Lawrence High will go into tonight’s Class 6A district football game against Free State High with home-field advantage, a better overall record and a 5-2 lead in the all-time series.

None of that will mean much to LHS coach Dirk Wedd, however, when the city rivals meet at 7:30 p.m. at Haskell Stadium.

“Three years ago, we were 4-3 and they were 1-6,” Wedd said. “They came in and beat us 16-0 and just beat the dog out of us. That has to get our kids’ attention. It’s the type of game where kids will play over their ability. You have to expect that.”

LHS has won three of its last four games after an 0-3 start. The only setback during that stretch was an overtime loss to state power Olathe South.

The Lions opened district play with a 33-7 victory at Washburn Rural. The top two teams in each district advance to the state playoffs, so a victory tonight would assure the Lions a spot in the postseason.

Wedd doesn’t want his Lions (3-4) to take anything for granted against Free State (1-6).

“We’re 3-4,” he said. “We have to be smart enough to realize we’re not world beaters. We’ve shown at times that we can be a very good football team, and at times we can be very mediocre. It’s going to take the best football game we have in us to win.”

The Lions played a good game last week. With Rural focusing on LHS tailback Jeff Colter, Ian Handshy ran for a season-high 177 yards and two touchdowns.

Colter leads the team with 637 yards rushing and four touchdowns, while Nolan Kellerman has 311 yards and a team-high six TDs. Handshy, the Lions’ short-yardage back, has 362 yards and three TDs.

6Sports video: Lawrence High and Free State High to square off

The Lions use misdirection to confound opposing defenses, and it has worked the last four weeks. Since snapping their three-game skid, the Lions have averaged 332.5 rushing yards and 39.2 points a game.

“They do an excellent job of trying to get you to go the wrong way,” FSHS coach Bob Lisher. “They’re very good running backs. They’re very determined. They don’t go down easy.”

Free State is led by sophomore running back Brian Murphy, who has 534 yards rushing and five TDs. Senior Jamie Resseguie has 344 yards and one rushing touchdown.

The Firebirds suffered a 36-28 loss to Topeka High last week in triple overtime at Memorial Stadium.

“We learned from that,” Lisher said. “It’s history. We have a new task at hand.”

That task is trying to slow down the Lions. LHS ranks second in the Sunflower League in rushing (247 yards per game) and fourth in scoring (27.5 ppg), while Free State’s defense ranks last in scoring (29.5 ppg) and ninth against the run (204.5 ypg).

“I’ve told the kids all week that Free State will come ready to play,” Wedd said, “and they’ll play their best game of the season against us.”

Lisher agreed that anything can happen in a rivalry game.

“You can think about it being only one game all you want,” he said. “It’s a highly emotional football game. Sometimes it works for you, and sometimes it works against you.”