Lawrence High senior Nick DeBiasse has played football since the fifth grade, but a loss never dug into his craw like the Lions’ 51-7 smackdown at the hands of Shawnee Mission West on Oct. 6.

“That’s probably the worst loss I’ve suffered as an athlete,” DeBiasse said. “It was pretty embarrassing. It’s something you don’t really forget.”

DeBiasse and LHS, however, receive a chance at redemption at 7:30 tonight when they play host to West, 10-0 and the No. 1 seed in the 6A playoffs, at Haskell Stadium. Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 will televise the game on delay at 10:30 p.m.

By defeating Blue Valley North, 36-20, last Friday, LHS (6-4) earned the right to play the Vikings again. LHS football coach Dirk Wedd noted the rarity of such a second chance.

“You go through life – many times not getting a second opportunity to do something big,” Wedd said.

To capitalize this time, LHS must do a better job of protecting the football. In the 51-7 loss, fullback Tyler Hunt fumbled three times, and quarterback Chance Riley threw an interception. The Vikings, who did not commit one turnover, scored 24 points off those miscues.

“It’s absolutely mandatory that we hold on to the football. We can’t turn the football over, period,” Wedd said. “That’s something we have to rectify because if we don’t, they’ll run us out of the freakin’ stadium.”

In the Oct. 6 game, West staked out a 14-0 lead in seven-and-a-half minutes of action. That lead ballooned to 35-7 before half. LHS must start strong to prevent that snowball effect and build up confidence.

LHS linebacker Nick Debiasse stretches during a preseason workout. DeBiasse said the Lions' 51-7 loss to Shawnee Mission West on Oct. 6 was the worst loss of his career. LHS will have a chance for redemption at 7:30 tonight.

“There’s a question in everyone’s mind when you get beat that bad,” Wedd said. “So it’s important we come in the first quarter and play good football.”

Featuring a conservative running attack, the Lions do not have an offense designed to score points in a hurry. Instead they rely on running back Tony Williams, who rushed for 121 yards in the previous matchup, to churn out yards. West coach Tim Callaghan, however, expressed concern about the LHS passing game after Riley completed 6-of-10 passes for 69 yards and a touchdown last week.

“The more looks we can throw at ’em and the more diverse our offense can be, that’s the best for us,” DeBiasse, a tight end/linebacker, said.

LHS may need to run and pass to penetrate a stout Vikings defense, which surrendered 6.78 points per game during the regular season.

The Vikings feature two marquee players. Blake Lawrence passed for 133 yards in the previous matchup and threw for 11 touchdowns and one interception during the regular season. Wedd praised the player – who likely will play linebacker when he enrolls at Nebraska University next year – like a grandparent describing his grandchild.

“He’s probably the best player in the state of Kansas,” Wedd said. “He’s definitely a young man that comes along once every 10 years in the Sunflower League.”

Despite Lawrence’s brilliance, West employs a run-oriented, J.D. Steffan-led offense. Steffan rushed for 162 yards and three touchdowns Oct. 6 and for 951 during the regular season.

“J.D.’s a really good player,” Wedd said. “He runs real hard.”

LHS has its work cut out to stop those playmakers, but the Lions do not lack motivation.

“I want this game bad,” Williams said.