¢ Free State benefited from outstanding field position throughout the game. The Firebirds started seven of 11 drives inside Lawrence High territory. The LHS offense, meanwhile, started every drive on its own half of the field, with the average starting position being the Lions’ 22-yard line.

¢ Both quarterbacks for both teams saw action Friday night, but for very different reasons. Starters Clint Pinnick (LHS) and Craig Rosenstengle (FSHS) both played into the second half before giving way to their backups. Pinnick was the first to be pulled after re-injuring the ankle that kept him out of the lineup for three weeks. LHS senior Andrew Miller took over with 6:35 to play in the third quarter. With the victory in hand, Rosenstengle gave the reins to junior Cameron Schmidt with 9:49 to play in the fourth quarter.

¢ Lawrence High senior Quintin Rucker wore two different jerseys during the city showdown. Because the Lions opened the game with a five-receiver set on offense, Rucker, normally a tight end, lined up at tackle. The switch forced Rucker to wear jersey No. 74 in place of his regular No. 47. Rucker went back to 47 for the second half.

¢ Ryder Werts’ reception just before halftime marked just the third catch for the Free State fullback this season. This one, a 65-yard touchdown, was far more memorable than either of the first two. After a high snap turned into a busted play, Werts raced down the Firebirds’ sideline, where Rosenstengle found him wide-open 40 yards downfield. After catching the ball, Werts turned into a dryer and put a pair of LHS tacklers through his tumble cycle on the way to the end zone.

¢ Former Firebirds Ryan and Brian Murphy, who helped Free State torch LHS 49-15 a season ago, were in attendance Friday night. The Murphy twins, freshman football players at Kansas University, were in town despite the Jayhawks’ being in Boulder, Colo. They were able to catch Friday’s game because both are red-shirting this season. The two were among several former players for both schools who showed up.

¢ With 1:40 to play in the game, the Free State student section broke into a chant of “This Is Our House,” and then lined up on the FSHS sideline, prepared to storm the field. After a handful of Free State administrators attempted to hold the crowd back, the students broke through and celebrated on the field with the team near the 50-yard line.

¢ Free State’s 27-0 victory brought the Firebirds within a game of the Lions in the overall head-to-head match up. In addition, the victory marked the first time in series history that the Firebirds have won in back-to-back seasons. LHS leads the series, 6-5.

¢ After suffering an early case of the dropsies, which appeared to cost his team a couple of potential touchdowns, Free State senior Marcus Holman atoned for his mistakes. Holman’s 32-yard reception on a halfback pass from Caleb Gress on fourth down in the second quarter was his second straight catch on the drive and set up Rosenstengle’s one-yard TD run that put Free State up 14-0.

¢ With its top two wide receivers, Travis Sanders and Jared Vinoverski, out due to injuries, Lawrence High looked to juniors Aaron Rea and Jake Green to pick up the slack. Rea led the Lions with four catches for 11 yards, while Green caught three passes for 21 yards.

¢ The victory moved Free State (6-2) to 2-0 in district play and all but assured the Firebirds of a trip to the Class 6A state playoffs. The loss dropped LHS (3-5) to 1-1 in district, but the Lions still can advance to the playoffs with a victory over Topeka High next week.