Photo Credit: Roman Puno/PrepsKC 
Most of the season it has been the Blue Valley West offense led by quarterback Tate Nagy that has supplied the headline-making heroics.
But Friday night against St. James Academy it was the defense and special teams that took center stage for the Jaguars.
Logan McGraw blocked a punt, scooped it up and raced 52 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter, and senior kicker Joey Svoboda booted two second-half field goals as special teams scored all 13 points for the Jaguars en route to a 27-21 victory.
Blue Valley West moved to 7-1 before the district playoffs start next week.
It was senior night at Blue Valley West stadium -- the final home game for 32 seniors -- though it was McGraw, a 6-foot-4 junior, who shined brightest with big plays in all three phases. Besides the blocked punt, McGraw also sealed the victory by intercepting Thunder quarterback Francis Menghini with 1:44 left to go. He also had a big catch that sparked the offense in the Jaguars first touchdown drive, high-pointing a 36-yard bomb from Nagy.
“It was senior night, a huge night, with playoff implications, and we wanted to go win,” McGraw said. “They are a great team, they played hard on ever down, and their record does not reflect their talent. All hats off to them.”
St. James fell to 3-5 with the loss, but they earned the respect of the Jaguars. The Thunder controlled the game early on, forcing three-and-outs on the Jaguars first two possessions, and they put together 66 and 61-yard touchdown drives to jump to take command 14-0. Both drives were capped by touchdown passes from Menghini to senior receiver Parker Chase.
“Coming off the big win last week, this was definitely a tough game heading into the playoffs next week,” said West senior linebacker Jack Sells, who had two sacks. “They’re probably one of the better teams in our conference that people probably don’t really think about because of their record, but they are tough, they are physical, and they play really, really hard.”
But Blue Valley West proved once again it is most dangerous when it is in comeback mode. The Jaguars suddenly scored two touchdowns in less than two minutes in the second quarter to tie the game at 14-14. Nagy tossed a 6-yard pass to Wayne Carter for one score, and after recovering a St. James fumble, the Jaguars scored four plays later on a 10-yard run by Tate Miller.
“That’s not by design” West coach Josh Koerkenmeier said about the early deficit. “Credit St. James. They came out and they executed. They played a little more physical than they we did, and it took us a little while to wake up.”
The first half ended with one of the zaniest plays of the season, as both teams nearly scored touchdowns on the same play, covering 95 yards, and only four seconds on the clock. West had driven to the St. James 1-yard line with 4 seconds left, but the Jaguars fumbled trying to punch it in on the last play, and St. James senior Max Requet picked up the loose ball and galloped the open field in what looked like would be a 14-point swing of events. Nagy, though, sprinted from behind and, while fending off a blocker, got between Requet and the goal line, slowing up Requet enough to allow Quin Myers to make a touchdown saving tackle from behind at the West 5-yard line.
West seized a double-digit lead in the third quarter thanks to the blocked punt and a field goal, but Menghini hit Brody Bruggeman with 6-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to get back within striking distance.
Menghini, was the offensive workhorse for the Thunder, making chain-moving passes and providing tough physical running throughout the game. He finished 10 of 20 passing for 104 yards and three touchdowns and added 51 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Nagy was 16 of 22 passing for 194 yards for West. Carter added 88 yards rushing.
Koerkenmeier said the team still has some things to work on before next week, but was pleased to get the win, especially for his seniors.
“It’s a great group of kids, they continue to buy in what we’re trying to tell them, which is be humble, and keep working every single week and get better,” he said. “I am really happy for them. To put together a 7-win season in the EKL, boy it is so hard. It’s a special season, but it’s not over yet. The playoffs start now, and it’s a whole new season.”
