North Platte senior Creek Johnson has been a crucial part of the Panthers run to become KCI Co-Champions.
DEARBORN – Some programs wait decades between the clinching of conference titles, which was the case for the North Platte baseball team (17-2) that ended the 23-year drought in a unique way.
North Platte was in an eccentric situation to become KCI Conference Co-Champions. Due to the weather postponing a separate conference matchup, the Panthers had finished up conference play and had to wait two days to see if they’d bring home the first title since 2001 or finish in second place.
Early this season, Lawson (16-5) gave North Platte its sole conference loss by one run in an 11-inning heartbreaker. The Cardinals went into the last KCI matchup with an undefeated conference record and all they needed to do for the title was beat Mid-Buchanan (16-6) on May 1.
The Dragons were coming off a 9-1 loss to the Panthers in conference play right over a week prior but slayed the Cardinals’ sole conference hopes in extra innings. Lawson lost 6-3 in nine innings and North Platte was crowned co-champion alongside the rival.
It was an eventful 24 hours for the Panthers as they also clinched the No. 1 seed in the Class 2 District 15 Tournament. They’ve had a historical season that is far from over.
The talented senior class has helped take this program from 6-15 in their freshman season to 17-2 ahead of the 2024 regular season finale against Kearney (23-7) on May 7. Each of the last three years ended with more wins and less losses than the one prior, which includes a jump from 11-10 in 2022 to 16-7 and a district championship appearance in 2023.
North Platte’s only other conference titles came in 1994 and 2001, well before the players on this year’s roster were even born. The quest for a district title begins in the semifinals – having earned a first-round bye – against Bishop LeBlond (5-12) or Plattsburg (13-15) at Perkins Park in Plattsburg on May 13.