SHAWNEE — When Mill Valley’s season began, all eyes were on senior running back Reggie Reece.
The reigning all-state back was coming off a 1,948-yard, 25-touchdown campaign — just one yard shy of the school’s single-season rushing record. But midway through the year, that plan changed in a hurry.
On Oct. 10 against Olathe West, Reece went down with a torn meniscus and MCL, ending his season and high school career. It was a crushing blow to both Reece and the Jaguars’ offense.
“I feel for him as a football player but I also feel for him as a person,” Mill Valley coach Joel Applebee said. “He is such a great young man who has put a lot of hard work into his football career and his senior season, especially after having such a successful junior year. That character and work ethic is going to carry him a long way not only in football, but in life. I have no doubt Reggie is going to have success beyond football.”
With their star sidelined, the Jaguars turned to junior Max Piva — and the young back has delivered one of the most explosive stretches in program history.
After showing flashes early in the season, including 208 yards against Shawnee Mission East and 237 more against Lawrence, Piva made history just a week after Reece’s injury. Against Olathe Northwest on Oct. 17, he erupted for 404 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, shattering Mill Valley’s single-game rushing record of 330 yards set by Kyle Brunson in 2010.
“Max would be the first to give credit to our offensive line,” Applebee said. “We executed very well upfront that night and Max delivered. He has such a tremendous work ethic, and all the hard work is paying off.”
Piva’s rise has been as sudden as it’s been impressive. Through eight games, he’s rushed for 1,414 yards on just 124 carries — an eye-popping 11.4 yards per carry — and 12 touchdowns. He’s topped the 100-yard mark in six games, giving Mill Valley a reliable spark as the postseason begins.
“I’m not surprised at all with Max’s success,” Applebee said. “Like Reggie, he’s very committed to all the aspects of being a great athlete. He works hard in the weight room, pays attention to his diet and health, and works hard in the classroom.”
Piva’s breakout has been fueled by a resilient offensive line anchored by Kansas State commit Lamarcus Barber, who’s helped steady the group through its own share of injuries.
“Our offensive line has been very good this season,” Applebee said. “They work well as a whole, and Lamarcus leads the way. We’ve had some underclassmen step in and not miss a beat.”
Now, with the Jaguars getting healthier and Piva in rhythm, Mill Valley heads into the Class 5A playoffs with renewed confidence. The No. 7-seeded Jaguars (6-2) will host No. 10 Blue Valley (4-4) on Friday, looking to make another deep postseason run.
“We feel good going into the playoffs,” Applebee said. “Our players understand that things don’t change this time of year — we still work to get better one day at a time.”
And as Mill Valley looks for another state push, one thing is clear — the Jaguars have found their next star in the backfield.
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Bishop Miege got a big win in its regular season finale with a 41-34 overtime victory over Blue Valley. The Stags also got their starting signal caller back. Quarterback Landon Cole, who was injured on the sixth play of the Stags’ season opener against St. James, returned to throw 297 yards and had five touchdowns. The Stags also had their biggest output of the season with 448 total yards. Freshman Lincoln Leonard got a sack in overtime to help seal the win.