It was almost as if Mill Valley was waiting for Friday’s moment for a year.

That’s because they were.

The Jaguars stuffed St. Thomas Aquinas and star running back Cal Arndt on a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute to preserve a 28-27 win in the Class 5A state second round.

The stop was on the same play and at the same goalline as the game-winning two-point conversion a year ago in the Saints 23-22 win over MVHS in the quarterfinals en route to a state title.

“I think everybody knew they were going for two there,” stated Mill Valley head coach Joel Applebee. “When they called that timeout, it was a perfect time for us to tell everyone ‘Let’s not play to lose the game, let’s play to win the game’. Up front they got off the ball real well - and they did just that.”

Mill Valley (8-2) built a 28-14 lead in the fourth quarter after a fourth-down 17-yard touchdown pass from Blake Jay to Stone Zambo with 11:55 to play. Jay finished with 133 passing yards and a touchdown on 7-of-8 passing, while rushing for 106 yards on 15 carries. Zambo snagged three balls for 100 yards in the game.

But Aquinas pieced together a drive, capped by a nine-yard Carson Patrick keeper to the left for a 28-21 deficit with 6:39 left. Patrick finished with 51 rushing yards and two scores in the game.

Mill Valley looked to run the clock out, but couldn’t do so, and the Saints took over at its own 14 with 3:05 left. A healthy diet of Arndt and Patrick runs helped put Aquinas at the Jags 10 with under a minute left. Arndt concluded his outstanding career at Aquinas with 166 on 30 carries.

With 54 seconds left, Patrick rolled to his right, and fired a pass to a wide open Jackson Rafferty for a 28-27 margin.

After a timeout, the Saints went for two as it did a year ago, with Arndt running off the right side. But this time, he ran into a pile of Jaguars defenders, and Mill Valley celebrated.

“On the sideline with our friends, we knew they’d do their job,” stated Jay, Mill Valley’s senior quarterback. “Last year I was there when they got it. This year, there was no point in worrying about it because we had the right guys for them.”

As it had the past few weeks, Jay and running back Max Piva (81 rushing yards) fueled the offense, as Jay’s early touchdown tied the game at 7-7 in the second quarter, then Max Piva scored consecutive touchdowns to bring the lead to 21-14 with 9:45 left in the third period.

Mill Valley will travel to St. James Academy (9-1) for the Class 5A quarterfinals next Friday.