Mill Valley, Shawnee Mission NW, Olathe West advance in Kansas football playoffs

Postseason high school football continued Friday evening with games across the Kansas City metro.

Here’s a look at some highlights from playoff games in Kansas around the KC area.

Mill Valley 28, St. Thomas Aquinas 27

It was almost as though the Jaguars had been waiting for Friday’s big moment all year.

That’s because they were.

Mill Valley stuffed St. Thomas Aquinas and star running back Cal Arndt on a two-point conversion attempt in the final minute, preserving a 28-27 win in the round two of the Class 5A state tournament.

The stop came on the same play, and at the same goal line, in fact, as Aquinas’ game-winning two-point conversion a year ago — when the Saints beat the Jaguars 23-22 in the quarterfinals en route to a state championship.

“I think everybody knew they were going for two there,” Mill Valley coach Joel Applebee said. “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) had a 28-14 lead after a 17-yard TD pass from Blake Jay to Stone Zambo on fourth down with 11:55 to play. Jay finished with 133 passing yards and the TD and also rushed for 106 yards on 15 carries. Zambo caught three passes for 100 yards.

But Aquinas wasn’t done yet. QB Carson Patrick scored on a keeper, his second TD of the game, with 6:39 left. Aquinas got the ball back and scored again, this time via Patrick’s TD pass to Jackson Rafferty.

Trailing 28-27, the Saints went for two. Arndt ran right ... and right into a pile of Jaguars defenders.

Game over, the Mill Valley celebration commenced.

“On the sideline with our friends, we knew they’d do their job,” said 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.”

Jay and running back Max Piva (81 rushing yards) fueled the Jaguars’ offense from the outset. Jay’s early TD tied the game at 7 in the second quarter, then Piva scored twice to make it 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.

Arndt’s outstanding career at Aquinas concluded with 166 yards on 30 carries Friday.

Shawnee Mission Northwest 38, Free State 31

A healthy dose of Trai Woodruff ignited the Shawnee Mission Northwest offense and secured another playoff victory.

The tailback rushed for 321 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Cougars to a 38-31 win over Free State in the second round of the 6A playoffs at Shawnee Mission North’s field.

Woodruff traded blows with Firebirds QB Finn Moore, who threw for 155 yards and a TD while also rushing for 195 yards and three TDs. Moore’s 72-yard TD pass to Maddon Brittingham, followed by a field goal, gave Free State a 17-10 halftime lead.

But Woodruff broke off a 73-yard TD scamper to open the second half, then scored from 16 yards out with 3:42 left in the third period. At that point it was 24-17.

Moore countered with a 32-yard TD run and it was 24-24. But Woodruff’s two fourth-quarter TD runs put this one away.

Shawnee Mission Northwest (7-3) will travel to Gardner Edgerton (8-2) next week in the Kansas Class 6A quarterfinals.

Olathe West 55, Olathe South 44

So much for the old saw that “defense wins championships.”

For the second straight game, the No. 1 seed on the East side of the Class 6A bracket surrendered over 40 points — and still won by double digits.

Olathe West (9-1) racked up 50-plus points for the second straight week in the second round of the 6A tournament at CBAC. The Owls won their playoff opener last week, beating SM North 63-42.

Quarterback Brody Hale threw for five TDs and rushed for two TDs Friday to fuel an offense that’s averaging 42.5 points per game this season. Hale’s second TD pass, to fellow senior Sam Krzykowski for 13 yards, gave the Owls an 18-point advantage, at 41-23, with 5:42 left in the third.

Olathe South (5-5) tried to hang around, with Justus Sprague scoring via a 35-yard run. But Hale answered that TD with a 49-yard TD run, then found Krzykowski for a third time from 42 yards out with 6:20 to go.

Olathe South QB Gage Lee threw for two TDs and rushed for two more.

Olathe West will take on Olathe Northwest (7-3) next Friday night in the Class 6A quarterfinals.

For scores, stats, recaps, rankings, broadcasts and more, visit 810Varsity.com.

This story was originally published November 8, 2025 at 1:09 AM.