Post by MizzouTiger on Dec 1, 2007 17:20:12 GMT -5
www.kansascity.com/696/story/375613.html
BV West wins Kansas 5A football title
By TEREZ A. PAYLOR
The Kansas City Star
EMPORIA, Kan. | Call it big-game jitters or whatever you want, but Blue Valley West’s game against Wichita Bishop Carroll on Saturday for the Kansas 5A state championship was sloppy.
Even though the two teams combined for nine turnovers (three fumbles, six interceptions), the game was still a thing of beauty for BV West, which rode a clutch, big-play defense all the way to a 31-19 victory at Welch Stadium for the school’s first football state title.
“We’ve been saying all season that the backbone of our team is our defense,” said BV West senior defensive end Josh Copp. “We knew what we had to do slow them down, and for the most part, we did.”
The Jaguars’ defense was good enough to overcome several critical second-half mistakes, including two interceptions and a blocked punt that gave Bishop Carroll three chances to make it a one-score game.
BV West led 17-0 at halftime, thanks to a 52-yard touchdown on a punt return by senior Mark Rogers and two Bishop Carroll turnovers that led to a Mike Besler field goal and a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Todd Harmon.
But Bishop Carroll didn’t waste any time making it a game in the second half, marching on an 11-play, 67-yard scoring drive. The Golden Eagles converted two fourth downs on the drive, which culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Brett Steven to senior Brock Bell that made the score 17-7 with 6:41 left in the quarter.
That’s when things really started to turn ugly for the Jaguars, who had a punt blocked in their own territory and threw two interceptions. However, Blue Valley West’s defense saved the day, intercepting Steven once and forcing a fumble to help the Jaguars hold on to their lead.
BV West finally broke it open with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Defensive end Josh Copp, who had two sacks, blocked a Bishop Carroll punt that gave the Jaguars the ball at the Golden Eagles’ 30-yard line. The play set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Brandon Abbott seven plays later that pushed the Jaguars’ lead to 24-7 with 4:36 left to play.
Abbott’s score gave the Jaguars some much-needed cushion, but defensive back Josh Swartz put the game away on Bishop Carroll’s next possession, intercepting his second pass of the game and returning it 30 yards for a touchdown.
The victory caps a perfect season for the Jaguars, The Star’s No. 2 big-class team, and no one was happier than BV West coach Scott Wright.
Sure, the offense didn’t play its best. Sure, the game was ugly.
But this season, his team was perfect. He pointed to the scoreboard.
“It’s beautiful,” Wright said.
BV West wins Kansas 5A football title
By TEREZ A. PAYLOR
The Kansas City Star
EMPORIA, Kan. | Call it big-game jitters or whatever you want, but Blue Valley West’s game against Wichita Bishop Carroll on Saturday for the Kansas 5A state championship was sloppy.
Even though the two teams combined for nine turnovers (three fumbles, six interceptions), the game was still a thing of beauty for BV West, which rode a clutch, big-play defense all the way to a 31-19 victory at Welch Stadium for the school’s first football state title.
“We’ve been saying all season that the backbone of our team is our defense,” said BV West senior defensive end Josh Copp. “We knew what we had to do slow them down, and for the most part, we did.”
The Jaguars’ defense was good enough to overcome several critical second-half mistakes, including two interceptions and a blocked punt that gave Bishop Carroll three chances to make it a one-score game.
BV West led 17-0 at halftime, thanks to a 52-yard touchdown on a punt return by senior Mark Rogers and two Bishop Carroll turnovers that led to a Mike Besler field goal and a 2-yard touchdown run by running back Todd Harmon.
But Bishop Carroll didn’t waste any time making it a game in the second half, marching on an 11-play, 67-yard scoring drive. The Golden Eagles converted two fourth downs on the drive, which culminated in a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Brett Steven to senior Brock Bell that made the score 17-7 with 6:41 left in the quarter.
That’s when things really started to turn ugly for the Jaguars, who had a punt blocked in their own territory and threw two interceptions. However, Blue Valley West’s defense saved the day, intercepting Steven once and forcing a fumble to help the Jaguars hold on to their lead.
BV West finally broke it open with 8 minutes left in the fourth quarter. Defensive end Josh Copp, who had two sacks, blocked a Bishop Carroll punt that gave the Jaguars the ball at the Golden Eagles’ 30-yard line. The play set up a 7-yard touchdown run by Brandon Abbott seven plays later that pushed the Jaguars’ lead to 24-7 with 4:36 left to play.
Abbott’s score gave the Jaguars some much-needed cushion, but defensive back Josh Swartz put the game away on Bishop Carroll’s next possession, intercepting his second pass of the game and returning it 30 yards for a touchdown.
The victory caps a perfect season for the Jaguars, The Star’s No. 2 big-class team, and no one was happier than BV West coach Scott Wright.
Sure, the offense didn’t play its best. Sure, the game was ugly.
But this season, his team was perfect. He pointed to the scoreboard.
“It’s beautiful,” Wright said.