Memories of a shutout loss on the home turf don't fade easily in football.
Manhattan manhandled Lawrence High, 30-0, at Haskell Stadium a year ago. The Lions (1-0) will seek redemption tonight when they travel to Manhattan (0-1) for a 7 p.m. kickoff at Bishop Stadium.
"We came in and embarrassed ourselves with that performance," said LHS head coach Dirk Wedd, an assistant for the Lions last year. "They beat us physically in every aspect of the game ... they totally dominated. We better learn from it."
That loss was Lawrence's first shutout since a 21-0 setback to Derby in the 1994 state championship game. LHS hadn't been shut out in the regular season since a 24-0 setback to Shawnee Mission West on Oct. 16, 1987.
Against Manhattan last year, the Lions generated just 39 yards of offense -- 24 yards rushing and 15 yards passing. LHS fumbled six times and lost two of them.
The Lions will be playing a regular-season game at Manhattan for the first time since 1980 and they're eager.
"We have to go down there and gain some respect," Wedd said. "That's probably the most important thing."
In last week's opener, Lawrence overcame four turnovers and beat Shawnee Mission North, 17-11. Manhattan committed six turnovers in a 19-15 season-opening loss to Wichita Northwest last week.
"After watching film, they probably should have won by two touchdowns," Wedd said of Manhattan. "When you turn it over six times, you can't beat a quality team."
Securing the ball has been emphasized at Lawrence's practices this week.
"We brought it to their attention," Wedd said.
LHS quarterback Bryce McMichael was intercepted twice against SM North. McMichael never attempted another pass after being picked off late in the second quarter.
Wedd remains confident in McMichael, who scored on a 24-yard run in the fourth quarter.
"We want to throw the ball," Wedd said. "I wasn't down on Bryce. We got behind. We only ran three plays in the third quarter and then we popped that long run (a 93-yard touchdown run by Jason Fender). We're not going to let people load up against the run on us. Our key is to still find people to catch it."
Against Northwest last week, Manhattan running back Jason Blubaugh rushed 27 times for 206 yards, including a 96-yard TD run.
"We're a long ways ahead of how we played last year at this time," second-year Manhattan coach Butch Albright said.
Manhattan had a chance to upend Northwest late in the fourth quarter. Josh Boller intercepted a pass in the end zone -- his second pick of the game -- and returned the ball to Northwest's 15-yard line before fumbling after being hit from behind.
After beating Lawrence in the second week last year, Manhattan didn't win again until the first round of district. The Indians won all three district contests to advance to the state playoffs, where they lost 35-7 to Derby in the first round.
As for the last meeting with Lawrence, Albright said, "Last year was last year. You prepare for this year."
Notes: LHS senior running back-defensive back Charles Brown is questionable for tonight's game because of a knee injury sustained in practice earlier this week. It's the same knee (left) that Brown injured last year, causing him to miss most of the season. ... LHS hasn't started 2-0 since its 12-0 season in 1993. ... Wedd was a finalist for Manhattan's head coaching job in 1998 before Albright, a former Manhattan assistant, was named head coach that March.
-- Steve Rottinghaus' phone message number is 832-7152. His e-mail address is srottinghaus@ljworld.com
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