Jaguars power past Olathe East in season opening win
Game one
King Ghidorah of the old Godzilla movies was an unrelenting three headed monster that brought down destruction upon anything that stood in its path.
The Mill Valley Jaguars unleashed its own version of King Ghidorah in its opening night 28-0 victory over Olathe East on Sept. 4. The three-headed monster of senior quarterback Blake Jay, along with running backs Reggie Reece and Max Piva combined for 236 rushing yards to power past the Hawks.
Running back Reggie Reece (25) picks his way through the Olathe East defense.
After the Jaguars defense forced a quick three and out to open the game the Jaguars handed the ball to Reece who pounded the ball down the field, finishing the drive with a one yard touchdown plunge.
On the Jaguars next possession Jay weaved his way through the defense on his way to a 40 yard touchdown run to give Mill Valley a quick 12-0 lead.
The Jaguars and Olathe East offenses sputtered in the second quarter, but with time ticking away before halftime, Jay rolled right before stopping and passing left across the field, finding a wide open Anthony Clem in the endzone. The two point conversion was good and the Jaguars had a 20-0 halftime lead.
Making his first varsity start, offensive lineman Zach Darr was happy with the offensive performance but said there is always room for improvement.
“I think the offense played with really good effort but we need to work on our assignments and limit mistakes,” Darr said.
In the second half, Jay found Reece on a screen pass that turned into a 38 yard touchdown to put the Jaguars up 26-0. Later in the game the Jaguars got two points on a safety when the snap attempt on a punt went over the punters head and out of the endzone.
The Jaguars defense stuffed the Hawks offense all night forcing them into third and fourth and long situations while giving the Jaguars offense good field position.
“I’d like to say the defense played with trust tonight,” said senior defensive lineman Hayden Heller. “There were a lot of people doing their job to the best of their ability, making the play without getting the stat.”
Back on the field for the first time since a serious knee injury last year, Hayden Heller made his presence felt early and often.
For Heller, it was his first time on the field since sustaining a serious knee injury late last season. He made his presence felt right away with a big tackle for a loss on the Hawks opening drive. He continued to make plays all night long in the middle of the Jaguars defense.
“Getting out there for the first time since my injury was exciting but also a big relief,” he said. “I regained my confidence while also playing the game I love again.”
Jay lead the Jaguars in rushing with 102 yards and a touchdown. He also passed for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Reece had 84 yards and the ground while Piva had 50.
The Jaguars will be back in action next Friday as they hit the road again to play Lee’s Summit North in their only out of conference game this season. Game time is at 7 p.m.
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