Drew Aggus
Special to the Citizen
KEARNEY, Mo. — In the first game of the Class 3 District 16 tournament, top-seeded Platte County knocked out the fourth-seeded Lafayette Fighting Irish 8-0 on Monday, Nov. 4.
In district play, when a team goes up by eight, the game automatically ends. This rule came into effect in Monday’s game, as it only took the Pirates 45 minutes to rack up the first eight goals of the game.
Pirates’ head coach Ashlyn Brantley thought that her players could have finished the game off even earlier if they hadn’t started as slowly as they did.
“Early on, we were trying to force it,” Brantley said. “Once we started opening it up and using the field a little bit wiser, it became easier for us.”
In the first half alone, Chase Peterson and Tanner Ride each scored two goals, while Aaron Cordova, Calvin Forrester and Kenny Loy each scored one, as well, giving the Pirates a 7-0 lead at halftime. Peterson kicked in his third goal just minutes in to the second half to earn a hat trick for himself and a win for his team.
With five different players scoring, Brantley noted how vital it was to have all of her players on the same page.
DREW AGGUS/Special to the Citizen
Platte County’s Tanner Ride, right, dribbles past a St. Joseph Lafayette player in a game on Monday, Nov. 4.
“Our all-around effort is very important,” Brantley said. “Especially at this point in the season, we need to make sure that we’re coming out 100% right out of the gate, and it has to continue at that level the whole time. We’re playing teams that are not going to give us time to recover, so we have to make sure that we’re on it 100% of the time.”
With the win, the Pirates move to 22-1 and advance to the championship match against Smithville — the only team to beat the Pirates this year.
Despite the mid-season loss, Ride, a senior on the team, believes that the Pirates can win this game and go much further into the postseason.
“We have the potential to be able to go far,” Ride said. “If we play how we know we can play, we can go pretty far.”
Platte County 4, Grandview 1
Platte County took down the Grandview Bulldogs in a home game played on Tuesday, Oct. 29.
Carter Hays scored two goals for the Pirates, while Tanner Ride and Aaron Cordova each knocked one in, as well. Chase Peterson, Cordova and Ride each earned an assist in the win.
Platte County 3, Kearney 2
The Pirates edged out the Bulldogs of Kearney in a road game played on Halloween night.
Chase Peterson led the Pirates to victory, picking up two goals and an assist. Aaron Cordova also scored a goal in the win.
Park Hill South 3, Park Hill 1
Park Hill South took down Park Hill in the Kick Out Cancer Classic, which was played in Riverside on Saturday, Nov. 2.
Panthers’ head coach Christopher Farmer described the game as a “great atmosphere with a lot of support from the Northland community.”
Jacob Garza, Carson Owen and Mudia Reuben each scored a goal for the Panthers in the win. The lone Trojan goal came from Matt Lachowitzer in the second half.
Noah Reuscher was the goalkeeper for the Panthers, allowing just the one goal in the win.
Park Hill South’s Dawson Evans, left, battles for possession of the ball with Park Hill’s James Bentz during a game on Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Park Hill District Soccer Complex in Riverside. Park Hill South won the game 3-1.
CODY THORN/Citizen photo
Up Next
Park Hill: The Trojans finished the regular season 13-5-2 to earn themselves the top seed in the Class 4 District 16 tournament, which started on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Platte County: The 22-1 Pirates will play in the Class 3 District 16 championship game on Wednesday, Nov. 6 in Kearney against the Smithville Warriors — the only team to whom the Pirates have lost this season.
Park Hill South: The Panthers completed the regular season at 13-6 to earn the top spot in the Class 4 District 15 tournament, which began on Tuesday, Nov. 5.