In a first-round matchup of top Kansas brand names, Mill Valley turned to its ground game and advanced yet again in the playoffs.

The Jaguars were fueled by three Blake Jay rushing scores and two Max Piva running touchdowns in a 35-26 win over Blue Valley on Friday night. Mill Valley, which won five straight Class 5A from 2019-2023, will face defending Class 5A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas next round.

Blue Valley (4-5) actually held a 20-14 lead late in the second period. Set at the MV 45, junior quarterback Dan Sogard toss a ball to the flat to senior tailback Hayden Ward, who broke two tacklers at the 40, then raced down the right sideline for a touchdown with 4:52 left in the half.

Mill Valley countered with a scoring drive in the final minutes from its own 15, capped by a Piva run from five yards out for a 21-20 lead which the Jags took into halftime and didn’t relinquish.

The Jaguars started their second drive in the third quarter with a Jay 12-yard quarterback keeper into BV territory. Three plays later, Jay faked a handoff, darted over left  guard and raced 26 yards to the house for a 28-20 lead with 8:08 in the period.   

Jay started the ensuing drive with a 42-yard jaunt down the right sideline, then eventually took a two-yard plunge for a 35-20 lead with 11:10 remaining in the contest.

Blue Valley drew to 35-26 on a Sogard’s second touchdown pass to junior wideout Jordan Lockett with 9:47 left. But the Tigers couldn’t draw closer.

Piva scored his first score to open the scoring, then Jay added the first of his three touchdown runs for a 14-7 lead in the first quarter.