For the second straight year, the Platte County High School football team carried a lead into the fourth quarter against St. Joseph Central. And also for the second straight year, the Pirates could not hold it.

Platte County lost 15-12 at St. Joe Central Friday night in a tale of two halves. The Pirates owned the first half and led 12-0 at intermission. The Indians owned the second half and put the game away with eight fourth-quarter points.

Platte County, now 1-1, will travel to Ruskin next Friday.

The Pirates scored on the game's opening possession, marching 80 yards and taking a 6-0 lead on a touchdown pass from quarterback Tyler Cooper to wide receiver Aliek Reed. Platte County’s point after kick was no good, which would come back to haunt the Pirates.

The Pirates built their lead to 12-0 on a five-yard TD run by Jordan Branson midway through the second quarter. But the Pirates missed a golden opportunity to increase their lead when they failed to put points on the board after a first-and-goal at the Central 10 late in the half.

Central got on the board with a TD on the first possession of the second half and took the lead midway through the fourth quarter on a TD run by Derek Gray. The Indians completed the scoring on a safety a few minutes later and thwarted Platte County’s last-gasp drive with an interception of Cooper.

Look for more Pirates coverage in next week’s print version of The Citizen.

OTHER LOCAL GRIDIRON RESULTS:

West Platte 35, @ Wellington-Napoleon 0

Blue Springs 49, @ Park Hill South 14

@ Lee’s Summit West 42, Park Hill 14

University Academy 36, @ North Platte 0