Eudora excellent

Pyle, Cardinals hammer Mill Valley

One has to wonder if the battery attached to Andrew Pyle’s back will ever die.

The Eudora High senior carried the ball 51 times, amassing 251 rushing yards and leading the Cardinals to a 21-6 victory against previously unbeaten Mill Valley on Thursday.

With the win, the 8-1 Cardinals claimed the Class 4A District 5 championship.

“We’re going to give the ball to him,” Eudora coach Gregg Webb said. “It’s not too heavy, he should be able to carry it that much.”

To complement his busy night on the ground, Pyle scored all three of Eudora’s touchdowns, each from inside the 10-yard line.

Mill Valley did its part in preventing the big play Pyle only had three carries of more than 10 yards but the senior’s strong legs and stronger heart were too much for the Jaguars.

“His vision is good,” Mill Valley coach George Radell said. “He knows how to slide to the opening really well. He runs really hard.”

A scoreless first quarter gave way to a heavy-scoring spurt in the second. A 15-play, 60-yard drive was capped by 10 straight running plays by Pyle, finishing with a one-yard TD dive.

Eudora senior Kaleb Niedens, right, brings down lumbering Mill Valley senior Chris Vanlerberg during Thursday's game in Eudora. The Cardinals beat the Jaguars, 21-6.

Just 17 seconds later, Mill Valley’s John Goodin rushed 59 yards up the gut for the score. The Jaguars (8-1) opted to go for the lead, but Tony Alvarez’s two-point conversion run fell short.

The Cardinals added another Pyle touchdown later in the quarter, and completed his hat trick with 5:18 left in the fourth.

It was a significant blow to a Mill Valley squad not used to losing this season. Radell, though, said his team was hardly down for the count.

“We always expect to win,” he said. “Every game.”

The 8-1 Jaguars’ running game gave way to a new quarterback with a stronger arm. Alvarez completed two of three passes playing most of the game, but took a nasty hit on a 10-yard run and was later replaced by senior Kole Hamilton.

“He got hit pretty good,” Radell said, “but we were in the situation where we had to throw the ball.”

Hamilton completed 6-of-11 for 54 yards in the last five minutes, but an interception and a failed fourth-down conversion dashed Jaguar hopes.

Each team remains alive in the state-title hunt and will play Tuesday in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs.

Friday’s win guaranteed another home game for the Cardinals, perhaps making them a favorite to go deep in the playoffs.

“It was a big game,” Webb said.”But everything’s a big game this far into the season.”

Eudora 21, Mill Valley 6

Mill Valley 0 6 0 0 6

Eudora 0 14 0 7 21

E Andrew Pyle 1 run (Kaleb Niedens kick) 10:47

MV John Goodin 59 run (run failed) 10:30

E Pyle 8 run (Niedens kick) 6:52

E Pyle 1 run (Niedens kick) 5:18