In a matchup of tradition-rich programs, Platte County’s lightning-fast start made all the difference.
The Pirates scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and then held on down the stretch during a 28-21 victory against Fort Osage in the Class 5 District 8 semifinals on Friday.
Platte County quarterback Rocco Marriott threw for three touchdowns and also ran for a 61-yard score that helped propel his team into next week’s district championship game – and a rematch against Grain Valley.
Following the game, Pirates coach Bill Utz praised his team for rising to the occasion against a Fort Osage team that had won district championships each of the previous two seasons.
“It feels very satisfying is what it feels like,” Utz said. “… You don’t hear postseason in the metro without hearing Platte County and Fort O. You just don’t.
“… We said it all along, it’s just going to come down to fewer mistakes. I don’t know if that was the count or not, but I know we got the win here.”
And the victory was due in large part to the Pirates’ incredible start.
Platte County (9-2) needed just 63 seconds to reach the end zone, as Marriott aired it out to Dawsen Mizell on a 36-yard strike on fourth down to open the scoring, followed by a 23-yard strike to Tres Baskerville on the team’s next drive.
But Marriott broke things open on a 61-yard quarterback keeper – the longest play of the game that benefitted from outstanding downfield blocks by running back Adam Gisler and others – to provide an early exclamation point for the Pirates.
“We knew we needed to start early,” Marriott said. “In previous weeks, we’ve been a little slow to start, and especially with a great offense on the other side of the ball, we needed to get ahead early.
“And we just capitalized on what we could.”
But the Indians (6-5) soon clawed their way back into the game.
Alex Snodgrass and Ryver Peppers scored touchdowns on the team’s next two drives, as the Fort Osage defense forced three consecutive punts, giving the team a chance to tie the game or take the lead at halftime.
But even with the momentum against them, the Pirates’ defense forced two turnovers, including an interception from Mizell, to preserve the lead – 20-14 – at halftime.
“The defense really stepped up there at the end of the half because the momentum was starting to shift,” Utz said. “You could just sense that they were going to go in and tie the thing up. The defense got some stops when they needed to, and really the whole second half, they played amazing.”
Both defenses set the tone during the second half and prevented any further points until midway through the fourth quarter, when Mizell snagged his second touchdown with 7 minutes remaining – giving Platte County a 28-14 advantage.
True to form, Fort Osage never relented and forced a fumble in the final minutes that led to a Trace Smith touchdown grab from quarterback Kyle Wilson to pull the Indians within one score – 28-21 – with 2:35 remaining.
Fort Osage then forced a punt and got the ball back with less than a minute remaining but eventually turned the ball over on downs to conclude the game.
Utz threw plenty of credit to his defense, which forced two turnovers and notched several sacks, for stepping up when it mattered most.
“Our coaches do a great job. They make great adjustments, and our kids listen to those adjustments and obviously, implemented the way we needed to,” Utz said.
With the win, Platte County sets up a rematch against Grain Valley in the Class 5 District 8 title game. And though the Eagles defeated the Pirates earlier this year, Marriott said the team’s six-game winning streak is evidence of its progress.
“I do feel like we’re playing great right now,” Marriott said. “We’ve been every single week focusing on getting better and fixing our flaws, and that’s helped a lot.”
