After beginning the season unranked, Blue Valley is more than halfway through the season and is still undefeated at 6-0.
BV has climbed the rankings up to ninth as they head into the district schedule.
“We need to come out and prove that we are the best team in the state,” senior Jacob McDermott said.
BV faces all three teams from the district in successive weeks to end the regular season and must win at least two games to have a shot at the playoffs.
BV will play Saint Thomas Aquinas (STA), Pittsburgh and Gardner-Edgerton.
Two teams from the district will advance into the post-season, and those teams will be determined entirely by record within district play.
With three teams ranked in the top 10, this is the state’s toughest district competition. BV may need to defeat two teams ranked inside the top four.
“We’ve talked about making a stride every week, so we need to do that,” senior Hayden Murray said.
The Tigers will face the STA Saints to begin district play for their last home game of the regular season.
The Saints, 5-1, are ranked third in 5A by MaxPreps of CBS Sports.
However, two consecutive away games against top 10 teams BV and Gardner-Edgerton could eliminate the Saints from playoff contention. In the last game of the season, BV will play at Gardner-Edgerton, the second- ranked team by MaxPreps.
The team’s senior quarterback, Bubba Starling, is ranked fifth nationally among dual-threat quarterbacks by Rivals.com.
“If we keep playing the way we are, we can have a very successful season,” Murray said.
In order to emerge from the state’s toughest district competition, BV will have to beat out at least one top-five team.
Despite beginning the season unranked and under the radar, the Tigers still have the opportunity to become the favorite heading into the playoffs.