Topeka hat trick dooms Lawrence High, 3-1

Another concerted effort. Another frustrating loss.

A vicious cycle continues to haunt the Lawrence High boys soccer team — the latest setback came Thursday in a 3-1 loss to Topeka High.

Perhaps Lions senior Daniel Miranda said it best: “We gave our 100 percent, but we need our 150 percent to win.”

LHS coach David Platt knows his team is trying, but he said the Lions were tired of moral victories.

“They deserve to win because they play so hard,” Platt said. “We have some bad karma or something.”

In the first half, Blake Schwartz of Topeka (6-3-1) posted the first of his three goals with a putback shot past LHS goalkeeper Colin Flanders.

Lawrence answered in the final minute of the half. LHS senior Adam Renfro went down after being tripped, and the Lions were awarded a penalty kick. Miranda sank the charity into the left side of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

“My technique is to not look at the goalie, just the ball,” Miranda said.

LHS controlled a large portion of the second half by moving the ball down the field at will. Schwartz and company, though, controlled the scoreboard. The Trojan sophomore shot a bouncy shot past Flanders in the 67th minute, then added a lofty kick in the 77th minute that negated any of Lawrence’s threatening drives.

“We’re probably the best 1-8 team in the state, but we’re still 1-8,” Platt said.

Lawrence will play host Tuesday to Olathe Northwest.