Platte County’s girls tennis team is district champions for just the second time in program history.
The top-seeded Pirates, whose only previous district title came in 2023, knocked off No. 4-seeded Kearney and No. 2-seeded St. Pius X to clinch the title.
Platte County made quick work of Kearney on Oct. 13, dropping just one game in a doubles sweep. The individual district champion tandem of Ellie Kaser/Macie Keith and third-place finisher Clare Hayter/Macy Doll won their respective doubles matches 8-0, and Katelyn Newberry/Jayne Muir completed the sweep with an 8-1 win in No. 3 doubles.
The senior duo of Kaser (No. 1 singles) and Doll (No. 5 singles) quickly got the Pirates off the court in singles, winning 6-0, 6-0 as Platte County advanced with a 5-0 semifinal victory.
The triumph set up a district final between Platte County and St. Pius X for the fifth straight year. Weather concerns moved the championship match to an earlier time at Genesis Health Club - Clayview’s indoor courts.
After losing the previous two finals against Pius, Platte County ensured history would not repeat itself for a third straight year.
Platte County jumped ahead to a 2-1 lead in doubles. While the tandem of Kaser/Keith fell 8-1 to SPX’s Evie Ward/Sydney Mitchell, Platte County’s Doll/Hayter (8-1) and Newberry/Muir (8-3) delivered doubles victories.
The win for Doll/Hayter was especially significant, overcoming Pius after they eliminated the Pirates’ No. 2 doubles tandem in individual districts the previous week in a super tiebreak.
Hayter/Doll was also the only doubles team to lose to Pius in a regular-season match on Sept. 26, making the revenge feel even more earned.
Platte County’s district title was confirmed in singles, needing just three wins of six possible matches. While Keith lost to SPX’s Avery Smith at No. 2 singles, Muir and Newberry picked up victories before Doll finished it off.
Newberry’s victory at No. 4 singles came at 6-2, 6-2, while Muir won 6-0, 6-0 at No. 6 singles. The remaining matches were far from easy.
Kaser trailed SPX’s Ward after the first set in No. 1 singles, and Hayter took a close 7-5 first-set win in No. 3 singles. But the biggest difference-maker came in No. 5 singles, where Doll rose victorious to extend her high school tennis career.
Doll narrowly won the first set 7-6 after breaking a 6-6 tie, using a big run to win the tiebreak 7-1. She then rolled through the second set 6-0, securing Platte County’s 5-2 district championship victory.
The Pirates remain the only team to beat St. Pius this season, previously defeating the Warriors on Sept. 23. Pius wraps up its season with a 10-2 record.
Platte County advances to the state quarterfinals, where they will face Barstow for a spot in the Final Four. The two sides have no previous meetings on record.
It will be Platte County’s second appearance in the state tournament, with hopes of clinching a spot in the state semifinals for the first time in program history.