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"All of those guys stepped up when we needed them," said Dreiling.  "They kept coming at us, and we rose to occasion.  I'm proud of the way we played." -RD
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Game Recap

SAINTS HOLD OFF JAGUARS
 
 
Aquinas forced five turnovers and won Friday afternoon at Mill Valley, 28-21.
 
The Saints (4-0) are undefeated and alone atop the Eastern Kansas League standings.
 
The defense made some big plays to stop the Jaguars (1-3), which suffered their third one-score defeat of the season.  
 
"I thought we played with great intensity and matched their physicality, which you have to do when you play Mill Valley," said coach Randy Dreiling.  "Give credit to our defense for coming back time after time.  And the offense also did a great job of finding gaps when we needed to.  Really everybody contributed, and that's what you have to have to win a great high school football game like this one."
 
The defense made play after play.  First, with the scored tied 7-7, Caden Reeves jarred loose a fumble at the Aquinas 25 on Mill Valley's second drive.  Still tied, to start the second quarter linebacker Michael McNamara stopped a run up the middle on 4th and 1 at the Aquinas 28 resulting in a turnover on downs.  
 
Still knotted at 7-7 in the closing minutes of the first half, sophomore safety Dajni Brooks intercepted fully extended in the back left corner of the end zone.  After an Aquinas touchdown to lead 14-7, Brooks intercepted again at midfield, returning to the Mill Valley 24 with 0:19 left, setting up another Saints touchdown and a 21-7 halftime lead.
 
Finally, with the Saints leading 28-21 late in the fourth quarter, the defense did it again.  Will Gavin intercepted in the end zone, before the Saints offense went on a sustained drive to close out the game.
 
"All of those guys stepped up when we needed them," said Dreiling.  "They kept coming at us, and we rose to occasion.  I'm proud of the way we played."
 
Aquinas gained 357 yards, while Mill Valley gained 392.  The Jaguars rushed for 260 yards to Aquinas's 297.  The teams shared time of possession (24-24).
 
Tyron "Tank" Young rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns.  Charlie McCormick rushed for 82 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown on a slot counter late in the first half to give Aquinas the lead, 14-7.
 
Slots Finn Barnett (42) and Tom Downey (40) had some key carries on the edges.  Blake Anderson ran for 29 yards and passed for 60, including 24 yards each to Tommy Carroll and Downey, a touchdown on the run in triple coverage to close the first half. 
 
Freshman defensive lineman Sa'o Siavi'i led the tackle chart, followed by the sophomore safety, Brooks.  Siavi'i had three tackles for loss, two sacks, a hurry, and five solo tackles.  His sack in Saints territory on Mill Valley's second-to-last drive forced a punt.  In addition to his two interceptions, Brooks had 14 tackles. 
 
Bobby Pierce, Caden Reeves, and McNamara hurried the quarterback and each caused a fumble.
 
The game started at 4 p.m. due to inclement weather in the forecast.  Aquinas got off to a great start with a 10-play, 80-yard, 4:01 drive, all running plays.  
 
At the 5:19 mark Mill Valley answered, gaining a first down on five of eight plays and tying the game 7-7.
 
Neither team would score again until late in the second quarter.
 
Aquinas began its second drive at its own 20.  On 3rd and 17 after a penalty, a dropped pass downfield led to a short punt. 
 
Starting from the Aquinas 38, on a 2nd and 10 from the 25, Caden Reeves caused a fumble, the Jaguars' first turnover.
 
Aquinas gained a first down, but a 10-yard loss on a sweep left made it 3rd and 19.  Aquinas punted from its 38 to the Mill Valley 46-yard line.
 
A 15-yard penalty following a Saivi'i sack extended the Jaguar drive.  From the Saints' 37-yard line, Isaiah Gavin, the Saints' leading wideout who played both ways against Mill Valley filling in at defensive back, broke up a right post on 1st and 10.
 
On 3rd and 3, Reeves stopped the quarterback up the middle, then McNamara made a stop up the middle to turn over the Jaguars on downs to start the second quarter.
 
Starting from their own 29-yard line, on the first set of downs Young made a second effort and gained a first down on a 4th and 3 toss right, but Aquinas again punted.
 
Junior Jaguar quarterback Cooper Marsh scrambled from the 30 to the 49.  Marsh then completed a pass into Aquinas territory for 30 yards.  Then on 4th and 9 Marsh scrambled 14 yards left for a first down.
 
On 1st and 10 from the 11-yard line, Siavi'i stopped a run, Terrence Collins broke up a pass in the end zone, and after a false start, Brooks intercepted Marsh in the end zone for a touchback.
 
Taking over at the 3:09 mark, on 3rd and 7, McCormick ran 76 yards, starting from the right slot and running counter against the defense's left side.  Along the sideline at the Mill Valley 28-yard line, McCormick threw a stiff-arm, then coasted into the end zone to put Aquinas in the lead, 14-7 at the 1:38 mark.
 
After a Charlie Wienrich touchback, Mill Valley gained a first down, but on 3rd and 10 McNamara stopped a Marsh scramble, forcing a pass, and Brooks intercepted again at midfield.
 
On the next play Anderson moved up in the pocket under pressure and found Downey for a 24-yard touchdown pass and a 21-7 halftime lead.
 
Mill Valley opened the second half with a nine-play, 4:27 scoring drive to narrow the score, 21-14.
 
Two penalties stalled Aquinas's first drive of the second half, and Mill Valley took over at its 37-yard line with 4:46 left in the third quarter.  The Jaguars took just five plays to score, set up by a 33-yard run by by Marsh after nearly being sacked.
 
However, Aquinas answered before the end of the third quarter.  Tied 21-21, starting from its 31-yard line, Anderson ran two yards, but a 15-yard penalty put Aquinas at the 48.  
 
Anderson pulled and pitched right to Barnett, who, evading several tacklers at the 30-yard line, ran 41 yards deep into Jaguar territory.  Young then ran twice for the score, putting Aquinas back up, 28-21.
 
Mill Valley drove from its 20-yard line to Saints' 30.  Following a false start, Collins made a stop on the left side.  Pierce then sacked the quarterback, ignoring the fake handoff.  On 3rd and 14, Siavi'i sacked the quarterback for another big loss, backing up the Jaguars to the 42-yard line and forcing a punt. 
 
But the Saints offense went three-and-out, and following a penalty on the punt return Mill Valley took over at its 41-yard line.  
 
Mill Valley gained three first downs, moving to the Saints' 9-yard line.  But on 1st and goal, McNamara made a stop at the line, then Will Gavin broke up a pass over the middle.
 
Coming out of a timeout at the 4:34 mark, Mill Valley again threw at Gavin, who intercepted in the end zone.
 
Starting at the 20-yard line, Aquinas methodically marched downfield to close out the game.  Young ran five yards on a right sweep, then Anderson kept for three yards right.  Barnett gained a first down on a triple-option pitch left for nine yards.  Young ran twice between the tackles, for five yards, then 24.  Young ran two more times between the tackles to gain a first down before Anderson kneeled out the clock.


 
EKL Scores Last Week
St. Thomas Aquinas 28, Mill Valley 21
St. James 28, Bishop Miege 27
Blue Valley 21, Rockhurst 14
Blue Valley Southwest 28, Blue Valley Northwest 27
Blue Valley West 25, Blue Valley North 18
 
EKL Schedule This Week
Blue Valley West at St. Thomas Aquinas
Bishop Miege at Rockhurst
Mill Valley at Blue Valley North 
Blue Valley Southwest at St. James
Blue Valley Northwest at Blue Valley
 
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