Taylor Giger continues to put herself in the conversation of the better runners in Kansas City.
The Platte County junior had her second runner-up finish this season in as many meets, the latest coming at the Platte County Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 19 at Platte Ridge Park.
She ran the 5k course in 21:02.40, coming in behind St. Teresa’s Sydney Swan.
St. Teresa had seven in the top 11 to win the meet. Platte County came in second in the team standings with 59 points, easily ahead of Park Hill, which took third with 119.
The Pirates had all five runners in the top 25 in a race that was ran along side the boys.
Junior Maddie Klippenstein was sixth for the Pirates. Ryanne Rhyse took 15th and Jenna Jurgensmeyer placed 21st. Avery Nix and Kaylee Major finished consecutively in 23rd and 24th.
The Trojans had two runners in the top 25 and West Platte had one.
Senior Avery Blakley took fifth for Park Hill and Abby Fette was 18th. West Platte’s Lexi Elmore finished 19th.
Jenna Cassity was North Platte’s top finisher, placing 31st. Neither West Platte nor North Platte had enough runners for a team score.
CODY THORN/Citizen photos
ABOVE: Platte County’s Matthew Sullivan took fifth place during the boys varsity race at the Platte County Invitational on Thursday, Sept. 19 at Platte Ridge Park
Excelsior Springs’ Michael Rebello won the boys meet for the second year in a row.
Blue Springs South had the next three finishers and won the team title.
Platte County’s Matthew Sullivan took fifth, running 17:49.50. The Pirates also had a medalist in Blake Bjustrom, who took 14th.
The Pirates finished third in the team standings, behind divisional foe Grandview.
West Platte had two medalists in Phillip Pattinson (eighth) and Charlie Kinslow (10th). The Bluejays finished fifth and North Platte took 10th in the 18-team field.
Freshman Josh Schaffart placed 26th to lead the Panthers runners.
The Park Hill boys only took part in the JV race.