This isn’t your typical Leavenworth football team.

Sure, the Pioneers are 1-3 and scrambling to avoid the bottom rung of the Sunflower League standings, but that doesn’t mean Free State High coach Bob Lisher isn’t nervous about tonight’s 7 p.m. game at Haskell Stadium. Considering the speed Leavenworth has at wide receiver and the athleticism of quarterback Josh Smith, Lisher may be right.

“They’re very athletic at the receiver positions and the quarterback positions,” Lisher said. “They’re very capable of big plays.”

The undefeated Firebirds have never lost to the Pioneers, but Lisher is understandably wary. In five games, the average score has been 24-11, and even last year’s 32-15 win wasn’t that big.

“Not one football game we’ve had with Leavenworth has been easy,” Lisher said.

“The key is to keep those guys contained, and not let that quarterback get outside. He’s a very sharp thrower. He’s accurate to his receivers when he gets time to throw.”

Of course, that’s in good weather. With three days of rain soaking Haskell and a game last night, the field’s condition won’t be optimal. If the rain continues till tonight, Leavenworth’s passing attack may be grounded.

Maybe.

“Some people say that when you play a team with great speed, you want the weather to slow them down,” Lisher said. “But it’s been my experience that they’re still pretty fast no matter what.”

And, if the passing game is slowed by foul weather, that also takes away the Firebirds’ high-flying attack, which torched Olathe East for 268 yards last week. That means Free State’s running game, which has been subdued in wins against Olathe East and Shawnee Mission West, needs to get on track.

“The last two weeks I’ve been disappointed in our running game,” Lisher said. “I’ve told our guys that we have to be able to run the ball effectively to be a good football team.

“I’m kind of greedy. I wish we could rush for 200 yards and pass for 200 yards each week instead of throwing for 250 and rushing for 150.”

Free State’s defense also will be adjusting to the loss of senior linebacker Kyle Berthold, who will miss the rest of the season because of an injured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.

The Firebirds were banged up on other fronts, with injuries hampering linebacker Nick McGovern, cornerback/wide receiver Stanley Redwine and kicker Will Malcolm, but Berthold is difficult to replace.

“It’s a huge loss,” Lisher said. “He was doing a great job for us at linebacker. He was a very important part of our team and a great leader.”