As Blue Valley Northwest has built its reputation within the EKL and 6A in recent seasons, the Huskies made it clear that throwing the football around the yard was a clear focus.
Northwest has been able to provide a balance with the dual-threat ability from senior quarterback Mikey Pauley. So what was going to happen when the Huskies gained a valuable and reliable piece at the running back position?
Now four weeks into the 2021 season, fans of Northwest and the rest of the EKL can likely answer the above question.
Northwest’s offense is now lethal.
Junior running back Grant Stubblefield rushed for three touchdowns to help the Huskies spoil St. James Academy’s homecoming game in the form of a 41-10 conference victory at Bishop Miege’s Dixon Doll Stadium, improving Northwest to 4-0. The Huskies are now one game ahead of Blue Valley North, who fell 46-45 to Lee’s Summit North in overtime.
“Grant is an important part of what we do,” Northwest coach Clint Rider said. “He gives us a counter balance to our passing game and he’s taken the rushing load off of Mikey a bit, so it’s his second big game.
“This was his second big game. There’s been games where he hasn’t been featured as much, but he’s always been ready. He’s got a burst this year that he didn’t have last year, and his vision’s gotten better. He’s a really special dude.”
Stubblefield produced his second 100-plus-yard performance, as he rushed for 151 yards, three scores, on 13 carries. He tallied 196 yards, three touchdowns, on 28 attempts in the season-opening win against Blue Valley.
“It feels good,” he said. “I took a little bit of a pounding as a sophomore, so just watching more films, working out more. My O-line is leaps and bounds this year, I love those guys. We’ve all been putting in work and time and we’re just trying to do something special.”
The Huskies scored on the first possession of the game with Mikey Pauley connecting with Max Muehlberger for a touchdown. After a St. James punt, Pauley found Nick Cusick for a 77-yard pass-and-catch to make it a two possession game.
The Thunder answered when quarterback Jackson House linked up with Tyler Claiborne to cut the lead in half with minutes left in the half.
The Huskies’ offense responded with Stubblefield scoring on a 15-yard run for a 21-7 advantage with 1:15 left. Then, St. James quickly got into field goal range and Malcolm Russell successfully added three tallies with a 35-yard field goal to make it 21-10.
Northwest continued its momentum on the first possession of the second half when Nick Cusick hauled in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Pauley. After St. James fumbled away the ball on the ensuing kickoff, Stubblefield notched a 7-yard rushing touchdown to give the Huskies the sizable 34-10 lead with 5:09 left in the third frame.
Drew Ranallo, a senior linebacker, corralled the loose ball on the kickoff for the Huskies (4-0). The defense held the Thunder scoreless in the second half and allowed just one touchdown.
“It’s great,” Ranallo said. “I say this every week. I think our defense is the best defense in our league and maybe the state. We have a few things to clean up, but overall, as long as we do our job, I think we’ll be the best defense in the state.”
On the ensuing kickoff, Carter Worthington registered a pick-6 for another score. And, after Northwest forced another SJA punt, Stubblefield notched his final rushing touchdown from one yard out to cap the scoring at 11:14 left in the game.
“They’re a really good team,” St. James coach Tom Radke said of Northwest. “They had a lot of seniors out there that have been playing varsity for a couple years now. A good squad and Coach Rider has done a great job of building that program up.
“The EKL this year and the Blue Valley schools are really good this year,” Radke added. “Our expectation is to win these games. We’re going to need to bring the intensity.
The Thunder dropped to 0-4 on the season before it prepares for a nonconference matchup at St. Pius X on the Missouri side. Meanwhile, Northwest stays in EKL action with a home contest against Blue Valley Southwest.
“We just need to stay grounded,” Rider said. “We haven’t been in this spot for awhile and there are bigger goals out there, and we just need to go 1-0 each week.”
