Platte County senior Gavin Nichols does a heart symbol with his hands after scoring the first goal in the Pirates’ 3-2 win over Pembroke Hill on Sept. 28.
PLATTE CITY – For the better part of a decade, the Platte County boys’ soccer team (7-3) has been tough to beat at home and that hasn’t changed this year.
Platte County hasn’t lost more than two games at home in any season since 2018 and is sitting 4-0 currently in that category. The Pirates have spent more time on the road so far but had their last two games at home and outscored those opponents 5-3.
Platte County had an opportunity to rematch with the squad that it lost to in the postseason last year when Pembroke Hill (1-10-1) came to town on Sept. 28. The Raiders won 2-1 in the 2022 Class 3 District 8 Semifinals, but the 2023 regular season matchup had a different result.
Platte County had some scoring opportunities early with three shots – one on goal – in the first 21 minutes, while junior goalkeeper Paul Havemeier had three saves in that timeframe. In the 24th minute, Josh Nelson and Gavin Nichols broke loose on a fast break and put a goal on the board.
Nelson started with the ball and kicked a nice through ball pass to Nichols who connected with the back of the net. The Pirates led 1-0 at halftime, then added two more in the second half.
Nelson scored back-to-back goals in the 44th and 53rd minutes to put his squad up 3-0 as the senior finished with two goals and one assist. The Raiders made the game interesting with two late goals, but eventually lost 3-2.
Platte County moved to 3-1 on the back end of back-to-backs as it also beat William Chrisman (5-4) on Sept. 27. The Pirates scored a season-high four goals on the night.
Nelson scored twice in the 4-1 win, both in the first half. Julian Nemeth struck in the 44th minute and Daniel Bunge added to the scoreboard in the 51st minute.
Platte County will have a bit of a break before its next game, a road matchup with St. Joseph’s Central (5-6) on Oct. 11. The Pirates have five more games left as they currently hold the second-most wins among the eight teams in the Class 3 District 8 Tournament.