Citizen Staff Report
Platte County ended up with the desired rematch.
ROSS MARTIN/Citizen photo
Platte County junior Jaycie Call hits a return shot during a dual with Blue Springs South on Thursday, Sept. 21 in Platte City.
A Class 2 District 8 upset propelled the Pirates into a semifinal with No. 1 seed Liberty. Last season, the Blue Jays won the matchup in the championship dual, and this time swept 5-0 on Tuesday, Sept. 26 in Liberty, Mo. to advance back to the final.
Seeded No. 5 out of 6, Platte County finished the team season at 6-7.
Liberty swept the three doubles matches and scored wingles wins at Nos. 2 and 4 to finish off the dual. Platte County was down a set in all four of the other mathces as well.
The Class 2 District 8 individual tournament will be Friday, Sept. 29 in St. Joseph, Mo. The Pirates look to advance an entry into sectional play for a third straight year with hopes of advancing a singles player or doubles team to state for the first time in program history.
Hannah Valentine, Platte County’s junior No. 1, reached sectionals last season as part of a doubles team.
Platte County 5, Liberty North 2
The Pirates avenged a previous loss Monday, Sept. 25 in Liberty, Mo. to reach the semifinals.
Liberty North won the previous matchup 6-3 in early August, earning the No. 4 seed in districts and the right to host. This time around, Platte County came out of doubles with a 2-1 lead behind victories for Valentine and Crystal Billings (No. 1) and Brittany Alvarado and Grace Lewis (No. 3).
Just like in the previous matchup, Valentine dominated at No. 1 singles, and Jaycie Call again won at No. 4 to put Platte County on the brink. Billings, who lost in a tiebreaker the last time she faced Sullivan Nevins, came away with a 6-2, 6-4 victory at No. 3 to complete the win for the Pirates.
Blue Springs South 7, Platte County 2
The Pirates celebrated senior night but closed the regular season with a loss Thursday, Sept. 21 in Platte City.
Valentine earned a dominant 8-2 victory at No. 1 singles for Platte County, which lost the other five matches after exiting doubles down 2-1. Alvarado and Grace Lewis — the lone seniors in Platte County’s top five — did grab an 8-5 victory at No. 3 doubles in their final home dual.