Matt Berner picked up where he left off Thursday night, blasting a two-run home run in the first inning Friday night, and the Lawrence Raiders followed his lead by piecing together a 10-5 victory over the Olathe North Eagles to claim their third straight American Legion Zone II championship.

“Thanks guys,” Raiders coach Carl Brooks told his team as the players huddled after the game. “Our work has just begun. You have to get to there before you can win a title.”

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The Raiders (30-17) will play their first game of the American Legion AAA state tournament at 1 p.m. Thursday in Emporia. Their opponent has yet to be determined.

Unlike their previous game, the Raiders didn’t need a bottom-of-the-seventh-inning rally. But Berner, who was a triple away from the cycle Friday, again provided the spark to get Lawrence started.

“I was really surprised,” said Berner, a Free State High senior-to-be, about knocking a first-inning blast in nearly the same spot he launched a homer on Thursday. “I’ve been seeing the ball really well and today I was patient at the plate.”

Lawrence's Derek Bailey is welcomed at home after scoring on a sacrifice fly in the first inning. The Raiders routed Olathe North, 10-5, to win the American Legion Zone II Tournament on Friday at Free State High.

The Raiders added another pair of runs after Berner’s shot to left-center field, taking a 4-0 lead after a half inning of play.

Lawrence plated three more in the second, with the aid of a two-run home run to right by Troy Wingert.

“It sure be nice to get it done,” said Wingert who is making his sixth state appearance over the last three years.

Wingert won one title as a sophomore at Lawrence High and made two other state appearances as a Lion and will make his third straight trip in Legion play with the Raiders.

“Our assistant coach (Tim Hill) said how he hasn’t been to state as much as he’s wanted, so we were really trying to win this for him and the other coaches.”

But Brooks put the praise right back on his players.

“It’s all about the players,” he said. “I’ve been really blessed to have some real good players over the years.”

Despite the seven run lead and five errors by an Olathe North team that smoked Shawnee Mission West 17-7 to reach the championship game, the Raiders struggled.

They had only five hits through five innings and starter Mike Morrell struggled with his control walking five.

Lawrence's Matt Berner rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning. The Raiders advanced to the American Legion state tournament with a 10-5 victory over Olathe North on Friday at Free State High.

Morrell managed to get out of bases-loaded jams in both the first and fourth behind double plays. The second play was a spectacular diving save by second baseman Andrew Pyle who flipped to Berner who made the turn for two.

The Eagles added lone runs in the third and fourth and scored three in the bottom of the fifth to make things interesting.

After Raiders reliever Kyle McManness struggled in the fifth, Brooks brought in the team’s ace, Aaron Madill, to close the game out.

“We were hoping to not have to pitch him at all,” Brooks said of his 10-1 starter. “But they cut the deficit and it would be pretty stupid not to pitch your best pitcher in that situation.”

Madill immediately provided help.

The Lawrence High senior-to-be struck out two in the bottom of the sixth and led off the seventh with a triple to right.

Morrell followed with a single before Pyle hit another triple and the Raiders closed things out.

“I’m really proud of this team,” said a smiling Brooks.

Lawrence 10, Olathe North 5

Raiders 430 100 2 10 10 0

Eagles 001 130 0 5 7 5

W Mike Morrell. L Aaron Hicks. HR Matt Berner, Troy Wingert, Raiders.

Raiders Highlights: Matt Berner 3-4 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Troy Wingert 3-3 2 RBIs, 2 runs.