Season preview

By Todd Habiger

The Mill Valley Jaguar football season is almost upon us and expectations are sky high.

That’s nothing new at Mill Valley. That happens when you’re a seven time state champion. But this season the hype is ridiculous.

810 The Varsity has the Jaguars as their top ranked team in Kansas. Kansas Pregame has them ranked number 1 in Class 6A.

Put bluntly, the Jaguars are loaded and everyone knows it. 

I sat down to talk with Jaguars head coach Joel Applebee and he gave me scoop on this year’s team.

First of all, Applebee raves about his team's energy and enthusiasm. 

“They really enjoy practicing,” he said. “If you can get them out there and they truly love what they’re doing, some really great things can happen.”

The Jaguars are talented and deep. Applebee stressed that nothing is set in stone and players are going to have to perform well in practice to earn playing time. He’s also confident that the Jaguars can withstand injuries because they have capable and talented players waiting in the wings. 

“Across the board we have depth,” Applebee said. “That’s key. You never want to lose these kids, but that’s part of any sport. Injuries are going to happen. Roles can change instantly and these guys have to be ready to go.”

Offense

Starting at quarterback this year is going to be Holden Applebee. Holden was slated to be the starter last year before an injury took him out of the running.

“He’s worked really hard to get himself into shape and not miss a beat,” Applebee said. “I’m really proud of him for that.”

Being around football all his life has given Holden a good understanding of how the game should be played and where every player should be on every play and what their responsibilities are, the elder Applebee said.

“I’m excited for him,” Applebee said. “I think he’s going to have a great year. He’s never settled for not being his best.”

Applebee said that he hasn’t decided who Holden’s backup will be. Senior Leo Keck, junior Luke Tieman and sophomore Gabe Howard will all compete for the backup job. 

“They are all working hard but they’re all different in their own way,” Applebee said. “They all have their strengths and are doing a great job every day in practice.” 

Helping to make Holden’s job easier will be all-state running back Max Piva who ran for more than 1,800 yards last year and 17 touchdowns. He was also the Jaguar’s leading receiver.

And let’s not forget that insane 400 yard rushing game Piva had against Olathe Northwest — who played for the Class 6A state championship last season.

“He wants to be the best,” Applebee said. “He’s one of those kids that shows up and works hard every day.”

Applebee said that Piva has improved his on the field vision this offseason — knowing when he needs to make cuts and has a better understanding of the game.

Junior Lucas Mendez will back up Piva. 

“Lucas has made some big strides,” Applebee said. “He’s a quiet leader but works hard every single snap. I wouldn’t hesitate to put Max or Lucas out there on Friday night. I think they would both do great things.”

Paving the way for those runners will be a brand new offensive line as last year’s starters have all graduated. Applebee said that those pieces are still taking shape but the group has a lot of depth. 

“We’ve got some good competition all across the board on our offensive line right now,” he said. “That’s a good thing because it’s only going to push everybody to become better.”

Applebee mentioned junior Tatum Wash as someone to look out for. 

“Tatum has been tremendous,” he said. “He’s a really smart football player. He’s got really good feet and he has great knowledge of the game.”

Look for seniors Quinn Vaka and Will Marten to make a push for the starting lineup. Both have signed to play college football — Vaka at Ball State and Marten at the University of Missouri S&T.

At center, there is a good battle going on between senior Barrett Enemark and sophomore Stone Weigmann according to Applebee. 

Applebee went on to say that he could see Jamey Day, Emmitt Loch and Jaxson Harris all push for playing time.

“I really like this group of linemen,” Applebee said. “We have some work to do but they work hard every day to get better and better. I can see this group really being a strength for our team.”

When the Jaguars throw the ball, experienced wideouts Anthony Clem and Ryan Helm will be hauling in the passes. Applebee says both could be playmakers in the Jaguars offense. Junior Gavin Heller and senior AJ Davis could also force their way onto the field as they offer tall, athletic, targets for Applebee.

At tight end, senior Stone Zambo is dealing with an ankle injury that will sideline him for a few weeks dealing a blow to the Jaguars offense. Junior Barrett Carbajo has made the switch from defensive end to tight end to help fill that void. Harrison Hoit will also see snaps at tight end.

Defense

The defensive line has long been a hallmark of the Jaguars. The line’s ability to rush the passer and stop the run has fueled many Jaguars teams in the past. This year will be no different.

Look for defensive end Larry Jones to be a disruptive force this year. 

“Larry has grown into a very, very explosive defensive end,” Applebee said. “He has a chance to have a tremendous year. Last year he proved he was an all-state caliber player.”

Senior Josh Garcia also returns. He can play both end and tackle. Josh is a high motor player and outstanding leader for the Jaguars. 

Easton Engelhart figures to be in defensive line rotation. Easton saw a lot of playing time last season. He’s a big body that can plug the middle running lanes. 

Applebee said that juniors Aiden Berry and Noah Major have looked good in practice and expects them to be contributors this year.

“We’re going to be able to rotate in a lot of guys which is good,” Applebee said.

At linebacker, senior Ryder Farley returns and Applebee sees a big season ahead for him. 

“Ryder is one of the best linebackers we’ve had come through our program,” Applebee said. “His knowledge, preparation and love for the game is unmatched. He wants to be the best linebacker in the state of Kansas.”

Applebee said that Ryder also has outstanding leadership qualities.

“He’s vocal. He gets people aligned correctly. I think he’s going to have an unbelievable year,” he said.

Lining up alongside Ryder could be a number of people. Junior Gavin Welch looks to be the frontrunner but Applebee said that senior Caiden McBride and sophomore 

Derek Cloughley could force their way on the field and play meaningful minutes.

The defensive backfield is led by senior strong safety Kendyn Charbonneau. A starter since he was a sophomore, Applebee praised Kendyn for his physicality and knowledge of the game.

“He’s a fearless player and loves the game of football,” Applebee said. “He loves the preparation side of things, he’s physical and can cover really well.”

Blue Zambo will hold down the weak safety spot. Applebee said that Blue has a great sense for the game and understanding of what offenses are trying to accomplish.

Applebee praised seniors Esteban Torres and Bill Gadwood for their work at safety and said that he expected them to perform well when called upon.

At corner, Applebee said that Brayden Jones, Gavin Gall and Cayden Muroka had all done a great job throughout the summer and during training camp and would be in the mix for the starting corner positions.

Senior Mason Gellender returns as the primary kicker this year. Gellender made 48 of 50 PATs last year.

The Jaguars will kick off the season against Shawnee Mission Northwest. The game will start at 8 p.m. because of the heat and will be played at the Shawnee Mission District Football Field on the campus of Shawnee Mission North High School.