Each Friday this fall, the Johnson County Post will cover one local high school football game. Tell us which game we should cover by emailing us at stories@johnsoncountypost.com.
Homecoming was kind to the Blue Valley Tigers as they snapped their three-game losing streak, all on the road, with a 35-7 victory over the Blue Valley North Mustangs on Friday night.
One week after Tigers senior quarterback Dan Sogard threw for 314 yards in their three-point loss against St. James Academy, the Tigers (now 2-3) established their ground game.
Senior Taft Stueve, listed as a tight end but a versatile player, opened the game’s scoring on a 46-yard touchdown run to successfully cap the Tigers’ first possession.
With the two-point conversion, the Tigers enjoyed a 8-0 lead after the first quarter and maintained that lead over the Mustangs (2-3) through the rest of the game. Stueve scored two rushing touchdowns.
“I wouldn’t want to tackle him (Stueve),” said Tigers coach Allen Terrell. “He’s 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. He leads us. He’s the highest character kid and does everything right.”
Early in the game, the Tigers’ defense put constant pressure on Mustangs quarterback Lark Anderson to keep them bottled up in their own territory. At the same time, the Tigers enjoyed favorable field position to start their own drives. The average start to the Tigers’ first four possessions was on their own 46-yard line.
“They (the Tigers defense) were playing at a different level,” said Terrell. “They don’t like being 1-3. They did not like that, and they prepared like it. I’m super proud of them.”
Blue Valley senior linebacker Charlie Zimmerman, who had a quarterback sack to his credit Friday, sensed the Tigers’ offense picking up on the early defensive effort in the game.
“I could tell that that was forcing the offense to play hard, too,” said Zimmerman.
In the second quarter, on a drive that started on the Mustangs 43, Sogard capped the drive with a 22-yard touchdown pass for a 15-0 lead with the extra point.
When the Mustangs turned the ball over on the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers had a chance to stretch their lead even further.
But in a sequence that stirred up bad memories of a one-point loss at Washburn Rural earlier this season, the Tigers fumbled the ball away at the Mustangs 8-yard line.
Against Washburn Rural on September 12, the Tigers were on the move with a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter but committed a costly turnover.
The Mustangs seized their chance to climb back into the game by then marching downfield and scored their only touchdown.
Anderson threw a 32-yard scoring pass to cut into the Tigers’ lead, 15-7, with the extra point.
In the second half, with running back Hayden Ward setting the tone, the Tigers dominated with their ground game and put the game away.
Ward scored the game’s final touchdown on a 1-yard run at the 6:38 mark of the fourth quarter.
“Teams have taken away the run from us defensively,” said Terrell.
But he credited his offensive with the ground game turnaround against the Mustangs.
The Tigers will try to keep their momentum going next Friday against Blue Valley Northwest. The Mustangs, meanwhile, will play at St. James Academy.
