

PLATTSBURG – Staying unbeaten in KCI Conference play, the North Platte girls’ basketball team (17-4) blew out Plattsburg (12-9) on its courtwarming on Feb. 2.