KEARNEY, Mo. — For the fifth time in the past six years, Kearney has ended the season for Platte County.
The two clashed in the semifinals of the Class 4 District 16 tournament on Tuesday and the Bulldogs prevailed 58-48.
The Bulldogs, the No. 1 seed in the field, got hot shooting from beyond the arc in the third quarter to build a commanding lead. The Pirates rallied in the fourth to trim a large deficit down to nine points but it came too late.
Kearney didn’t end the Pirates since last year, but did so from 2015-2018. The Highway 92 rivalry on the hardwood has been dominated by the Bulldogs, winners of 27 of the 32 meeting since 2008.
“Most everybody, their season ends in districts and that is what happened this year,” Platte County coach Rick Hodge said. “I’m proud of the kids and how far they have came through the season. I’m proud of how hard they play. A few things didn’t go our way in the second half.
“They got hot quickly and you got to give them credit when our hands in their faces and they still stuck it. That is what good teams do. Kearney got separation in the third quarter.”
CODY THORN/Citizen photo
Platte County’s Dylan Minshall goes up for a layup in the third quarter between Kearney defenders Jacob Stevens (23) and Brennan Watkins during a game on Tuesday, March 3 in the Class 4 District 16 tournament at Kearney High School.
The first half was rather low scoring, down 20-16, but pulled within 24-22 after a basket by Joey Schultz.
Then, Kearney got hot.
Watkins hit a pair of free throws and then a 3-pointer, giving up seven points in the first two minutes of the quarter.
By the time the Pirates scored again on a basket by Schultz with 2:28 left in the quarter, the Bulldogs had 11-0 run.
“I felt pretty good at halftime,” Kearney coach Kirk Stegeman said. “We defended the ball well and then we got good looks especially in the second half. We did a good job of extending the offense and once we got Brennan going, he is creating for his teammates.”
Tyler Carr hit a pair of 3s for Kearney and Watkins added another three and Kearney led 43-26 after three quarters. Watkins scored 13 of his 28 points in the third quarter.
Schultz scored the first three baskets for the Pirates in the fourth quarter but the deficit grew to 51-31.
Platte County then went on a run of its own, 11-2, to cut the deficit down to nine points after Schultz scored a basket. Prior to that, Alex McClure hit a 3-pointer and made another basket.
“I commend Platte County,” said Stegeman, who played for Hodge at Platte County. “They played really hard. We needed to continue to execute. Anything can happen. It was 17 and it got down to nine and a couple more turnovers and a bucket it is down to five or four and then anything can happen.”
Nine was as low as the deficit got for the Pirates, who then started to foul. A couple of times Kearney broke the defense and found center Ashton Holloway open down low for easy buckets. Holloway finished with nine points, six coming in the fourth quarter.
“They are like that,” Hodge said of his team’s ability to rally. “I have enjoyed working with this group. They keep battling, whether the team is ranked in the state or a team they are supposed to lose to or trailing; they don’t know any other way and that is why I enjoy coaching them.”
The loss ended the playing careers for a pair of Pirates — Dylan Minshall and Will Hay.
Schultz tallied 27 and McClure added 10 for Platte County
The Pirates finished the year with a 13-14 record. Platte County will project to have four starters back from this squad and could challenge for the first winning record at PCHS since the 2011-2012 season.
OTHER GAMES
Savannah girls 62, Platte County 28
Playing without leading scorer Amaya Blake, the Pirates struggled to score in the opening round of the district tournament on Saturday, Feb. 29 at Kearney High School.
Savannah raced out to a 20-6 lead and took a 43-16 lead into the break behind 19 points from Rylee Benight.
Blake, who led the team with 15.7 points per game, missed the final four games of the season due to an ankle injury.
Without her scoring prowess, the team averaged only 34 points per game in the final four.
Freshman Peyton Akins led the Pirates with nine points against Savannah.
Benight led all scorers with 24 points.
The loss gave the Pirates a 9-16 record this year, losing eight of the final nine. At one point, Platte County held an 8-8 record.
Platte County boys 62, Smithville 57
The Pirates advanced to the semifinals after posting a win against Smithville on Saturday, Feb. 29.
Platte County fell behind in the first quarter, 14-11, but rallied behind eight points from Dylan Minshall in the second quarter and tied the game at 28-28.
Five different players scored at least two points for the Pirates in the third quarter and took a 44-43 lead into the final quarter.
Three different players scored in double figures for the Pirates, led by Jaden Burnett’s 17 points, nine of those coming in the second half. Minshall had 16 and Joey Schultz tallied 13.