Platte County sophomore Jackson Kluck against Park Hill.
The Platte County boys tennis team has been playing some great tennis this season, an impressive start for a team returning just one player from last year’s varsity squad that went to the Final Four.
The Pirates, who return to Class 2 in postseason play, sit with an 8-4 overall record, with three losses to Class 3 opposition and a 6-3 defeat to Branson in a rematch of last year’s state quarterfinal. Platte County didn’t wait long to get some revenge, doing so less than 24 hours later when they defeated Branson 3-1 in their runner-up finish at the Branson Doubles Invitational.
The Pirates have been unplayable in conference play, where they have swept their first three matches 9-0 each against Truman, Belton and Raytown. They also defeated Park Hill on April 14 at Barry Roads Tennis Courts.
Platte County dropped the top two doubles matches to Park Hill, but did get on the board through the doubles tandem of junior Jacoby Keith and senior Gabriel Miller at No. 3 doubles. Keith and Miller won their match 8-4 over Park Hill’s Theo Kretsinger and Kai Soo.
The bottom of the Pirates’ lineup delivered once again in singles. While Mitchel McBratney and Jackson Kluck quickly dropped their matches at the top two singles spots, the rest of the lineup carried Platte County the rest of the way.
Miller got the Pirates’ most decisive win at No. 6 singles, defeating Kretsinger 8-3. The middle of Platte County’s lineup also produced victories as juniors Owen Behne (No. 3 singles) and Wyatt Beeson (No. 4 singles) each won their matchups with an 8-5 scoreline.
Junior Jacoby Keith used a tiebreaker to deliver a critical victory against Park Hill on April 14.
With the score even at 4-4, it all came down to the No. 5 singles match between Keith and Park Hill senior Devin Witzke. The first 16 sets could not separate the two, but Keith prevailed in the tiebreaker to win the match 9-8 (7-5), securing the Pirates’ victory.
Platte County traveled further south to Park Hill School District facilities on April 16, where they fell in defeat to Park Hill South 8-1. The Pirates now sit with an 8-4 overall record this season as they prepare for the Suburban Northland Tournament on April 25 after a pair of conference matches.