Another Roe Leads West Platte
By: Matthew Tritten
Updated: March 6, 2013
(WESTON, Mo.) West Platte's back in the state semifinals for the fourth time since 2003, and at 29-0, they can smell a state title.
"We set a goal of being undefeated, so we have to go down and win 2 more games," junior Adam Roe said. "So it's not over yet."
Just five years ago the Blue Jays made it to the Final Four behind leading scorer Erick Roe, who averaged 19.5 points per game.
"We've had some kids that have shot it real well," West Platte head coach Zane Tanner said. "Erick being one of them. He could fill it up."
This season it's been a different Roe leading the charge, but it's the same result.
Erick's younger brother Adam is scoring 20 points per contest while shooting 58-percent from the field.
He credits his older brother for some of that success.
"He's helped me a lot," Adam said. "Going to his college games, just watching how he prepares for games, how he plays the game, that's who I model myself after."
"The thing I always preached to him was stay focused, and humble," Erick said. "Achieve what you want to achieve. Keep your head on straight and you can do what you want."
After graduating from West Platte, Erick played basketball at MCC-Penn Valley where he averaged 16 points per game in his final season, and was the punter for the Central Methodist University football team last fall.
Both Roe's know that there is no avoiding the comparisons between the siblings, but they aren't getting caught up in it.
"We've talked about how we're going to be compared throughout our high school careers," Adam said. "But it's just going to be talk and we're not going to really take it to heart."
But those teams ahead of this season, including Erick's squads from 2005-08, laid the groundwork at West Platte.
"It establishes tradition," Adam said. "It's nice to have brothers who have been here before and had success."
For Adam, Erick had a clear message about going into his first state semifinal.
"It's a whole new season now. Your 29-0 record doesn't mean anything unless you go down to state and accomplish what you want to."
West Platte plays Iberia Thursday at 8:20pm.
