Scoring woes for the Platte County girls continued Monday, Feb. 23 in a two-overtime loss to Belton. The Pirates were held under 40 points for the eighth time this season and dropped their home finale 39-35. Platte County led 10-4 after the first half, but the score was tied at the end of the next four periods of play at 16, 21, 27 and 31.
Platte County junior forward Rachel Holden scored 10 points, and Lindsey Bogart added nine. The Pirates hit just 6-of-15 free throws.
Sydney Bandy totaled a game-high 22 in the win for Belton.
Platte County (8-15) has now lost two straight but could still forge a tie for third in the Suburban League Blue Division with a win at Grandview on Thursday, Feb. 26. Grandview currently sits at 5-4 in league play, one game ahead of the Pirates at 4-5.
However, Platte County will be the No. 6 seed in the upcoming Class 4 District 16 tournament at Savannah High School. The Pirates open on Saturday, Feb. 28 against third-seeded Smithville, and the winner advances to play No. 2 Lafayette, which received a first-round bye.
Platte County has not won a district game since 2011 when the second-seeded Pirates lost to Smithville 52-50 in the championship game.
Kearney girls 29, Platte County 17
Madysen’s Fine’s two 3-pointers accounted for more than a third of the Pirates’ offense on Thursday, Feb. 19, their second loss of the season to the Red Division leaders.
Kearney led 15-12 at halftime, and Platte County scored only five points in the final 16 minutes. Both teams were 3-for-10 on free throws.
Kearney boys 50, Platte County 43
The Bulldogs were down one at halftime before a minor rally in the second half on Friday, Feb. 20.
Platte County dropped to 8-15 overall and remained tied for last in the Red Division with only two league wins entering a rematch with Raytown South on Tuesday, Feb. 24. The result was not available at The Citizen’s deadline, but the Pirates scored their biggest win of the year in the prior matchup before losing the next four in a row.
Sam Zimmerman and Josh Eastman led Platte County, tying for the game-high with 12 points apiece. Eastman, Grant Carver and Jerod Thomas hit three 3s apiece.
Platte County closes the regular season at home against Winnetonka on Friday, Feb. 27 with Class 4 District 16 play to start next week. The Pirates earned the No. 4 seed in the six-team bracket and opens against Benton on Monday, March 2 at Savannah High School — their fourth meeting of the season.
Currently, Platte County holds a 2-1 advantage in those matchups, including a 52-48 win in the consolation bracket of the Bobcat Invitational in their most recent game Jan. 21 in Basehor, Kan.
Belton boys 47, Platte County 37
Zimmerman returned after missing most of three games with a sprained ankle, scoring a team-high 14 points in a home loss to the Red Division leaders on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Platte County held Belton to just 13 points in the first half but couldn’t take advantage, holding a 15-13 lead at halftime.