Class 5A football championship: Carroll vs. Mill Valley

Class 5A

MILL VALLEY (11-1)

Top players: DL Anthony Brown, sr.; WR-DB Christian Jegen, sr.; QB Logan Koch, sr.; WR Luke Krull, sr.; DE Cole Morris, sr.; LB Seth Burnett, sr.

Key stats: Koch has 2,292 passing yards and 31 touchdowns. Jegen, Koch and Ike Valencia each have more than 600 rushing yards. Jegen has 1,199 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns.

Championships: None

Jaguars coach Joel Applebee

What has gotten you here: “The biggest thing is our senior leadership. our whole year is based off their focus and efforts every day to improve. We have 23 seniors, and they all have a ton of experience. Some have been playing since they were sophomores. That experience alone helps a ton week in and week out, especially in the big playoff games.”

What will it take to win: “We have to play well up front. We have to win the battles up front offensively and defensively. That’s where it starts. Logan Koch and Christian Jegen are having great years offensively, but it wouldn’t happen without the offensive line. The defensive line has been lights out all year. They play extremely physical and we rotate six kids in the four positions we play.”

CARROLL (11-1)

Top players: OL Noah Johnson, sr.; RB Adam Theis, jr.; QB Jake Allen, sr.; QB Braden Howell, so.; DL Geoff Tholstrup, sr.; DB Evan Nichols, sr.; LB Drew Thome, sr.

Key stats: Allen has 1,570 passing yards and 641 rushing, while Theis has 1,165 rushing yards. Thome leads Carroll with 70 tackles and Nichols is second at 67.

Championships: 1978, 2012, 2014

Eagles coach Alan Schuckman

What has gotten you here: “Our theme this year is FAM, which has a kind of double meaning. It stands for family and is an acronym For All Men. I believe the team has embraced the concept due to all the injuries and still believing in the ‘next man up.’ It always seems like there’s somebody ready to make the play. Not just on Fridays, but during practice.”

What will it take to win: “Our best effort of the year. They’re an unbelievable team. They’re experienced. They have a lot of returning players that played last year. Offensively, we always preach protect the football, that’s No. 1. And No. 2, maintain blocks both on the interior and the perimeter. Defensively we have to match their physicality.”

Joanna Chadwick’s pick: Mill Valley

This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Class 5A football championship: Carroll vs. Mill Valley."