The night before National Signing Day, 16 Platte County athletes signed to various colleges at the 2023 Winter Athletic Signing and Pirate Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in the Pirate FieldHouse on Jan. 31.
Along with the 16 athletes there were three former teachers that were inducted into the Pirates’ Hall of Fame. Phil Dorman was the longest tenured of the three, being a 26-year Platte County staff member as a teacher, wrestling coach and athletic director.
Joyce Hisel was another as she was a teacher and vocal music director for 20 years. Dr. Jay Jones was a former Platte County teacher and director of bands for 23 years.
Chandavian Bradley was one of four football players to partake in signing as the defensive outside linebacker will be headed to the University of Tennessee. Cameron Wolfe will head to Pitt State as a linebacker.
Carter Salzman was a huge factor for the Pirates through the air in his time there. He will be a wide receiver at Arkansas State.
Nate Walls was the last of the three football players to sign. The running back has committed to Washburn University.
After winning a state title last spring, seven baseball players will be continuing their athletic careers. Cameron Dean has signed at Missouri Western State University and Zach Gaspers signed at Baker University as the only two baseball players to not sign at a community college.
Aidan Norris will go to Iowa Western Community College, James Schwieder will go to Hutchinson Community College and Dayne Wimberly will go to State Fair Community College. Dylan Zimmerman will pitch at Highland Community College, while Jordan Hedrick inked to Butler Community College.
Aaron Cordova was the leading scorer for the Platte County boys’ soccer team this last fall. He will head to Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.
After two third place finishes at state in the last three years, the Platte County softball team will have three players continue playing the sport: Abby Reynolds, TaKayla Lawson and Mackenzie Shields. Reynolds will head to Benedictine College, Lawson will head to Lincoln University and Shields will head to Missouri S&T.
April Bobowski was the only person on the speech and debate team to sign anywhere. She will head to Northwest Missouri State University.