As of recent, the talk of the town has been none other than pirate football at PCHS. The pirates have started the season with an authoritative 5-0 start.
The team is composed of leaders, such as Junior Quarterback Rocco Marriott and Senior Linebacker Cobe Pollard who have taken the state of Missouri by storm.
“We are just trying to get better every day and just make ourselves ready for what really matters which is going into districts then past that,” Marriott stated.
Marriott, after achieving second team all conference last year is on a roll this season with over a 70% completion rate. Marriott and offensive weapons such as Juniors Braiden Stevens at Wide Receiver, Tight End Jack Utz, as well as Senior Running Back Dayton Doll. These players are cornerstones in this army are led by Offensive Coordinator Jeff Humberg.
“My favorite play this season was the first touchdown of the season against William Chrisman, it is a great thing to get out of the way”
Marriott’s first touchdown of the season was a roll out left pass to Stevens. When it was scored, Marriott and company proceeded to celebrate with the student section with the touchdown happening on the south side of the field where the section is located.
Giving grace to the other side of the ball, the Platte County defense is also a force to be reckoned with and Pollard at linebacker has a huge role to play in that.
“I finished low on the all-conference standings last year and I’m blessed for this season because I really feel that I can place higher come postseason and show everyone what I can do,” Pollard noted.
This being his senior year of high school after achieving an all-conference honorable mention last year makes him thrust into the spotlight. He and other experienced senior defensive units include players such as Strong Safety DJ Smith, Cornerback Montez Clemmons, Edge Rusher Archie Wesley, Middle Linebacker Brock Fowler and Caden McGhee at Rover. These dominant defensive players make this defense essentially hit like a truck.
Pollard feels thrilled about the prospects of the team this year and believes that, “We definitely can make a deep playoff run and state is a goal that is for sure in reach”.
Pollard has offers to colleges such as William Jewell, University of Central Missouri, Benedictine, Pitt State, and Washburn. He is the most fond of UCM and soon plans to have a visit to the campus to learn more about the program.
Pollard is a firm believer in the talent that the Platte County defense possesses, with some of the best personnel in the state, him and Defensive Coordinator Eric Mitchell, have a star studded defense and something that pirate football fans are always proud to watch.
Changing the perspective from players to coaches, Receiver Coach Blake Seifert has a little bit more of a role that’s in the background. Who processes a perspective that is not always heard.
“The biggest thing we are trying to do is match our personnel with the best possible offense that we can put out there,” Siefert commented.
Coach Siefert works along with Coach Humberg to provide the best possible attack that essentially makes opposing defenses crumble.
Seifert believes that his receiver room this year is unique in the sense that he can essentially depend on everyone in it.
“The quality of this receiver room is something that a lot of receiver room’s in Missouri don’t have and the confidence the players show is off the charts,” Seifert said.
This being Seifert’s 16th year of coaching, it is fair to say he’s a familiar face when it comes to being associated with Platte County football. Him And his deadly receiver core, including receivers such as Stevens, Junior Tres Baskerville, and Senior Lane Webb, are what makes plays happen like clockwork.
Seifert also highlighted the support from the Platte County community in support of Platte County Football.
“You won’t find what Platte County offers just about anywhere else, there are very few communities that you will find in the state of Missouri that support their athletics as much as our community does,” Proclaimed Siefert
Coming up on another historic matchup at Platte County Pirates this week play cross-highway 92 rival Smithville. The overall tourney record against Smithville that the Pirates hold is 10-5 with six of the wins for the Pirates coming in the regular season and four of the wins coming in the postseason.
A historic rivalry will take place this Friday night (Oct. 4, 2024 at 7 p.m.) and for those who will be in attendance will be witnessing history before their eyes as the Platte County Pirates continue their conquest to potentially make a deep playoff run in Class 5 District 8 of MSHSSA play.