Although the Platte County boys’ tennis team came up short against a district opponent in Grain Valley, by a score of 5-4, the Pirates have some positives to take away from the match on April 22.
Platte County’s Jack Forrest, above left, and Gavin Nichols, above right, helped lift the Pirates over Ruskin 8-0 on April 19.
In a match that had huge implications for the potential No. 1 seed in the Class 3 District 8 Tournament, the Pirates fell behind early to the Eagles. Platte County lost two of its three doubles matches, but Gavin Nichols and Jack Forrest defeated a Grain Valley doubles team that has been to state.
Forrest also won his singles match, along with Austin Vanek and Shane Duggan. However, the Pirates lost their first two singles matches – and three overall – to fall short against Grain Valley.
Platte County will have a couple of weeks to reflect on the matchup and try and improve ahead of the start of the postseason. The Pirates will head back to Grain Valley for districts on May 6.
Before the difficult 5-4 loss to the Eagles, Platte County took care of business against a pair of Blue Division foes starting with a home match on April 19, sweeping Ruskin 9-0. The Pirates won all singles and doubles matches by a dominating score of 8-0.
Two days later, Platte County took down Winnetonka with ease on the road 8-0 since one of the singles matches – between Nichols and the Griffons’ number one Zion Holmes – did not finish due to lightning. Nichols was up 6-5 when the weather interfered, while every other Pirate surrendered two or less points to their opponent.