Prospect Matchup: Opening Round Preview

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The time everyone has waited for is finally here, as the 2025 postseason kicks off tonight. There are some notable matchups taking place this evening. However, the games slated for Friday evening in the Kansas City metro look to be pretty competitive.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this Opening Round preview I'll mainly be focusing on the Class 5A bracket. This classification group typically produces some entertaining games early in the postseason, and this year should be no different. Here's a breakdown of three matchups that have intriguing storylines as well as some must see prospects.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Blue Valley (4-4) @ Mill Valley (6-2)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Starting this preview off is a meeting between former <em>Eastern Kansas League</em> foes. Friday night will be the first time since 2019 that Blue Valley and Mill Valley face off. After reeling off three straight wins Blue Valley stumbled a bit in Week 8. Meanwhile, Mill Valley has rebounded well after being upset in Week 6. These are two well coached programs, so folks should expect to see a hard fought battle.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The talent level hitting the field in this one is absurd. Both rosters are filled with next-level prospects, which makes it difficult to only mention a few. But two players folks will want to keep an eye on are [player_tooltip player_id='533064' first='Samuel' last='Kile'] (Sr.) of Blue Valley and [player_tooltip player_id='1463234' first='Ryder' last='Farley'] (Jr.) of Mill Valley. Kile is a team captain for the Tigers, and his leadership will be key in slowing down the Jaguars' lethal rushing attack. He finished the regular season with 37 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and four sacks. For Mill Valley, Farley is a two-year starter that's put together another strong season. So far the junior has recorded 48 total tackles, three sacks, and five tackles for loss.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Shawnee Heights (4-4) @ St. James Academy (7-1)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This next matchup is one that could potentially go down to the wire. I say that because Shawnee Heights and St. James Academy have been a part of some thrilling games this season. Shawnee Heights may have come up short in their four losses. But they're a team that will go down swinging, and their explosive passing attack makes it difficult for the opposition to put them away. The Thunder of St. James Academy have proven to be a resilient bunch this season. They were in four one-score games but managed to come out on top each time. It'll be interesting to see which team can make more plays when it matters the most.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this game folks will be treated to a fun quarterback battle between [player_tooltip player_id='611096' first='Aiden' last='Scott'] (Sr.) of Shawnee Heights and [player_tooltip player_id='1970828' first='John' last='Hornback'] (Jr.) of SJA. Scott honestly needs no introduction. The 2nd ranked quarterback in the Class of ‘26 has been one of the most exciting gunslingers in the state the past two years. The Thunderbirds are never truly out of a game with Scott under center. For Hornback, he's been very impressive during his first season starting. Heading into Friday night the junior has accounted for over 1,700 yards of total offense and 18 total touchdowns.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Blue Valley North (3-5) @ Washington (7-1)</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Capping off this Opening Round preview is the matchup between the Blue Valley North Mustangs and the Washington Wildcats. Traditionally Kansas City, Kansas teams haven't fared well in the postseason against bigger programs like BVN. However, this year's Washington squad has the potential to reverse that trend. Folks shouldn't sleep on BVN though. Despite their 3-5 record, they have the potential to surprise everyone just like they did in the playoffs last year. A win for Washington would be massive for their program, and a win for BVN could create more postseason magic. Find out who advances Friday night.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's no secret that the key to victory for Washington will be getting [player_tooltip player_id='1664431' first='Savion' last='Stone'] (Sr.) and [player_tooltip player_id='1125716' first='CamRon' last='Fields'] (Jr.) going early. This tandem has been phenomenal, and our staff has raved about their play throughout the ‘25 campaign. But, BVN has a few defenders that will be determined to limit Washington's dynamic duo. [player_tooltip player_id='993089' first='Rett' last='Daniels'] (Jr.) and [player_tooltip player_id='1622499' first='Tommy' last='Knighton'] (So.) have both emerged as key players for the Mustangs this season. The linebackers have combined for 160 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and two sacks.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->