Please, please don’t call Nolan Kellerman’s prolific offensive performance a one-man show.

“It looked like I was really running well,” Kellerman said, “but I had really big holes. The offensive line blocked better than anytime they ever have for anyone.”

Kellerman scored all three Lawrence High touchdowns on big plays as the Lions opened Class 6A district football play with a 21-13 triumph over Washburn Rural on Friday night at Haskell Stadium.

Kellerman, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound senior running back, rushed 15 times for 197 yards – including TDs of 79 and 52 yards – and he caught a screen pass from quarterback Brian Heere that he converted into a 57-yard score.

In all, Kellerman accounted for 254 of the Lions’ 322 yards of total offense. That’s approximately 80 percent.

In other words, other than Kellerman, the offense was a virtual no-show.

“We kept them (Rural) in the game by our poor execution on offense,” LHS coach Dirk Wedd said. “We had two or three big plays, and that was about it.”

The Lions managed just 10 first downs, and three of those were Kellerman’s touchdowns.

“We like to control the football,” Wedd said, “and we didn’t control the football. We have to straighten that out.”

For the most part this season, the Lions have been able to loosen defenses by completing passes. Heere started fast, completing his first three tosses, including the 57-yarder to Kellerman, but he misfired on his last six attempts.

“When they put a lot of people in the box, we’re going to have to be able to throw,” Wedd said. “That’s where we have to improve.”

Still, the Lions’ offensive woes couldn’t overshadow another stingy defensive performance. The Junior Blues posted a pair of touchdowns, but one came on a short field after Kellerman muffed a punt, and the other came after Rural quarterback Bryce Cronister completed three passes for 52 yards late in the fourth quarter.

Those 52 yards accounted for more than a third of the Junior Blues’ entire offensive output (143 yards). The Lions, led by linebackers Scott Penny and Nick DeBiasse, stuffed the run. Rural managed only 62 yards on 41 rushes.

“That’s the best defense we’ve played against all year,” Rural coach Aaron Barnett said.

Rural hung close primarily because the Junior Blues didn’t lose a fumble, didn’t throw an interception and suffered only one penalty, a five-yarder for illegal procedure.

• 6Sports video: Lions top Junior Blues (10-14-05)

Defensive end Brett Sims, one of 19 LHS seniors honored before the game, wasn’t all that pleased with the Lions’ solid defensive showing, however.

“At the beginning, I don’t think we were ready,” he said. “I don’t think we realized it was our last game at Haskell Stadium.”

Actually, the Lions could return to Haskell Stadium if they win their last two district games against Free State on Saturday and versus Topeka High in two weeks. Winning all three district games would give them a home-field assignment in the 6A playoffs.

“We’ve got to get better,” Kellerman said. “We should be peaking right now and we’re not.”

On the flip side, the Lions have won six games and their only loss was to Olathe South, the top-ranked team in Class 6A.

“We’re 6-1,” Wedd said, “and a lot of people would like to be able to say that.”

The Lions will meet the Firebirds at 7 p.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium.