For the second straight year — and the seventh time this century — the Platte County Pirates are headed to the state title game after overpowering Kirkwood 64–35 in a semifinal victory on Nov. 28 in suburban St. Louis.

Very little of Park Hill girls basketball was recognizable from previous years in last week’s season-opener. The gym. The coach. Even some of the players.

The West Platte football team saw its longest postseason run in 20 years come to an end on Nov. 29, when they fell on the road against Tipton.

The Platte County football team delivered in the clutch once again in a playoff thriller on Nov. 21, riding a seven-touchdown outburst from senior quarterback Rocco Marriott with junior linebacker Hank Fowler forcing a pair of late turnovers to outlast Grain Valley 46–33 in a rainy state quarterfinal win that featured five lead changes and more than 800 yards of offense.

Addison Bjorn, one of the nation’s top girls high school basketball players, held an assembly on Nov. 20 inside the Park Hill South gym where she announced her commitment to play collegiate basketball at the University of Texas.

First, it was reigning state runner-up Penney who fell prey to the West Platte Blue Jays twice this season. Now, it was defending state champion Adrian in the quarterfinals.

For the first two quarters, Platte County looked nothing like the team that had dominated its schedule the past two seasons. The Pirates stumbled through an uncharacteristically flat first half while Rockhurst seized its opportunity to take the lead into halftime. But the top seed’s fortune — and urgency — flipped after halftime as Platte County mounted a determined comeback to defeat No. 2-seeded Rockhurst 29-22 on Nov. 14 and claim a second straight Class 5 District 8 crown.

The West Platte football team celebrated a district championship for the first time in a decade following a come-from-behind victory against North Platte on Nov. 14.

The Park Hill South boys soccer team is marching to St. Louis for the State Final Four after sophomore midfielder Nico Pastorino scored on a last-gasp push forward in the State Quarterfinal on Nov. 15 against Blue Springs South.

The Park Hill South boys soccer team made sure history would not repeat itself as they steamrolled Liberty North by a score of 5-1 to secure the Class 4 District 8 championship on Nov. 10 at Staley High School.