• Home
  • News
    • Sports
    • Platte County R-3
    • West Platte
    • North Platte
    • Park Hill
    • Park Hill South
    • Park University
  • Opinion
    • Sports Photos
    • News Photos
  • Subscribe
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
  • Advertise
    • Wedding/Engagement
    • Birth Announcement
    • Obituary
    • Event for Calendar
    • Press Release
    • Youth Sport Photograph
  • Buy a Copy
  • Contact
Menu

The Platte County Citizen

812 3rd Street
Platte City, MO, 64079
816-858-5154

Your Custom Text Here

The Platte County Citizen

  • Home
  • News
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • Platte County R-3
    • West Platte
    • North Platte
    • Park Hill
    • Park Hill South
    • Park University
  • Opinion
  • Photos
    • Sports Photos
    • News Photos
  • Subscribe
  • Classifieds
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
  • Advertise
  • Submit
    • Wedding/Engagement
    • Birth Announcement
    • Obituary
    • Event for Calendar
    • Press Release
    • Youth Sport Photograph
  • Buy a Copy
  • Contact
CitizenLogo.png

The Platte County Citizen

Complete Platte County news and sports coverage.

Platte County tennis hoping to make program's home debut this fall

August 13, 2016 Ross Martin
Front row, from left: Lauren Elmore, Jaycie Call, Kelia Pitzenberger, Brittany Alvarado, Rachel Valentine, Grace Lewis and Bri Douglas. Back row, from left: Sage McGehe, Lauren Laderoute, Stephanie Laures, Hannah Valentine, Crystal Billings, Mikayla Sanders, Madalyn Ivy and Lauren Klein.

Front row, from left: Lauren Elmore, Jaycie Call, Kelia Pitzenberger, Brittany Alvarado, Rachel Valentine, Grace Lewis and Bri Douglas. Back row, from left: Sage McGehe, Lauren Laderoute, Stephanie Laures, Hannah Valentine, Crystal Billings, Mikayla Sanders, Madalyn Ivy and Lauren Klein.

Platte County enters the season with hope of a program first: playing a home match.

Recent partnerships between the school district, City of Platte City and Platte County Parks and Recreation helped push up the timeline for building a full eight-court facility on campus. Timelines hope to have the project done by the end of August, but the players and coaches hope see the project completed in enough time to play the first home match ever.

The first tentative home match is scheduled for Sept. 6 against rival Kearney.

“I like that a lot better than having to drive everywhere,” senior and returning No. 1 player Rachel Valentine said.

Platte County could have quite a product to display to home fans.

Last season, the Pirates went 14-3 overall and 4-1 in Suburban Conference Blue Division play, winning at least a share of the league title for a fourth straight season. They return the five of the top six singles players and plan to move senior Lauren Laderoute into a more prominent role. She played a lot of No. 3 doubles last season but will play in the singles rotation this year, as well.

Valentine finished as runner-up in the Class 2 District 16 singles bracket and became the second player in program history to reach sectionals. She ended up missing a state berth with a loss in the Sectional 8 playoff to District 15 champion Stephanie Boulenger of Park Hill South.

Madalyn Ivy and Stephanie Laures — two more seniors — played No. 2 and 3 behind Valentine last season. However, Laures has more career singles and doubles victories than any player in school history, and she played much of last season with a broken left arm. She should play a full healthy season this time around.

In addition, sophomore Hannah Valentine returns after playing No. 4 last year, and sophomores Crystal Billings and Mikayla Sanders will compete for time at the varsity level along with last year’s No. 6, Brittany Alvarado. 

No. 5 singles player Aliyah Harsh will be the only varsity contributor not back.

Hannah Valentine and Ivy reached the district semifinals in doubles and ended up third. Previously, Platte County had never placed two individual entries in the top three at districts in program history.

“We have the type of team that’s either going to be good or really good,” Platte County coach Zach Keith said. “We have experience, good leadership, good athletes and good teammates, but it’s really going to come down to whether or not we’re ready to make the jump to being an elite team in the Suburban Conference, or if we’re content dominating the Blue Division.”

 

In Sports Tags Platte County R-3
← Platte County soccer might rely more on defense in search of playoff returnMitchell's return from injury key for Platte County football →
  • Cody Thorn
    In class 4, @ParkHillWrestle is in 3rd place behind CBC and Liberty. Staley is in 4th.
    about 56 minutes ago
  • Cody Thorn
    Here’s photos from the trio of @PCWRESTLE 4th place finishers: Rocha, @NFilger and @N_Saale734 https://t.co/6mCEmzCIx0
    about an hour ago
5-1-15 citizen_webad_050115.jpg

Recent Sport Headlines

Featured
Feb 15, 2019
Citizen Staff Report
St. Joseph Central beats Platte County boys
Feb 15, 2019
Citizen Staff Report
Feb 15, 2019
Citizen Staff Report
Feb 15, 2019
Citizen Staff Report
Suburban Conference boys roundup: Park Hill South in 1st in Red Division standings
Feb 15, 2019
Citizen Staff Report
Feb 15, 2019
Citizen Staff Report
4-19-16 Harts Paint Web Ad 300x150 -2.png

My Thoughts, Exactly

Featured
Jan 18, 2019
Cody Thorn
Playoff history is on the side of the Patriots
Jan 18, 2019
Cody Thorn
Jan 18, 2019
Cody Thorn
Jul 18, 2018
Cody Thorn
Social media 101 in Dearborn
Jul 18, 2018
Cody Thorn
Jul 18, 2018
Cody Thorn
PC Chamber Web Ad.png 7-26-16 Mohn web ad.png

Platte Rambler

Featured
Jul 11, 2018
Bill Graham
A shady place to park during a scorching summer
Jul 11, 2018
Bill Graham
Jul 11, 2018
Bill Graham
May 24, 2018
Bill Graham
Trip to local cemetery reminds us life goes on despite strife
May 24, 2018
Bill Graham
May 24, 2018
Bill Graham

Sports Photo Gallery

Featured
Platte County ceremony, 1-7-19
Class 4 District 4 wrestling tournament, 2-9-19
Class 3 District 4 wrestling tournament, 2-9-19
Class 3 District 4 wrestling tournament, 2-9-19
Class 1 District 4 wrestling tournament, 2-2-19
Class 1 District 4 wrestling tournament, 2-2-19

News Photo Gallery

Featured
Park Hill South art students at SPIN! Pizza
Park Hill South art students at SPIN! Pizza
Shop with a Cop, 12-1-18
Shop with a Cop, 12-1-18
Platte City lighting ceremony, 11-21-18
Platte City lighting ceremony, 11-21-18
Zona Rosa lighting ceremony, 11-17-18
Zona Rosa lighting ceremony, 11-17-18

Award winning newspaper in Platte County


Featured
1-23-18 Front page.jpg
1-16-18 Front page.jpg
1-9-18 Front page.jpg
1-2-18 Front page.jpg
12-26-18 Front page.jpg