Four teams remain in the eastern bracket of the Class 6A football playoffs, and all four are members of the Sunflower League.

Friday night’s two quarterfinal games – SM West at Lawrence and Free State at Olathe East – are rematches.

In Week Two, Free State outlasted O-East, 33-28, at Haskell Stadium after building a 33-14 halftime lead. The Murphy twins missed most of the second half because of cramping, but the Firebirds were able to survive a late Hawks’ comeback.

Olathe East coach Jeff Meyers was so encouraged by that comeback and the Hawks’ late-season resurgence that he has ventured far out on a limb.

“I’ve never done this before since I’ve been a high school coach,” Meyers told the Olathe News, “but there’s no team that I’ve wanted to play worse a second time in a season than (Free State). So, I’m guaranteeing a win.”

In Week Six, SM West thumped the Lions, 51-7, at SM North District Stadium. That was a Thursday night game punctuated by four Lawrence turnovers, including three fumbles by junior running back Tyler Hunt.

Free State running back Brian Murphy scrambles for extra yardage as he is brought down by the Olathe East defense in this file photo from Sept. 8. FSHS edged O-East, 33-28, and will meet the Hawks again Friday in the Class 6A playoffs.

Hunt, who later lost his ball-carrying job to sophomore Clifton Sims, still starts at linebacker and remains the Lions’ punter.

Hunt flashed his old running-back skills in last week’s playoff opener against Blue Valley North when he zipped 84 yards on a fake punt to help the Lions post a 36-20 victory. Hunt’s gallop was the Lions’ longest play from scrimmage this fall.

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Lawrence quarterback Chance Riley has thrown 12 touchdown passes, and half of them have come in the last two games. Eight of Riley’s TD tosses have been to wide receiver Nathan Padia, two to tight end Nick DeBiasse and one each to tight end Quintin Rucker and running back Tony Williams.

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Williams has rushed for more than 100 yards in eight of the Lions’ 10 games. Only Free State (96) and Olathe South (52) have held the senior running back under the century mark. Williams’ largest output was 207 yards against SM South. For the season, Williams has 1,234 yards and 17 touchdowns.

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Williams has been just as effective on defense. Against BV North, for example, the 6-foot, 200-pounder made a touchdown-saving tackle and broke up a fourth-down pass that ended the Mustangs’ comeback hopes.

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Free State quarterback Ryan Murphy and the Lions’ Williams are good bets for the All-Sunflower League first team. Murphy leads the league in total offense with nearly 2,500 yards. League coaches already have made the all-conference selections, but league policy prohibits their release until after the last league team has been eliminated from the playoffs.

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Firebirds’ running back Brian Murphy needs 27 yards against O-East to reach the 1,000-yard plateau. Murphy missed all of one game and three quarters of another because of an ankle injury.

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If Free State wins Friday, the Firebirds will become the first city school to win as many as 11 games in a season since Lawrence High’s 1995 state championship team went 11-1.

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Because it is a KSHSAA event, no senior, student or family passes will be accepted for Friday’s SM West-Lawrence High game at Haskell Stadium. Adult tickets cost $5, students $4.