50 greatest jaguars

50. Dylan Smith, LB

Dylan was a linebacker for Mill Valley during their 2016 state championship run. Though only a one year starter, Dylan made that year count as he was the team’s second leading tackler and played a hard-nosed brand of defense that Mill Valley expects out of its linebackers. Dylan made one of the most famous plays in Mill Valley history in the state championship game against Goddard. In overtime, with one yard separating Goddard from a state championship, Dylan met Goddard’s all-state running back Kody Gonzalez at the goal line. Helmet hit ball and Gonzalez fumbled giving Mill Valley new life. The Jaguars would prevail in the second overtime and wrap up its second consecutive state championship. The play is immortalized on the doors entering the Jaguar’s football locker room.

49. Quinn Wittenauer, RB

Quinn started out as a rail-thin shifty back. But as the years went by, he added muscle and, while still maintaining his elusiveness, wasn’t afraid to put his head down and grind out the tough yards in the middle of the field. Quinn saw plenty of varsity action as a valuable backup in the 2019 season. He will be most remembered, that year, for kickstarting the Jaguars offense in their substate win against St. Thomas Aquinas. Down 14-0 and backed up against their own endzone, Quinn was a shot in the arm for the Jaguars offense and helped lead them on a 98-yard touchdown drive that fittingly ended with Quinn reaching paydirt and cutting the Aquinas lead to 14-7. The Jaguars would win that game in overtime and go on to their third state championship. In 2020, Quinn was the starter and racked up a more than 1,200 yards rushing and caught a key touchdown pass late in the state championship game to help put away Wichita Northwest for the second straight year.

48. Brady Garrison, TE, DE

Any Mill Valley football team I put together has got to have Brady Garrison on it. The guy is truly a team player. In the 2015 state championship season, Brady was a tight end/H-back who did a lot of blocking and was probably the fourth or fifth option in the passing game. The thing was, he had an uncanny knack for making big plays whenever he touched the ball. The 2016 season looked like it would be much of the same for Brady but fate intervened. After an injury at defensive end, Mill Valley suddenly lost the ability to set the edge and teams started to run wild outside and Mill Valley went on a four game losing streak. Enter Brady Garrison at defensive end and Mill Valley’s fortunes turned. With Brady on the end Mill Valley started winning games and didn’t stop until they captured its second straight state championship.

47. Chris Tennant, K

Mill Valley has had some good kickers over the years but none of them had the leg that Chris did. The kid was a true weapon for the Jaguars. He could send kickoffs sailing through the back of the endzone guaranteeing no big returns. He could hit field goals from 40+ yards. I believe Chris has all the kicking records at Mill Valley including longest field goal. Chris was also a heck of a punter. If you’ve watched Mill Valley over the years, you know the Jaguars traditionally likes to use the quarterback as the punter. Not when Chris was around. In the Tennant years, Mill Valley utilized a tradition punt formation because Chris could hit some bombs. He was reliable on PATs and a threat to hit a long field goal if needed. Chris was clutch in 2019 while hitting a game tying field goal against Aquinas and put the 2019 state championship game away with a late field goal against Wichita Northwest. Chris had the drive to be a great kicker. I remember seeing him at Jaguar stadium in the heat of the summer working on his kicking. That effort paid off as Chris was one of the most sought after kickers in the country going into his senior year.

46. Hayes Miller, WR

Hayes was only at Mill Valley for one season but what a season that was. Hayes was the Jaguars top target for the 2022 season leading the Jaguars in receptions, yards and receiving touchdowns. Hayes quickly established a repertoire with QB Hayden Jay becoming his security blanket. Hayes was blessed with good speed and was an excellent route runner with sure hands. The stats aren’t eye popping until you realize that Hayes had about 30 more receptions than the next guy on the team. Hayes was the passing game. Other teams knew it and they still couldn’t stop him in key situations.

45. Justin Sanders, DT

Justin Sanders was a rock in the middle of the Jaguars defense for two seasons as a starter. Playing on the interior defensive line for the Jaguars means you have to take on double teams and clog up the middle running lanes. Justin was excellent in that role. He was also relentless in ball pursuit. For a big guy Justin could really move and he was constantly flying up and down the line to make plays he had no business making. Justin was a quiet guy who did his talking with his play on the field.

44. Jack McGuire, DB

According to coaches, Jack was the glue that held the 2019 defense together. I remember Coach Applebee saying the defense was missing something in the summer of 2019 when Jack was recovering from an injury. When he came back it all begin to click and the Jaguars defense really came together. Jack didn’t put up huge numbers at safety, but he was rarely out of position and helped make the 2019 defense stingy.

43. Staton Rebeck, WR/DB

A familiar refrain I used to hear from the Mill Valley public address announcer when I first started attending Mill Valley games was: “Catch made by Staton Rebeck.” In one game in 2012 (a playoff game if I remember right) I heard that refrain 19 times. That’s right, 19 catches in a game. That’s a heck of a career for some players. Staton was like that - reliable. He was a sure-handed, possession receiver on a team that featured three quality receivers. He wasn’t the big play guy, but if you needed a catch in a big situation you could throw it to Staton and odds are he was going to reel it in. When his playing days were done, Staton held the team record for most career receptions with 83. He also had 4 career punt returns for touchdowns. I remember him most as a wide receiver but he was also an all-state defensive back.

42. Carson Caldwell, LB

In 2018 Carson was stuck behind two senior linebackers. But in a game against Aquinas, the Jaguars started Caldwell as an extra linebacker to combat the Saints vaunted Flexbone offense. And the kid made play after play after play. For his efforts, Carson was named the Jaguars defensive player of the week and earned increased playing time the rest of the season. During his senior year, Carson blossomed into a bonified star. He was a force at middle linebacker and showed incredible athleticism and big play ability. Carson was one of the big reasons the Jaguars upset Aquinas in the 2019 playoffs and went on to win the Class 5A state championship.

41. Ben Hecht, OL

At 6’6” Ben Hecht had prototypical size and strength. He was part of an offensive line that paved the way for an explosive Mill Valley offense during their 2015 run to the state championship. For a big guy, Ben was athletic and quick enough to get in front of ball carriers on pulling plays to pave the way for big gains. 

40. Cole Knappen, DL

It’s a shame we didn’t get to see a full senior season out of Cole because I think there was greatness lurking there. His junior season was very good as he had 40 tackles, 12 for a loss and was second on the team in sacks and hurries. If you want to see a glimpse of that greatness, look at the 2019 substate game Cole had against Aquinas. Cole went full beast mode, living in the Aquinas backfield and knocking down quick pitches for big losses and total disrupting the Aquinas flexbone. If Cole doesn’t play out of his mind in that game we could have very well had a different outcome. Cole’s senior year ended after an ACL tear that limited him to four games but he was having an excellent season up until that point. His loss was a shame because that potential was there to take things to an elite level.

39. LJ Hatch, WR

You might think of LJ Hatch as one of the most successful baseball players Mill Valley has ever produced but the kid was a heck of a football player too. His senior year, LJ averaged almost 100 yards receiving per game and had 12 TD receptions. He and Staton Rebeck formed a nice 1-2 punch for the Jaguars offense in 2011 and 2012 with Hatch being the big play guy while Rebeck was the possession receiver. Hatch made such an impact on Jaguar football that the team’s most inspirational player award is named after him.

38. Grant Rutkowski, DL

Grant is the first guy on this list to end his career with 4 state championship rings. A starter as a junior and senior Grant was quick off the edge as a defensive end. The kid was ripped and played with unmatched intensity. Grant was always a threat to get to the quarterback but still made sure to set the edge to stop big runs from developing on the outside. Going against guys usually bigger than him, Grant used his speed to make plays happen. He’s one of the finest edge rushers that Mill Valley has ever seen.

37. Ben Hanson, DB

Ben Hanson was a heck of a defensive back who wouldn’t wow you with his skill set but you would be hard pressed to find a harder worker or smarter player in the Mill Valley program. Coaches raved about his scouting reports and his marathon sessions viewing video of opponents. That mental preparation showed up on the field every game. Ben was rarely out of place and might have known the oppositions offense better than they did. Ben was truly one of those players would out work and out study his opponents. Ben loves the game of football. For one season – while still in college – Ben coached the defensive backs for the Jaguars football team and did a great job with the young guns. I don’t know what Ben’s future holds but a lot of coaching staffs out there could use someone like Ben Hanson.

36. Sage Sieperda, LB

Sager Sieperda was big and bulging with muscles. The guy struck fear into the hearts of offensive players because he looked like he could hurt you — and he could. Sage was a thumper. He wasn’t afraid to mix it up and get rough. He was also an athletic kid with good speed who could make plays all over the field. Sage had two seasons of more than 100 tackles. He knew how to find the ball carrier and bring him down. Sage was truly an impact player who loved the game.

35. Skyler Windmiller, QB

Skyler Windmiller was just a little bit before his time. He was a three year starter for Coach Applebee and became the measuring stick by which all future Mill Valley quarterbacks would be judged by. Unfortunately for Skyler he played on good teams that had very little playoff success. But that shouldn’t diminish how good of a QB he was. He was an excellent passer who improved from 21 to 25 to 28 TDs each year as a starter and threw very few interceptions. He could also run the ball if needed. Skyler laid the groundwork for Mill Valley’s rise to football power in Kansas. Teams have to start some where and Skyler was that guy who provided that foundation. He never got to experience the joy of a state championship but one could argue that he strongly influenced the rings that came after he left. 

34. Jacob Hartman, WR/RB

Jacob Hartman had a fine junior season with 24 receptions for 452 yards and 4 TDs but his senior year he took his game to another level. He had 38 receptions for 767 yards and nine receiving TDs and filled in at running back when Quin Whittenauer when down with an injury and rushed for nearly 500 yards and added 7 more TDs – pretty much establishing himself as one of the team’s most dangerous weapons. Hartman wasn’t a huge target but he pushed himself hard and made himself into a great player.

33. Holden Zigmant, DB

Holden Zigmant is not a big guy. Listed at 5’8” Zigmant played much bigger than that. Opposing quarterbacks and receivers found that out quite often during Holden’s two years as a starter. Try to challenge him with jump passes to taller receivers and he would out jump them. Try to out run him with faster receivers and he would out run them. Holden is one of the smartest players to ever play for the Jaguars. He’s also one of the most athletic. He might not look it coming off the bus but once he’s on the playing field all bets are off. Put your best player on Holden and Holden will find a way to win more often than not. You also can’t overlook his special teams contributions as a senior. He was a big play waiting to happen each time he had the ball in his hands.

32. Chase Shyrock, LB

Chase Shryock didn’t look like a prototypical linebacker but made himself into one. If I remember right, Chase lost his sophomore to an injury. As a junior he came back, earned a starting role and totaled 99 tackles. As a senior that number jumped up to 129 and included 16 tackles for a loss. One thing I always remember about Chase is that he was super outgoing. During our first season photographing Mill Valley games, Chase was one of the few kids that didn’t shy away from us. He would be hamming it up and posing for pictures which really made him endearing. As a senior Chase made both the Topeka Capitol Journal and the Wichita Eagle’s all state teams.

31. Keegan Zars, OL

One could make a case that this is too low for Keegan and I really couldn’t argue the point. Keegan played before the days I was photographing for the Jaguars so I didn’t pay as much attention to the line play as I do today. But what I do remember about Keegan is that he was a big guy that could move people. Keegan is probably the one guy on this list that makes it strongly on reputation. As a senior he made the Topeka Capitol Journal, Wichita Eagle and Kansas Football Coaches Association all state teams.

30. Aidan Shaffer, DL

Let’s face it, playing in the middle of the defensive line is a tough job. You’re getting smashed from all directions, the opposition wants to run right up the middle and that means putting a hurt on the interior lineman. Well, that’s a lot harder to do when you have an Aidan Shaffer in the middle. Aidan was a rock that made running inside pretty darn hard. Aidan started seeing playing time as a sophomore and had two outstanding seasons as a starter. He was big. He was strong. And he was really hard to move out of the way.

29. Cole Clauder, DB

Cole Clauder had two very good years as a defensive back. As a junior, he was arguably the team’s best cornerback. He was physical and fast enough to stick with the opposition’s best receiver. And he was smart enough not to get burned. And let’s not forget this kid’s toughness. Early on in the 2019 Aquinas substate game, Cole injured his thumb serious enough to need surgery and a cast. But he didn’t say anything because he wasn’t coming out of the game. He played the state championship game with a big ole club on his hand and didn’t miss a beat. As a senior Cole took on a bigger role as a safety which often commands the Jaguars secondary and has responsibility for more of the field. Cole excelled in that role as sort of the general of the defense. Cole’s grit and smarts earns him a place on this list.

28. Cody Moore, DL

If I’m making a list of Greatest Kids in Mill Valley history, then Cody Moore is a contender for the number one spot. Cody is always polite, respectful and fun to talk to. But this is a list of greatest football players and Cody earned his way on to this list with his outstanding play. During the 2020 season I noticed this kid — #91 – always making plays. I knew he wasn’t a starter, but I would see him go in and sure enough, he’s in there on the tackle. Cody was a junior that year and it was his first year playing for the Jaguars. And it was a good thing he did as he might have saved the Jaguar’s season. When Cole Knappen suffered a season ending injury, Cody was ready to take his place and he just kept making plays helping lead the team to a state championship. His senior year was more of the same. Cody was a player  — and dang good player that made play after play after play for two seasons.

27. Seth Burnett, LB

Seth Burnett is another one of those kids that you can make a case for being higher on this list. Most of my memories of Seth are of his senior year and oh what a senior year that was. He was a powerhouse at linebacker, leading that team with 120 tackles including 66 solo tackles. If Seth got his hands on you, odds are you were going down. Seth was the table setter for the 2015 state championship defense. On Bishop Carroll’s first offensive possession, it was Seth Burnett that came up with the big hit to create a turnover that led to a short field and score for the Jaguars. Mill Valley never looked back and rolled to their first ever state championship.

26. Anthony Brown, DL

Anthony Brown was just a beast in the middle of the Jaguars defense during their 2015 state championship season. AB took his game to another level that season with his play. He was a dominating presence for a very good Jaguar defense disrupting the oppositions running game with his run stuffing ability and hampering the passing game with his ability to pressure the quarterback. AB was almost impossible to block one on one that season. He had 62 tackles that year including 17 for a loss. He also lead the team with 22 QB hurries. One of the Jaguars biggest plays of the year came via AB against Derby. In the middle of a tight game, AB plucked an interception out of the air and rambled to the endzone for touchdown. The Jaguars won that game 27-20.

25. Reice Kennedy, RB

There are few better stories in football than that of Reice Kennedy. Here was a soccer kid who didn’t go out for football — ever — until he was a junior in high school. As a junior he saw very little time on the playing field as he got accustomed to the game, which includes terminology, learning plays, execution, the speed of the game, etc. That’s a lot catching up to do in a short amount of time. Then as a senior, Reice not only earns the starting job, he goes crazy rushing for 1412 yards, 15 TDS. In the 2021 state championship game Reice had his best game ever rushing for more than 200 yards in helping the Jaguars win their third straight state championship. Not bad for a soccer kid.

24. Lucas Krull, TE

The current New Orleans Saints tight end was an outstanding player for the Jaguars and one of the key contributors to Mill Valley’s first state championship. Lucas was sure fun to watch – not just because of his skill on the field but the fire he displayed on the sidelines in helping to energize his team. You couldn’t help but watch and smile when Lucas was on a roll as the leader of the spirit squad. A guy like Lucas is a coach’s dream. At 6’7” Lucas was an inviting target who could use his size and positioning to out jump and out hustle defenders. As a senior Lucas caught 52 passes for 745 yards and 13 TDs. He also gave opposing defensive coordinators nightmares figuring out how they were going to defend someone like him.

23. Ben Hartman, WR

I love a story like Ben Hartman’s. As a junior in 2015, Ben was a starting wide receiver on Mill Valley’s first state championship team. He spent most of the year blocking and was usually the third or fourth option on passing plays. He caught 12 passes – one for a touchdown. But with graduation came opportunity and Ben latched on to it – and exploded. He had 64 catches, 1008 yards and 14 TDs and was THE MAN in the offensive passing pecking order. You have to love a guy like Ben who stuck in out for three years doing all the little things, the dirty work and then making the most of the opportunity when it’s presented to him.

22. Cameron Young, RB

Cameron Young burst onto the scene in as a sophomore in 2016 leading the Eastern Kansas League in rushing yards with 1546 and scoring 13 TDs. Cameron was pure speed and any time he had the ball in his hands he was a threat to take it to the house. Cameron helped lead the Jaguars to the 2016 State Championship. Unfortunately, Cameron would never reach the heights of his sophomore season as teams made stopping him a priority. He was still dangerous, but his rushing yards fell to 836 as a junior as he scored another 13 TDs. As a senior, Cameron was limited by injuries while putting up 437 yards and 8 TDs. Overall, you can match Cameron’s career against some of the best running backs Mill Valley has ever produced.

21. Kendrick Jones, WR

Kendrick Jones is one of the most physically gifted receivers the Jaguars have ever had. Standing at 6’5” with outstanding speed @Freakybaby_05 lived up to his Twitter (as it was called back in my day – like 2 weeks ago) handle. Kendrick improved his numbers each year in terms of receptions, yards and touchdowns. By his senior season Kendrick was hauling in passes that most mortal men could only dream about. If you were playing Mill Valley in 2021, Kendrick’s senior season, you had to know where he was on the field, or he was going to hurt you. He was an outstanding talent. And I know it shouldn’t matter, but it matters – Kendrick was one of the nicest kids you will ever meet.

20. Mitchell Grissom, OL

Who doesn’t love Griz? The big offensive lineman was a three year starter and just a fun loving, good natured kid. Griz was one of a kind. Griz was blessed with great genetics and honed those skills into one of the finest offensive linemen the Jaguars have ever seen. In our first season photographing the Jaguars, it was Griz that broke the ice and would come up and chat with Lori and I when he wasn’t on the field. He was the first guy to ham it up for the camera which started the trend that continues today. But don’t let the big smile fool you. Griz could get nasty on the field and battle in the trenches with the best of them. 

19. Evan Rice, WR/DB

Evan had great hands as a wideout and could make the hard catches. He wasn’t a burner, but he could blow past you if you were not careful. Evan was as steady as they come as a receiver and ran nice, precise routes. His finest moment was his three TD game in the 2016 state championship game against Goddard. The final TD set the Jags up for the game winning extra point. The play was schemed perfectly, and Evan was wide open for the TD. Evan was never the leading man at WR but his presence sure took off the heat from the number one receiver.  Evan was also a contributor at defensive back. Coach Hudgins would bring Evan in on key situations because he knew he could trust him to play at a high level. Evan also has my favorite name ever – first and last names are each four letters which not only provides perfect symmetry for designing graphics but also, with only four letters, I never had to worry about his name not fitting into the space I had allotted. Thank you Rice parents!

18. Ike Valencia, DL

Ike is a reminder that the Mill Valley coaches know what they’re doing. In Mill Valley’s 2015 season, in which they won their first state championship, Ike was a sophomore running back – and one that I liked a lot. He was a bigger guy who could get tough yards up the middle. I thought he could be a bruiser for Mill Valley. The coaches thought differently and moved Ike to defensive end where he used his athleticism and quickness to become a force on the outside. As a junior he helped Mill Valley win a second straight state title. As a senior he was again dominate and led the team with 9.5 sacks. Ike was named to the Kansas Football Coaches Association, Topeka Capital Journal and Wichita Eagle all-state teams as a senior.

17. Jared Napoli, TE

Statistics really don’t do Jared Napoli justice. His game went beyond statistics. Much of what he did doesn’t show up on the stat sheet. At tight end Jared was a devastating blocker that helped produce some of the best ground games in Jaguar history. Only while viewing Jared as an extra offensive lineman do you really find his true value. His receptions were modest – 15 as a sophomore, 18 as a junior and 30 as a senior. Jared earned three state championship rings as a starter – maybe the only guy on the list that can claim that. I could make the argument that without Jared, the Jaguars don’t win state in 2019 or 2021. You see, Jared had the knack of having some of his best games against Aquinas at substate. In 2019 Jared hauled in a long pass to set up a touchdown that brought the Jaguars to within 5 points of Aquinas. His clutch 2-point conversion seconds later cut the lead to 3. The Jaguars would tie the game in the final minute and go on to win the game in OT. In 2021 Jared racked up 4 catches for 112 yards and 2 TDs in another substate win against Aquinas. Coach Dreiling probably has Napoli nightmares.

16. Logan Koch, QB

Logan Koch delivered Mill Valley to the promised land – the land of state championships. Logan was probably the best athlete to play QB for the Jaguars. Blessed with great speed, agility and quickness, Logan was a nightmare to defend when he decided to run with the ball – which he did a lot. Logan alternated as the starting QB during his sophomore season and gave Jaguar fans something to salivate over with more than 800 yards rushing. As a junior he rushed for over 1000 yards. But both of those seasons saw Logan bit by the injury bug leaving Jags fans wondering what a healthy Logan could do over a full season. The answer was — anything he wanted. Logan was incredible in 2015 passing for 2483 yards and 32 TDs while adding 781 yards rushing and 13 TDs. Most importantly he stayed healthy and the Jaguars cruised to their first ever state championship.

15. Kyle Kelly, OL

My first impression of seeing Kyle Kelly as a starting offensive tackle in a varsity game was “dang that kid is skinny.” I wondered how this sophomore would hold up to the pounding he was going to get at the varsity level. I didn’t need to worry. He held up just fine thank you very much. By his junior season Kyle had totally remade his body adding weight and muscle and was a dominate tackle attracting lots of college attention. As a senior in 2019 Kyle was part of one of the most dominate offensive lines I’ve seen at Mill Valley. That Jaguar line could take over games and just ram the ball down the oppositions throat and Kyle was their leader. He ended his career as one of the finest offensive linemen in Mill Valley history and a state champion.

14. Kolten Jegen, LB

Kolten Jegen played with an intensity – a rage if you will – that can be hard to come by. As a linebacker, you need a little rage to be great – and Kolten was great. The kid hustled on every play. He hit hard on every play. He never took a play off. He just went out there for the whole game and played his butt off. He was second on the team in 2019 with 88 tackles and led the team in 2020 with 103 tackles. Kolten hit hard. Odds are if he hit you, you remembered it and went home that night and rethought your choice to play football. I love the passion that Kolten played with when he took the field.

13. Sam Hecht, OL

Hey, another Hecht! Like his brother Ben, Sam was a big athletic guy (thank you Hecht parents for your awesome genetics). Sam was a three-year starter at tackle and was such a dominate force by his senior year that he looked like a man among boys – which in many ways he was. Sam was the master of the pancake block but possessed good quickness for a guy his size. He ended his career with 2 state championships in 2019 & 2020 and made the Topeka Capital Journal and Wichita Eagle all-state teams along with the All-Simone team.

12. Brody Flaming, QB

Of all the quarterbacks on this list, Brody was the most well rounded of them all. His 2016 season was epic as he passed for 2700 yards and 32 TDs while rushing for 1297 yards and 6 TDs in leading the Jaguars to their second straight state championship – his first as a starter. His senior year was similarly outstanding with 2935 yards passing, 25 TDs to go along with 791 rushing and 7 TDs. Brody didn’t have your typical QB body. He was solid, built more like a linebacker, and a load to bring down. He’s the best passer in Jaguar’s history and for a team that likes to run the ball, the Jags had confidence enough in Brody to let him sling it around for two seasons. And he didn’t disappoint.

11. Tyler Green, RB

Tyler Green was a gift to the Mill Valley program. Transferring in as a junior, Tyler had an immediate impact on the Jaguars with his demeaner and leadership qualities. In fact, as far as leadership goes, not many players had the impact that Tyler did in that department. The Jaguars needed Tyler right away as starter Cameron Young went down with an injury in Mill Valley’s very first game of the season that hampered him the rest of the year. Tyler didn’t have the extra gear that Cameron did but it’s not like he was slow either. Tyler was a bigger back who could grind out those tough yards up the middle. He finished his junior year with 695 yards and 10 TDs to lead the team. As a senior Tyler was even better rushing for 1375 yards and 15 TDs and lead the Jaguars to a state championship win against Wichita Northwest. My most vivid memory of Tyler is of him flipping over the goal line in the 2019 substate game against St. Thomas Aquinas in overtime to give the Jaguars the win. I still get chills every time I see that play.

Just win baby! The old Raiders mantra applies to this next player on the list of Mill Valley’s 50 Greatest. Combining great skills with great leadership this kid went out and lead his team to win after win.

10. Hayden Jay, QB

Nobody has a better record as a starting quarterback for Mill Valley than Hayden Jay. The kid only lost 3 games that he started for the Jaguars – one his sophomore, junior and senior season. That’s it. Hayden finished his career with 4 state championships and had a big part to play in three of them. Called upon in 2020 when stater Cooper Marsh went down with an injury, Hayden quarterbacked the Jaguars to a 2-1 record before Cooper returned. As a junior and senior Hayden could call the team his own and proceeded to just win games. He threw for more than 2300 yards in 2021 with 27 touchdowns and did a good job with ball distribution with four receivers catching 20 or more passes. He also had nearly 500 yards rushing. Oh yeah, he also lead the Jaguars to the state championship. His numbers fell off a little his senior year with 1513 yards passing, 17 TDs, 517 yards rushing and 14 more TDs on the ground. But, for good measure, he added another state championship to his resume. Hayden was smart, a strong leader and really, only had one bad game his entire career. That’s top 10 material if I ever saw it.

The next member of Mill Valley Football’s 50 Greatest had great skills and instinct. In his senior season he put it all together and had a season for the ages and lead the Jaguars to its first state championship.

9. Cole Morris, DL

Cole Morris’ senior season was one of the finest a defensive player has ever had. The stats are amazing: 90 tackles, 28 tackles for a loss (yes you read that right and in case you didn’t know it, that’s a WOW statistic) and 11 sacks. Cole brought incredible speed and athleticism to the defensive end position. I mean, how many defensive ends do you know that also doubled as a kickoff returner. Cole could do that. That’s just freakish. If you watch that 2015 state championship game you will see how unstoppable Cole was. He disrupted Bishop Carroll’s outside rushing game pretty much rendering it useless. He had 8 tackles in that game to go along with 2 sacks and a fumble recovery. The kid was everywhere – just like he was for the Jaguars all season long.

Sometimes you look at stats and think “are you kidding me?” As a senior, the next member Mill Valley Football’s 50 Greatest put up those kinds of stats game after game after game and in the end he was left holding a state championship trophy.

8. Joel Donn, DB

In the movie Spaceballs the evil Dark Helmet, in pursuit of the hero Lonestar orders his spaceship to go to “ludicrous” speed because mere light speed isn’t good enough. In 2016 Joel Donn upped his game from good to “ludicrous!” Joel recorded 195 tackles that season. That is not a typo. 195 tackles. That’s ludicrous! 1.9.5.!!!!! LUDICROUS!!!!  Joel broke the old Jaguars record for tackles in a season by 65. Of those tackles 120 were solo. Joel had a nice career in one season — if you just count his solo tackles. He also played lights out in the 2016 state championship game with an all in a day’s work 18 tackles and an interception. But Joel wasn’t a one hit wonder. He was a starter on the 2015 state championship team also where he had a more mortal 74 tackles. In his spare time, he also returned kickoffs and punts.

This next player put together two of the finest seasons ever seen in the middle of the Mill Valley defense. He was unstoppable and a deserving member of being of Mill Valley Football’s 50 Greatest.

7. Christian Roth, DL

For two years Christian Roth was a terror. The kid could flat out play and make life miserable on opponents. Christian practically lived in the opposition’s backfield. He was one of the most disruptive players I’ve ever seen. He holds the Jaguars record for hurries in a season with 31 in 2018. He also had 32.5 tackles for a loss in his career. Christian was just relentless in putting pressure on the run game and quarterback. He was big, strong and athletic and had the speed to make plays all over the field. Also, he is one of the finest people to ever wear the Jaguars uniform.

He’s been called mean. He had a little bit of a mischievous streak in him. But the next member of Mill Valley Football’s 50 Greatest could back it up. Watching this kid play was a joy because he gave it his all each and every play.

6. Broc Worcester, LB

I could write and write and write and fill this space up the with number of accolades that Broc Worcester has racked up in his career. Instead, I’ll list just one: Wichita Eagle Class 5A Defensive Player of the Year. Yes, there are lots more but that’s the biggie. Broc is the finest linebacker that Mill Valley has produced in my opinion. He’s big, fast, athletic and plays the game hard but smart. Let me give you one play that I think sums up Broc. 2022 State Championship game. Maize QB Avery Johnson is under heavy pressure from the Jags defense. He drifts back buying time. His running back slips unnoticed in the flat towards the Jags sideline. There is no one within 20 yards of him. Johnson sees this and sends floater his way. There wasn’t a lot of juice on the throw, but the guy is wide open. Broc goes on a dead sprint toward the back. He has a lousy angle but if he’s moving hard and fast. Ball arrives to the running back. He turns, sees lots of green upfield. Then SMACK! Broc levels him for no gain. This could have been a huge play, but Broc played hard to the end and in the end the result was nothing gained. Broc always played hard. If you paid money just to see Broc play you were never cheated.

Never give up! Never Surrender! That battle cry could apply to the next member of Mill Valley’s 50 Greatest. Most of the time he went out and dominated games. Other times he needed a little moxie and magic — and he delivered the goods in the clutch to the tune of two state championships.

5. Cooper Marsh, QB

I’ve probably seen Cooper play more than any other quarterback on this list. He’s the same age as my son so I saw a ton of his games as a youth. You could tell early on he was going to be a great quarterback. In his two years as a starter Cooper won two state championships. He was the 2020 Sports in Kansas Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year. In his two years as a starter he only lost 5 games – none of them by more than 7 points. Only twice did a Cooper lead offense fail to score 20 points (both against DeSoto in the playoffs strangely enough). He was also cool under pressure. Check out his comeback win against Aquinas in 2019. He brought the Jags back from 11 down with about 8 minutes to go to send the game into overtime. In both state championship games, as Wichita Northwest closed the gap, Cooper shut the door on them by leading the offense to points when they needed them the most. For all these reasons – and more – Cooper is my top ranked Jaguar quarterback.

The game is supposed to be fun. The next member of Mill Valley’s 50 Greatest was everything you wanted in a football player. But watching him on the field you were always reminded that this is a game and he was always having fun.

4. Mikey Bergeron, DB

Let’s just call Mikey Bergeron the prototype. He’s everything you want in a football player. Let’s start at the top. He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’s smart and he plays under control, never letting his emotions get the best of him. He’s got the size you want as an athlete. He’s 6’2” and 190 pounds. He knows how to use his size to his advantage. He’s got speed. You’re not going to burn Mikey. He’s fast and athletic enough to be used as a return man on kickoffs. And one of the best things about Mikey is he always looks like he’s having fun out there. He’s a kid, playing a kid’s game and having fun like a kid should. Sports in Kansas sure liked him in naming him their Class 5A Defensive player of the year. I like him because he's just a fun kid to be around.

The gravitational pull of a black hole is so strong that not even light can escape it. Our next member of Mill Valley Football’s 50 Greatest was the black hole of receivers. Any football near him was getting caught. He had some of the greatest hands that Mill Valley Football has ever seen. His catch radius was unbelievable. He may have looked like an unassuming guy but on the football field this kid could torch you.

3. Logan Talley, WR

Has anyone ever made the impossible catch look easier than Logan Talley. The kid had great hands. A quarterback could just throw the ball in his general direction and have confidence that Logan would come down with it. Logan had deceptive speed and ran great routes to get open. He started three years at WR and caught 52, 91 and 63 passes. Let’s circle back to that junior year where he caught 91 balls. 91! That’s just amazing. He made several all-state teams, was a Simone Award finalist, made the All-Simone team as a wide receiver and was up for the Otis Taylor Award for top WR in the KC Metro area. Logan was just on another level that year. For his career, Logan holds the Jaguars records for most receptions in a season (91) and a career (206). He has the most receiving yards in a career with 2669. He also holds the Jaguars record for most “are you freaking kidding me” catches.

This next player put together the best single season Mill Valley Football has ever seen. He was a force of nature – unstoppable. He was a four-year starter and you knew if you got the ball in his hands magic could happen. And if often did.

2. Christian Jegen, WR/DB

Christian Jegen had one of the most outstanding careers of any Jaguar player. He was a four-year starter. He was a two-way player. He was an all-state player as a WR and DB both his sophomore and junior years. But his senior year was something special. This was boss level special. This was “Oh my God” special. Where to begin. Stats. Stats are always a good place to begin. He caught 65 passes for 1274 yards (a Jag record for yards receiving in a season) and 16 touchdowns. He also rushed for 824 yards and 14 more touchdowns. He averaged 195.2 all-purpose yards per game. He also threw in 34 tackles and a couple of interceptions just for the heck of it. He was named the state of Kansas’ Gatorade Player of the Year and was the Otis Taylor Award winner as the top WR/TE in the KC Metro area. In 2015, I never saw a player dominate the game like Christian did. Look at the state championship game. Bishop Carroll is double teaming him at WR on each play he is split out. They’re not even disguising it. They have two players over him as to not let Christian dominate the game. He still caught 3 balls for 75 yards and rushed for 103 yards and a TD. He was good. He was great.

Finally, we come to the GOAT. This final member of Mill Valley Football’s 50 Greatest was special. He earns the top spot by dominating on both sides of the ball in positions that are physically taxing. He was a four-year starter and could impose his will on the opposition. He was fun to watch and an absolute juggernaut.

1. Ethan Kremer, OL/DL

Ethan Kremer is my top ranked Mill Valley player. He earns this honor because he’s a 4-year starter and each year as a starter he played at an elite level at a couple of grueling positions – offensive and defensive line. He was an all-league offensive lineman as a freshman. An all-league offensive and defensive lineman as a sophomore – and an all-state defensive lineman. In his junior and senior seasons he was the Sports in Kansas Class 5A defensive player of the year while still moonlighting as an offensive lineman. As a senior he was a Simone first teamer and won the Buck Buchannon Award as the best lineman in the KC Metro area. Ethan was a unicorn being able to play both ways at one of the highest levels of football in the state in a couple of the most physically challenging positions. He holds the Jaguars record for most tackles for a loss in a career, most sacks in a career and is tied for most hurries in a career. His 11.5 sacks in 2019 is also a team record. Ethan was a disruptive force in the middle of the defense despite being constantly double teamed. It’s hard to dominate defensively as an interior defensive lineman but Ethan did it. Then he turned around and dominated as an offensive lineman. It’s not an exaggeration to say the Ethan could do it all and he was great at doing it all.