Free State held Shawnee Heights to 156 yards total offense while the Firebirds' offense totaled 438 yards.
Tecumseh -- Free State High's defense rose to new heights against Shawnee Heights.
The Firebirds held the Thunderbirds to 156 yards total offense in winning the Battle of the 'Birds, 28-12, on Friday night at Shawnee Heights' Wetter Field. Coming into the game, Free State's defense had been second-to-last in the Sunflower League for total defense.
"That's kind of embarrassing," FSHS senior running back-linebacker Chris Wheatley said, "especially coming from Lawrence where there's a strong tradition in hard-nosed defense and hard-nosed football. So that's what we stressed all week.
"We were trying to pick it up on 'D' and trying to play more intense."
Free State (2-1) did just that, holding Shawnee Heights (1-2) to just 36 yards on 30 carries. In fact, both of the T-Birds touchdowns came as a direct result of special teams.
After the Firebirds went three-and-out to start the game, Shawnee Heights senior Isaiah Tetuan had a 34-yard punt return down to the Free State 34-yard line. Four plays later the Thunderbirds scored and held a 6-0 lead after Free State senior Jake Lawrence blocked the extra point attempt.
The second touchdown came late in the fourth quarter when Shawnee Heights returned a block punt for a score.
"Defensively, I thought we played much improved over what we've been," FSHS coach Bob Lisher said. "We hit people tonight. We had a lot of people around the football and we were making plays. We weren't sitting back on our heels, waiting for someone else to make a play.
"We were making our reads, going to where we needed to go and we made plays. I was pleased with our defense, very pleased."
Free State's offense wasn't too shabby either. Despite fumbling the ball six times -- losing four of them -- and throwing one interception, the Firebirds still earned 438 yards of total offense.
Free State finally was able to utilize it's one-two running back combination as Wheatley and Lawrence combined for 395 yards and all four touchdowns on 43 carries.
"Finally we got both those guys going," Lisher said. "Chris is a weapon and we've been trying to get him the ball more in the offense. We've switched up a few things on offense to try and make sure he gets the ball too."
While Lawrence had two of his trademark run-up-the-middle-and-out-race-the-defense touchdowns (one for 20 yards and one for 49), Wheatley's TDs came from short-range.
With the Firebirds clinging to a 14-6 lead in the fourth quarter, Wheatley took a handoff up the middle, juked a couple would-be tacklers and fought his way into the endzone with two Thunderbirds draped from him.
"I saw it, I felt myself start to go and my feet kind of slip under me," Wheatley said. "I just had a quick thought in my head, 'Don't go down. Try and drive it in the endzone.' That's all I was thinking."
Although the Thunderbirds allowed over 400 yards, they did manage to force six fumbles, and hampered the Firebirds passing attack. Free State senior quarterback Nate Vail only completed five of 14 passes for 69 yards and an interception.
"I told them all week-long that our focus was us," Shawnee Heights coach Frank Crosson said. "How well can we play and can we give ourselves a chance to win. I think our kids did that. I thought our kids played extremely well, especially on defense.
"I also told them I thought it was maybe the best game defensively we've ever played."
The T-Birds had a gameplan on the other side of the ball as well -- pick on the little guy.
Time and time again, Shawnee Heights lined up junior tight end Jesse Schmidt (who stands 6-foot-7) across from Free State senior cornerback Bo Blevins (listed as 5-3).
"It's pretty much been that way," Blevins said. "Every team we've played it seems like they try and pick on me a little bit and I like it. I like all the attention that I can get as far as being in there on defense trying to do my job. I think it's great."
Blevins had the last laugh as Schmidt was held to no receptions -- even picking up and an offensive pass interference penalty on a fourth-down play. Free State's corner also grabbed his second interception of the season.
"I saw that play opening up," Blevins said of the pick. "The guy was basically in the flat. I broke on it as fast as I could and there it was right there."
While the Firebirds certainly were less than perfect -- in addition to their five turnovers, they had seven penalties for 80 yards and allowed a blocked punt -- they'll take the win.
"We had some goals for this game and I think we accomplished a lot of those goals," Wheatley said. "I think we still have things to work on -- like always -- but I think we're pretty happy overall as a team."
Free State plays host to Olathe East next Friday. Kickoff is 7 p.m. at Haskell Stadium.
-- Robert Sinclair's phone message number is 832-7185. His e-mail address is rsinclair@ljworld.com.
No comments
Commenting is turned off for this story.