Blue Valley North outlasts Olathe North in state semifinals

Blue Valley North wielded the mallet from the first drive of Friday night’s Kansas Class 6A semifinals showdown with Olathe North at the Olathe District Activity Center.

The Mustangs would smack Olathe North with a touchdown. The Eagles, like an old-school bop clown, would go down briefly before bouncing back up and smacking Blue Valley North.

It went like that for the entirety of a three-hour marathon contest. And ultimately, Blue Valley North hung on for a 51-49 victory.

The Mustangs (9-3) will play Derby next week for the second consecutive year in the Class 6A state title game, with a chance to add a second straight state championship trophy to the case.

Ultimately the game was decided on a safety on an errant Olathe North pass that traveled backward and out of the end zone. It was the only mistake Eagle sophomore quarterback Arland Bruce IV made on a night where he threw for five touchdowns.

Blue Valley North needed everything star quarterback Graham Mertz and the offense had to offer to advance.

The Mustangs thought they put the game away midway through the fourth quarter when Mertz threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game. He finished with 527 yards and two interceptions.

“There’s always challenges, but we get together and we overcome them. Me and my brothers, I love them,” Mertz said. “It’s a crazy game. We had a 2OT (game) last year, and we just found a way to win. I’m proud of our guys.”

Olathe North fought back from the 14-point deficit by scoring a quick touchdown and backing it up with a quick stop.

A great Blue Valley North punt pinned the Eagles at their own 3-yard line, down by seven. That’s when the pass got away from Bruce.

The Mustangs covered the ensuing onside free kick, but elected to throw three times instead of killing the clock.

Olathe North was up to the challenge, and took the ball back for another touchdown with 24 seconds left.

Blue Valley North couldn’t start celebrating until it recovered that free kick.

“They’re extremely well coached, they’re a great group of kids, and they kept battling to the very end. I wasn’t surprised at it at all,” Blue Valley North coach Andy Sims said.

“Hats off to Olathe North. There’s a group of seniors over there who played their hearts out. It’s a great opportunity for us to go back to our second state championship two years in a row. We didn’t start off the best this year. To see us pull it together toward the end, it feels good.”

The Mustangs will go back to state because of many factors, but primarily the Wisconsin-bound Mertz. He extended plays, and made all of the throws that made him one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the country.

“That’s what he does. When you look at great quarterbacks, and I’m not talking about how to throw a football. There’s not a lot of guys who can lead,” Sims said. “It’s the leadership qualities that separate great quarterbacks from even the good ones, and we’ve got a great one.”

The Mustangs have completely rebounded from an 0-3 start, and have one final hurdle left on the schedule.

“Everything. It means everything,” Mertz said. “We’re coming for it.”