Platte County’s girls swimming and diving team turned in a strong all-around performance on Jan. 6, hosting a multi-school meet in Platte City and piling up points across nearly every event.
The Pirates opened the night on the diving board, where Thais Thompson claimed first place with a score of 53.17, and Khloe Niehaus followed closely behind in second. Platte County set the tone in the 200-yard medley relay, with Ronnie Benford, Ashleigh Cruce, Mackenzie Johnson and Thompson combining for a first-place finish in 2 minutes, 10.38 seconds.
Ashleigh Cruce turns off the wall in the meet on Jan. 6 at the YMCA Platte County Community Center North.
Platte County’s depth showed immediately afterward in the 200 freestyle, where Alex Yurko, Erin Anderson and Sarah Lanier swept the top three spots to give the Pirates a commanding early advantage.
Individually, Platte County collected several event victories. Johnson delivered one of the meet’s top performances by winning both the 100 butterfly (39.24) and the 100 backstroke (1:09.04), while Anderson paced the field in the 500 freestyle with a time of 6:31.91. Cruce added another first-place finish in the 100 freestyle, touching the wall in 1:03.38.
Platte County also excelled in the relays late in the meet, winning the 200 freestyle relay and closing the night with a first-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay behind Johnson, Benford, Cruce and Remi Woolard.
Mackenzie Johnson was among the top performers at the meet, winning individual and relay races.
Beyond the wins, the Pirates’ depth stood out. Multiple swimmers placed in scoring positions in nearly every event, including strong showings from Woolard, Lanier, Yurko, Penelope Thompson and Addison McNally.
PARK HILL SOUTH RETAINS COMO INVITATIONAL TITLE
Park Hill South’s girls swimming and diving team delivered another championship-caliber performance on Jan. 9-10 as the Panthers successfully defended their CoMo Invitational title with a balanced, top-to-bottom effort against a strong field throughout the state.
Park Hill South set the tone early by scoring heavily in the relays and continuing to stack points through consistent finishes across individual events. The Panthers’ depth was especially evident in the freestyle and medley races, where multiple swimmers placed in scoring positions and kept momentum on their side throughout the meet.
By the midway point, South had created enough separation to control the team race and fend off late pushes from the rest of the field. Several Panther swimmers stood out individually, contributing key points in sprint and distance events alike while maintaining the steady pace that has defined South’s postseason success in recent years.
The most telling result of the meet is that the Panthers not only won but also overcame St. Joseph’s Academy, a team expected to pose the greatest threat to keeping the Panthers from another state title. South scored 280 points to outpace St. Joseph’s Academy's tally of 231.
Platte County turned in a competitive showing of its own and remained in the mix throughout the tournament. The Pirates earned valuable points in the pool and on the diving board, highlighted by strong individual swims and solid relay performances.
South maximized scoring opportunities to secure another CoMo Invitational crown, their latest statement to everyone else that their reign at the top continues on as they chase a third consecutive state title.