Zach Plackemeier, Sophomore
Duchesne High School
By Mike McMurran
Sports Editor
Maybe there is something in the water, maybe not, but something about playing in the Robert Strub Memorial Gym on the campus of Trinity Catholic High School brings out the best in Duchesne’s sophomore guard Zach Plackemeir. All Plackemeir did was average a tad over 21 points per game while leading the Pioneers to victories over North Tech, Hazelwood West and Howell and the championship trophy of the tournament. Last year he had his best game of the season at Trinity when he scored 26 points against Lutheran – St. Charles. In addition to his performance against Tech, Plackemeier scored 19 against West and 17 against Howell.
Zach has been playing basketball since he was in kindergarten; he works on his game year round, playing AAU ball for St. Louis Gateway. “My role on this team is to score, pure and simple,” says the soft-spoken young man from St. Charles City. “They used to not let me guard a team’s best player, but now I do that too,” he said. “The best player I have ever played against, and the toughest to defend is John Coffey from West (a former FCN athlete of the week), he can run the floor, jump, heck, he does it all. If he is not the best player in the conference, he certainly is up there,” he suggested.
Zach lives with his mom and dad, Dan and Dawn Plackemeier, and his younger sister Morgan. His older sister, Brittney, is studying at Mizzou. “Brittney was a dancer, but I am working with Morgan, she is going to be a player,” he proudly says. There is little doubt from where Zach’s talent comes, “My dad holds the scoring record here at Duchesne,” says Zach, “he graduated in 1976.” Dan Plackemeier does indeed hold the Duchesne scoring record with 1325 points. With 588 points in the middle of his sophomore season, Zach might just break that record which has stood for almost 30 years.
Duchesne head coach Wade Bouslog thinks Zach is something special. “The kid just plain knows basketball, it is hard to describe,” says Bouslog. “He walked on the court as a freshman and played like he was a senior, and he has only gotten better. He is one of those kids who leads by example. He is not a real vocal kid, but the team looks up to him because he is such a darn good player. Zach really was playing out of position last season, he is a shooting guard, not a pure shooting guard, but rather a smart, smart shooting guard. Last year we had to use him as our point guard.” The development of fellow sophomore Brandon Durk “allowed Zach to move from the 1 position to the 2 position. From there he can score more.”
How many sophomores in high school have their own fan club? “My motivation is looking into the stands and seeing my family and friends chanting my name and holding up signs. My friends Collin, Kevin, Terry and Bo are kind of like my own fan club, at least that is what I call them. Sometimes they can get very loud.”
Zach was unaware of the FCN and its Sports Editor’s favorite question; he never the less had a quick answer: “I would go to Red Lobster and order a double or triple order of King Crab Legs.”
