Players and coaches always knew the likely obstacle to reaching the ultimate goal, and now that standard will have to be cleared.
Moments after finishing up a virtuoso performance, Platte County senior quarterback Chris Ruhnke thought for a second and gave the easy answer. He threw for 327 yards and completed touchdown passes to four different receivers Friday night at Pirate Stadium, and junior kicker Cole Rhoden’s 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter lifted the Pirates to a memorable 31-28 win over Grain Valley in the Class 5 quarterfinals.
Platte County moves on to the state semifinals for the third time in four seasons, hoping this time around Webb City doesn’t write another devastating conclusion.
“I think everyone is excited to get another shot at them this year,” Ruhnke said. “I can’t wait. It’ll be a fun game.”
Platte County (11-1) carries an eight-game winning streak into Saturday’s 1:30 p.m. semifinal matchup at second-ranked Webb City (11-1). This marks the third meeting between the two teams in the past four seasons, the previous two occurring in Class 4.
In 2017, Webb City edged the Pirates in a state semifinal matchup — also played in Webb City — and last season, they met in the Class 4 Show-Me Bowl. The Cardinals romped to a 48-0 victory to win another state title, while Platte County settled for its first state title game appearance at that level, having previously won three straight state titles in Class 3A/3 from 2000-2002.
Both teams moved up to Class 5 in this unique season with Platte County at that level for the first time in program history.
The opportunity looked in doubt when Grain Valley scored 28 unanswered in the first half of the Class 5 quarterfinal — 21 in a frenetic burst of big plays in the second quarter — to take a 28-14 lead into halftime. However, Platte County’s defense pitched a second half shutout, and Ruhnke’s 15-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Carter Salzman in the third quarter halved the deficit. A 40-yard bomb to senior wide receiver Colby Rollins on the final play of the third quarter tied the score at 28-28, and Rhoden’s field goal, which would have been good from about 50 yards, gave the Pirates the lead with 5 minutes, 41 seconds, remaining.
Grain Valley committed turnovers on each of its final three possessions, allowing Platte County to breathe a sigh of relief after the final play ended in a fumbled lateral attempt.
“I’m great. I really am,” Platte County coach Bill Utz said. “My heart rate was higher when I was in the locker at halftime then when I was out here.”
Ruhnke completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Dayton Mitchell, who broke open over the middle to finish the game’s first drive, and Grain Valley fumbled the ball away moments later. Pirates’ senior safety Collin Tyson jumped on the loose ball near midfield, and the lead grew to 14-0 when Ruhnke completed a 5-yard jump ball touchdown pass to 6-foot-6 wide receiver Joey Schultz with 5:44 left in the first quarter.
The advantage evaporated in a hurry.
Keller went 3-for-4 passing for 152 yards and three touchdowns in the first half — all to junior wide receiver Logan Pratt — and added a 52-yard touchdown run in Grain Valley’s typically run-heavy offense. Platte County’s defense surrendered 280 yards of offense to the Eagles before halftime and 204 came on scoring plays of 54, 52, 23 and 75 yards.
The last blow came on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Keller to Pratt on the final play of the second quarter, just two snaps after Rhoden scuffed a 39-yard field goal attempt that came up well short.
“You go from missing a field goal to giving up the touchdown to giving them the ball in the second half. That’s a pretty bad stretch; that’s a pretty rough stretch,” Utz said. “But at the same time, we knew if the defense could come out and get a stop, we’re right back in it. There’s plenty of time. We preached that there’s plenty of time, but we’re going to have to play better.
“And they did,” he added.
Platte County’s defense made the comeback effort possible, allowing only 74 yards of offense in the second half. Grain Valley ran for 126 yards total on 34 attempts (3.7 yards per carry) and 52 came on a keeper Keller took for a touchdown down the visitor’s sideline on the first play of the second quarter to tie the score at 14-14.
Platte County junior safety Cade Fowler and senior defensive end Forrest Boynton forced a Keller fumble on the drive after Rhoden’s field goal, and Boynton scooped up the loose ball deep in Eagles’ territory. The Pirates turned it over on downs, and Tyson then picked off a deep Keller pass on fourth down.
After a punt, Grain Valley reached its own 40, and the final play with two laterals ended up with a fumble recovered by Mitchell, playing cornerback late in the game.
“There were some good plays all over the place,” Utz said.
Ruhnke’s big day passing allowed Platte County to make the comeback, and he spread his 22 completions out to seven different receivers. Rollins led the Pirates with five catches for 103 yards, while Mitchell also had five receptions for 51 yards. Salzman added four for 63 yards, and Schultz had four for 49 yards.
Even junior reserve running back Ben McDaniel came up with a key 30-yard catch-and-run in the second half for Platte County, and junior running back Cayden Davis (11 yards), Rhoden (11 yards) and senior wide receiver Kevin Hughes (nine yards) hauled in one pass apiece. The Pirates rushed for just 23 yards on 22 carries with Davis totaling 20 on 11 attempts — one week after he set a season-high on the ground with 128 in a Class 5 District 8 title game win over Staley.
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