Platte County set new superlatives last year when five individuals and three relay teams qualified for the MSHSAA Swimming and Diving Championships under the new two class system.
Coach Bret Anderson returns two of those state qualifiers and two other key swimmers from a squad that finished 13th in Class 1.
“Our goals are to be better today than we were yesterday as individuals,” said Anderson, who will be assisted by Marnie Jenkins. “We want to work as hard as we can and enjoy the journey along the way.”
Senior Alex Beall is back after taking 10th place in the 100-yard backstroke, while juniors Joe Ragone, Rhett Spell and Baxter Stone also return. Stone advanced to state in the 100-yard breaststroke last year.
Citizen file photo
Platte County’s Joe Ragone finished second in the 500 freestyle in the Platte County Invitational last season.
Spell, Ragone and Hunter Bowen, a senior, were on state qualifying relay teams last year.
Sophomores Ryan Dye, Jacob Flynn and Luke Harms are expected to provide an impact on the varsity level.
“We don’t have that one or two amazing swimmer this season, but we have a much more solid foundation of swimmers,” Anderson said.
The Pirates won the Platte County Invitational last year and were then runners-up in the Suburban Conference Blue Division championship behind Kearney. At the state championships, Kearney took second place and is the favorite in the conference race, which includes newcomers Smithville and Grain Valley, while Belton moves up a division.
Platte County will need to have swimmers step up to replace state qualifiers Caden DeLay and Jerry Orozco. DeLay earned all-state medals in the breaststroke and freestyle last year and is one of only two Pirates in the team’s history to reach the finals at state.