Platte County ended a lengthy losing skid and moved into a tie for second in the Suburban League Blue Division standings with a 69-46 win vs. Winnetonka on Monday, Jan. 26 at Platte County High School. Madysen Fine broke back out for the Pirates with 20 points and five 3-pointers in a win against Park Hill South earlier this season. Rachel Holden added 18 for Platte County, which had lost six straight.
Platte County now sits at 4-10 overall, but a 1-1 league mark is tied for second with Belton and Raytown South behind Kearney (7-8, 3-0).
Winnetonka managed just seven points in the third quarter while allowing 25 to the Pirates, creating a 62-30 margin entering the final 8 minutes. The Griffins won a matchup the previous week in the Oak Park Invitational and were 2-0 overall against them this season.
Platte County looks to make a bigger push in the standings on Friday, Jan. 29 with a road game at Kearney.
Ruskin girls 44, Park Hill South 31
The Panthers made only 11 field goals and attempted just five free throws in a Suburban League Red Division loss Monday, Jan. 26 at Ruskin High School.
Raquel Reid led the way with 15 points, but no other player scored more than seven for Park Hill South (6-9, 0-3), which has won just three games since starting the year 3-0. The Panthers were coming off of a third-place showing in last week’s Oak Park Invitational that included wins against Platte County and Metro Academy.
Suburban League Red Division play continues on Thursday, Jan. 29 at Truman, tied for second in the standings, before next week’s Northland Classic. Park Hill South opens vs. division leader Liberty in that bracket.
Park Hill South girls 56, Metro Academy 54
The Panthers rallied from a disastrous first quarter and nipped Metro in the third-place game of the Oak Park Invitational on Thursday, Jan. 22.
The Panthers were down 21-6 after 8 minutes thanks to hot 3-point shooting from the opponent at Oak Park High School, but they rallied back with eight treys of their own. Park Hill South closed within 26-23 at halftime, tied the score at 38 after three quarters and edged out the win from there.
Mackenzie Stout led the way with four 3-pointers and a game-high 16 points. Erica Timmerman added 14 points with a pair of 3s.
North Kansas City girls 57, Park Hill South 45
The Hornets built a 13-point halftime lead Wednesday, Jan. 21 and cruised into the Oak Park final, sending Park Hill South into the third-place game.
Timmerman scored a team-high 11 points and hit a pair of 3-pointers for the Panthers, who were down 31-18 at the break. Park Hill South went on total 13 points and 14 points in the final two quarters but couldn’t chip into the lead.
Stout added 10 points, while Reid scored nine.
Ruskin girls 47, Platte County 44
The Pirates’ attempt at a late rally in the Oak Park Invitational seventh-place game came up short Thursday, Jan. 22. It marked a sixth straight loss since a Dec. 15 win against Excelsior Springs.
Holden led the way with 12 points, and Fine added 10, including two of Platte County’s four 3-pointers. Ruskin took a 36-31 lead after three quarters.
The teams were tied at 22 at halftime.
Winnetonka girls 46, Platte County 45
The Pirates suffered another close loss in the Oak Park consolation bracket Wednesday, Jan. 21 despite Holden’s game-high 19 points in the consolation semifinals. Platte County did hit four 3-pointers to Winnetonka’s one to complement its junior forward’s inside presence but were outscored by one point in the fourth quarter.
Platte County led 45-44 with 45 seconds to play but fouled the Griffins’ on their final possession. After making 1-of-2 free throws, Winnetonka scored a putback with 17 seconds to play to take the lead, and the Pirates’ misfired on their chances to hit a game-winner.
Park Hill South sent the Pirates into the consolation bracket, eking out a tight 46-40 win in the opening round two days earlier.
Madysen Fine scored eight points for Platte County, but the rest of the roster combined for 18 points, seven from Grace Gullett. Holden and Liz Peterson (six points) both fouled out, and Holden only played about 2 minutes after halftime.
Winnetonka went 19-for-33 at the foul line, while the Pirates attempted just six free throws.