Garret Watson admits he still hasn’t had time to fully reflect on his senior season of football.
“Everything’s just been going by so fast lately,” Platte County’s star defensive end said.
Perhaps understandable with recruitment decisions still to be made. Last week, Watson, fellow defensive end James Gladden and offensive lineman Wyett Wallingford celebrated their college choices during a special ceremony inside the Wilson Auditorium at Platte County High School. Watson selected Division II Missouri Western, Gladden inked with NAIA Ottawa (Kansas) and Wallingford chose JUCO Butler County (Kansas) Community College.
In total, 13 seniors were honored, and that included a trio of football players who helped the Pirates to a memorable 11-4 season that included the program’s first trip to the Class 4 state championship game.
A third-year starter, Watson (6-foot-2, 205 pounds) moved from defensive tackle to defensive end and set career-highs in all categories. He totaled 79 tackles (third on the team) and team-highs of 18 tackles for loss and 16 sacks, earning first-team all-state honors and the Buck Buchanan Award — given to the top small-school lineman or linebacker in the Kansas City Metro area.
Watson had a season-high three sacks in a comeback win over Grain Valley in the regular season and had 2½ in both a Class 4 District 8 matchup with Winnetonka and the state semifinal win over St. Mary’s. The ascension from contributor to defensive focal point can be credited to one simple fact in Platte County’s program.
“All the people in front of me who I’ve idolized,” Watson said, “and pushing myself to be better than them.”
Watson was a starter when Platte County reached the Class 4 state semifinals in .2017, which ended with a loss to Webb City. In total, the Pirates went 32-9 in the last three seasons, including the first two state semifinal appearances for the program since moving up from Class 3.
Gladden (6-1, 207 pounds) was a first-year starter as a senior in his second season at Platte County after transferring from Leavenworth, Kan. He debuted as a junior in an outside linebacker role but originally moved to defensive tackle this season after expected starter Alex Stearns suffered an elbow injury on the opening kickoff of the first game.
Eventually, Gladden moved back out to defensive end and caught the attention of college recruiters with 51 tackles (six for loss), nine sacks and two fumbles forced. The range of positions played should help him as he transitions to defensive line at the next level.
“My abilities lean more toward the pass-rushing side, and that was something I did quite a lot when I played outside linebacker my junior year,” Gladden said. “That was something that fit into my role my senior year because I was already pretty good at pass rushing. Playing inside, it gave me range.
“I was a little skeptical at first, but I was like, ‘Don’t think about yourself; think about the team.’”
Gladden benefited from the attention Watson drew but also credited a healthy rivalry with upping his game throughout the year.
“I basically used his success. I wanted to close the gap, and that was my goal,” Gladden said. “I wasn’t jealous of what he had. I wanted to compete at the same time, but it was all healthy.”
Wallingford split time between right tackle and right guard in both of his seasons with Platte County. After playing for Bishop Miege and winning a pair of Class 4A state titles in Kansas, he returned to his hometown team and helped anchor a versatile unit.
“I had a lot of fun,” he said. “I won two state championships, which was a great experience, and I got to come home and play with the guys I grew up with. I couldn’t have asked for more.”
In 2019, Platte County averaged right at 300 yards of offense per game and scored 24 points per game — topping 30 points six different times. Wallingford will now take his 6-5, 280-pound frame to Butler County Community College with hopes of continuing to put on weight and develop his technique while earning a Division I look.
“That’s pretty much all I’ve been thinking about to be honest,” Wallingford said. “I’m only going to be (at Butler) for a year and a half so I’m hoping to get in, get practice experience and get up to somewhere bigger.
“I always knew I wanted to go D-I, and not getting the offers at the end of my senior year, I figured this would be my best shot to get another chance, see what happens in a few years.”