Platte County lost three seniors from a year ago, but the legacy from recent teams remains in place.
Unbeaten in duals each of the past two seasons, the Pirates’ returners learned about a winning mentality. They won’t have any players with sectional experience but hope senior Payton Boekhout and junior Jack Laderoute continue their development to become the new leaders of another successful team.
“I feel like the seniors and juniors the past couple of years have shown us about leadership,” Boekhout said. “There’s a little more pressure now.”
Last season, Platte County finished sixth as a team in Class 3 District 8 competition, advancing only two to sectionals.
Matt Madill, a two-time Class 3 Missouri State Golf Championships qualifier, led the way in a solid season that included a Suburban Conference Blue Division title. He won the individual conference title and was one of four for the Pirates to earn first team all-conference honors.
Boekhout earned conference honors for a second straight year, finishing fourth overall, while Laderoute was the runner-up to Madill.
“We have most everybody back and the same expectations: go out and win a conference title,” Laderoute said.
Platte County came up short in search for postseason success.
Hoping to advance a team to sectionals for the third time in four years, only Madill and fellow senior Gary Hennessy moved to the second round. Boekhout and Laderoute finished with matching 22-over rounds and were four shots out of a sectional berth.
Boekhout and Laderoute are the only two returning from the top five, and Platte County coach Trevor Short expects Austin Acrod, Tanner Burkin and Bradley Poos to play bigger roles this year.