There is one notable change this year for the Platte County softball team, but that won’t change the expectation of a group that has reached four straight district finals.
The Pirates will be guided by former assistant coach Callie Beaver this season, who replaced longtime head coach Rob Davenport in the offseason. Beaver inherits a roster that didn’t have any seniors to replace and posted an 20-8 record.
Platte County had win streaks of six and eight games last year and reached the Class 3 District 15 finals but lost to Smithville for the third straight year. The Pirates did manage to grab a share of the Suburban Conference Blue Division title, but a repeat this year will be tested by the addition of Smithville to the league, as they follow Platte County in making the jump from the Midland Empire Conference to the Suburban.
The team returns second-team all-stater Emma Koeneke, who went 17-6 with a 1.76 ERA and had 105 strikeouts in 123 innings as a freshman. She added a .287 average at the plate and hit a team-high four home runs, tied with third baseman Paige Rocha. The junior hit four home runs and led the Pirates in slugging at .871, thanks to a .518 batting average.
Koeneke, Rocha and Taylor Farr, a center fielder, were all-region picks last season for Platte County. Farr hit .416 and had a .416 on-base percentage as a junior last fall.
Citizen file photo
Platte County’s Gracie Erickson, left, slaps hands with Janessa Barmann after Erickson scored a run in the third inning of a game on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 against Raytown South at Platte County High School. Both players return this fall for the Pirates, under the guidance of new coach Callie Beaver.
“Seniors will be a huge key to our success,” said Beaver, who will be assisted by Steve Elliott and Lauren Parrish. “They all lead in different ways and are all crucial to our team.”
Other key returning players will be right fielder Janessa Barmann, a right fielder that hit .406; outfielder/second baseman Stephanie Carroll, who hit .326 and stole 10 bases; first baseman/pitcher Shayla Koehler, who hit .393 and earned first-team all-district honors; all-district pitcher Gracie Erickson and all-district infielder Halle Magee.
If you are keeping track, the Pirates return eight all-district players and add in all-conference picks, 11 players received some sort of postseason accolades.
There are 36 players out for softball this year, which means the Pirates will have enough to field a varsity, junior varsity and ‘c’ team.
“I’m really excited and looking forward to the upcoming season,” said Beaver, who played college softball at Park University. “I’m very lucky to have the support I have already received from players, assistant coaches, parents and other coaches in the district.”