With grit and determination on both sides of the ball, Blue Valley North was drained and ecstatic at the same time after its 20-9 victory over SM West at the Blue Valley District Activity Complex.

And the real spark for the Mustangs was backup running back Tony Bragulla, who had two touchdowns in leading his team to the next round of the 6A playoffs.

“The O-line helped me get my runs. It’s just a good day for me,” Bragulla said. “I’m just running low and keeping my shoulder down and just reading my blocks to see where I need to cut.”

Listed at 5 feet, 5 inches and 160 pounds, Bragulla is by no means a traditional running back. However, when his teammate Grant Hammel went out with an injury, coach Andy Sims knew Bragulla could handle the load.

“You can make those decisions a little easier when you’ve got guys like Tony,” Sims said. “You trust those guys. He’ll be the first to admit there were some mistakes, but you’re going to criticize a kid for when he played like that in his first playoff start? I have a hard time doing that.”

SM West tried keep up with BV North, but other than a 38-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter by Zach Witters, the Vikings had a difficult time manufacturing offense.

“They’re a good team, but I think we were our biggest enemy tonight, a lot of personal fouls and stuff like that are going to kill you,” SM West coach Tim Callaghan said.

What helped the Mustangs’ defense hold SM West was the incredible push they had upfront from its defensive line. Led by senior Peter Klug, BV North pressured Witters throughout the night and made it difficult for the running game to establish its presence as well.

The Mustangs also came up with a crucial fumble recovery and a few interceptions late to seal the game.

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