For evidence that the media doesn't always know what they're talking about, look no further than the Blue Valley - Stilwell Tigers and the Bishop Carroll Golden Eagles.
Both district runners-up, the Tigers and the Eagles knocked off the two top-ranked teams in Class 5A to advance to the state championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Welch Stadium in Emporia.
Blue Valley bounced back from a regular season 42-21 loss to the then second-ranked Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers to beat them 45-42 the second time around in the state semifinals.
Bishop Carroll came back from a regular season 21-14 loss to the then top-ranked Hutchinson Salthawks to defeat them 21-0 in the semifinals.
"They were two big wins," Blue Valley head coach Eric Driskell said. "I'm sure they went into the game thinking they were going to win just like we did. No one outside of our football families probably believed that we were going to win. I'm sure they felt like that as well."
Now, the Tigers and the Eagles are looking to come up big one more time.
"We talked to the kids after the game that the goal was to be state champions," Driskell said. "It wasn't to beat Gardner, and it wasn't to get to the state championship."
Quarterback Kyle Zimmerman has played a big part in Blue Valley’s success. The junior threw for 331 yards and six touchdowns in the win over Gardner. Five of those six scoring strikes went to Jacob McDermott, who caught seven passes for 192 yards in the game.
“Their offense is so potent,” Bishop Carroll head coach Alan Schuckman said. “Their quarterback is one of the best players we’ve seen at the position.”
The Tigers also boast an extremely talented running back in Justin Fulks. The junior has recorded 1,642 yards and 14 touchdowns on 225 carries.
Defensively, Blue Valley is led by linebacker Ian Allen, who is being recruited by several Division I schools, including Kansas State and Missouri. The Tigers have kept their opponents to two touchdowns or less in seven games this season.
“They are well coached and have an excellent defense,” Schuckman said. “Their front four is very strong and aggressive.”
Speaking of defense, Bishop Carroll registered one of the more impressive performances this season by shutting out a Hutch program that has dominated the state for the past several years.
“Bishop Carroll is a great team with a physical defense,” Driskell said. “Defensively, they have a lot of guys who can run. They are very active and have lots of guys who can fly around the football.”
The Eagles have limited opponents to two touchdowns or less in nine of their games. Bishop Carroll’s defense has a strong nucleus in linebackers Beau Bell and Aaron Jackson and defensive back Max Martinez.
It may be one of the program’s best defenses in recent history.
“We’ve had pretty good defenses at Bishop Carroll,” Schuckman said. “The one thing that makes this year different is that we have five or six guys who can make plays.”
However, the Eagles know facing Blue Valley will be a different task than defending the run-oriented Salthawks.
“Blue Valley is a more multidimensional team,” Schuckman said. “Against Hutch, we knew we had to take away the run. Against Blue Valley, we will have to take the run and the pass away. It will be a little tougher.”
The Eagles are vying for their first state championship since winning the 5A crown in 1978. Schuckman boasts a 133-41 record in his 15 seasons as head coach.
Blue Valley will be seeking its fifth state title and first since 2006. Driskell, a longtime assistant coach, has the Tigers in the championship game in his first season at the helm.
“We’re both coming off emotional wins,” Driskell said. “It should be an exciting game.”
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