Given the same situation, Dirk Wedd wouldnâÂÂt change a thing.

In fact, when the Lawrence High football team was trailing Olathe East, 21-19, in last FridayâÂÂs Class 6A quarterfinals, the Lionsâ coach couldnâÂÂt have asked for a better situation.

LHS had just scored on a 1-yard plunge from senior Brandon McAnderson with less than two minutes left. They needed a two-point conversion to tie the game. Run McAnderson, the senior with 165 yards that night and 1,789 on the season, right?

Nope.

LHS ran a play-action pass to tight end Josh Lawrence, which failed when the Hawks intercepted quarterback Tommy ManginoâÂÂs pass in the end zone.

âÂÂThe funny thing is, that play was something weâÂÂd worked on for two weeks,â Wedd said. âÂÂThe kids knew itâÂÂd be a game-winning or two-point conversion play.âÂÂ

The play was designed to have the entire Olathe East defense flow to the right as Mangino rolled left. Lawrence, blocking on the right side, fell on purpose, then scooted along the back of the end zone. The timing seemed right, but the execution wasnâÂÂt exact.

âÂÂWe didnâÂÂt when weâÂÂd use it,â Wedd said. âÂÂWe didnâÂÂt get a chance to use it against Blue Valley North. We had our shot in the Olathe East game.âÂÂ

Besides, Wedd wasnâÂÂt about to let one play take away from the Lionsâ season.

Lawrence won eight games for the first time in six years, and won its first playoff game since 1995. The offense, which led the Sunflower League in scoring at nearly 33 points a game, had more than 4,000 total yards of offense for the first time in school history, and was 60 yards shy of the 1991 state championship teamâÂÂs school record of 3,607 rushing yards.

Though Wedd was quick to point out a distinction between those teams.

âÂÂThatâÂÂs not a true indication,â Wedd said. âÂÂWe had our number ones in a lot more in the second half than those state-championship teams did.âÂÂ

What the Lions did have was the first season with two running backs to gain more than 1,000 yards – McAnderson and senior Chris Fulton, who finished with 1,340 yards – though it was McAnderson that fueled the Lionsâ season. He joined 1992 graduate Michael Cosey as the only other LHS running backs to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a career.

âÂÂItâÂÂd be hard to find a better football player in the state of Kansas,â Wedd said. âÂÂBrandon, in that Olathe East game, was an indication of what we needed from him.

âÂÂWe mightâÂÂve spelled him some, but for him to make that big of an impact on offense and defense is just amazing. But we knew that when he was a sophomore. We knew what we had.âÂÂ

But WeddâÂÂs best indicator of a successful season was the foundation his team laid for future seasons. With a sophomore team that finished 7-2 and plenty of incoming freshmen from undefeated South Junior High and Southwest, which lost one game, LawrenceâÂÂs future looks bright.

âÂÂNext year, hopefully itâÂÂll be easier,â Wedd said. âÂÂSince the split, people donâÂÂt realize that this canâÂÂt be turned around as quickly as they want it, or as I want it.

âÂÂNow weâÂÂre working back toward that.âÂÂ