For the second straight year — and the seventh time this century — the Platte County Pirates are headed to the state title game after overpowering Kirkwood 64–35 in a semifinal victory on Nov. 28 in suburban St. Louis.

Very little of Park Hill girls basketball was recognizable from previous years in last week’s season-opener. The gym. The coach. Even some of the players.

The West Platte football team saw its longest postseason run in 20 years come to an end on Nov. 29, when they fell on the road against Tipton.

The Platte County football team delivered in the clutch once again in a playoff thriller on Nov. 21, riding a seven-touchdown outburst from senior quarterback Rocco Marriott with junior linebacker Hank Fowler forcing a pair of late turnovers to outlast Grain Valley 46–33 in a rainy state quarterfinal win that featured five lead changes and more than 800 yards of offense.

Addison Bjorn, one of the nation’s top girls high school basketball players, held an assembly on Nov. 20 inside the Park Hill South gym where she announced her commitment to play collegiate basketball at the University of Texas.

First, it was reigning state runner-up Penney who fell prey to the West Platte Blue Jays twice this season. Now, it was defending state champion Adrian in the quarterfinals.

For the first two quarters, Platte County looked nothing like the team that had dominated its schedule the past two seasons. The Pirates stumbled through an uncharacteristically flat first half while Rockhurst seized its opportunity to take the lead into halftime. But the top seed’s fortune — and urgency — flipped after halftime as Platte County mounted a determined comeback to defeat No. 2-seeded Rockhurst 29-22 on Nov. 14 and claim a second straight Class 5 District 8 crown.

The West Platte football team celebrated a district championship for the first time in a decade following a come-from-behind victory against North Platte on Nov. 14.

The Park Hill South boys soccer team is marching to St. Louis for the State Final Four after sophomore midfielder Nico Pastorino scored on a last-gasp push forward in the State Quarterfinal on Nov. 15 against Blue Springs South.

The Park Hill South boys soccer team made sure history would not repeat itself as they steamrolled Liberty North by a score of 5-1 to secure the Class 4 District 8 championship on Nov. 10 at Staley High School.

Platte County’s smaller-school cross country programs delivered yet another strong showing on Nov. 8 at the MSHSAA Class 2 Championships, highlighted by a team plaque for the West Platte girls and a trio of all-state finishes for North Platte at Gans Creek in Columbia.

In perhaps the most challenging matchup all season long for Platte County, the Pirates still managed another blowout victory in a 42-0 Class 5 District 8 semifinal triumph against No. 4-seeded St. Pius X.

The Park Hill football season came to a premature conclusion on Nov. 7 when No. 3-seeded Liberty North capitalized on No. 2-seeded Park Hill’s untimely second-half mistakes in the Class 6 District 8 semifinal.

The Class 1 District 6 football champions are guaranteed to reign from Platte County as West Platte and North Platte meet in the postseason for the first time since 2015 on Friday, Nov. 14, at Rudolph Eskridge Stadium in Weston.

For the first time in four years, the Park Hill girls volleyball team climbed back to the top of its district — and it didn’t come easily. Against one of the area’s most respected programs, the Trojans had to fight through nerves, momentum swings and old memories to reclaim the Class 5 District 8 championship.

The cross country seasons for West Platte and North Platte were extended another week after both schools qualified teams out of the Class 2 District 4 meet on Nov. 1 at Platte Ridge Park in Platte City.

Park Hill and Park Hill South both turned in strong performances at the Greater Kansas City Red Division Championships, finishing second and third, respectively, in the team standings after three days of competition at the Gladstone Community Center.

Led by four all-district finishers and a balanced team effort, the Park Hill South boys cross country team punched its ticket back to the Class 5 MSHSAA Championships with a fourth-place finish on Nov. 1 at the District 4 meet held at Lee’s Summit North High School.

Four Platte County teams remain for the district semifinal round on Nov. 7 with hopes of earning a spot back in district championship matchups.

A youthful West Platte girls volleyball team played like a team of veterans as they clinched the Class 2 District 14 championship last week at University Academy Charter in Kansas City.

A pair of turnovers proved to be fatal for North Platte as they suffered a 41-34 senior night defeat against West Platte to close out the regular season on Oct. 24 in the annual Battle of the Tobacco Stick matchup.

Park Hill senior Ruby Bell brought an end to her high school golfing career with her first medal at the MSHSAA Girls Class 4 Golf Championship held at Sedalia Country Club on Oct. 20-21.

The 2025 season has looked eerily similar to last year for the Park Hill South football team, which began and ended the regular season with wins sandwiched around a seven-game losing streak.

The Park Hill South Panthers girls volleyball team saw its season come to an end on Oct. 25, losing to the Liberty Blue Jays in three sets at North Kansas City High School in the Class 5 District 8 semifinal.

Park Hill earned a spot in the Class 5 District 8 district championship match after a fifth-set revival carried them past Liberty North in the semifinal at North Kansas City High School on Oct. 25.

Senior star Thomas Garrett and the Park Hill South cross country teams blazed through the Greater KC Suburban Red Division conference championships held at Staley High School on Oct. 18 as the Panthers ended several conference title droughts.

A night of much frustration for Platte County’s boys soccer team ended with jubilation after Ian Matthews scored the sudden-death goal in double overtime on Oct. 15 against William Chrisman.

On the fourth and final attempt of the regular season, the Park Hill football team finally won a game as the designated home team on Oct. 17 at Park Hill District Stadium.

West Platte’s cross country dominance in the KCI Conference continued on Oct. 18 at Platte Ridge Park in Platte City, while one North Platte standout capped her conference career with an unprecedented achievement.

The Park Hill South boys swim and dive team celebrated its senior class in a meet at the Park Hill Aquatic Center, where they suffered a 112-74 defeat against Rockhurst.