Free State High senior Andrew Heck heads the ball in this file photo from a game against Lawrence High earlier this season. Heck recently was honored by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America for his athletic and academic performances.

In a rough-and-tumble game featuring 19 first-half fouls, it seemed only fitting Thursday night’s Free State-Lawrence High boys soccer matchup was decided on a foul in the penalty box.

Lawrence’s Reid Heptig brought down Free State’s Nathan Ideus just inside the penalty area in the 17th minute, setting up Erik Slan’s kick. The shot ricocheted off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net – the first of two Free State goals in a 2-0 victory at Youth Sports, Inc.

Firebird freshman Diego Gonzalez, playing in his first big rivalry game, said he noticed the jolt in intensity level immediately.

“The whole team thought it was the most physical game of the season,” he said. “Everyone thought it was the toughest.”

Free State coach Jason Pendleton said he expected nothing less from a Firebirds-Lions game.

“This is 6A soccer, and it’s very physical,” Pendleton said. “You know, 17-, 18-year-old guys are trying to show off for the community that their team is better than the other.

The Firebirds kept Lions goalkeeper Sean Simmons busy, using ball movement and skillful dribbling by their forwards to attack often. Slan and Andrew Heck turned and fired at will, as Simmons came up with diving saves to keep the deficit from expanding.

For Lawrence, its best chances came off seven free kicks from sweeper Rex Hargis. But those free kicks came from midfield and didn’t materialize into many scoring threats. The Lions’ biggest opportunity came near the end of the first half, when Skyler Workman had a shot from three feet in front of the goal that sailed over the crossbar.

Gonzalez provided the final blow in the second half.

His goal on a beautiful header off another header from Parker Liebl sailed over Simmons in the 59th minute and effectively ended any notion of a comeback.

“That’s a big-time goal to score in a city rivalry game to ice the win for us,” Pendleton said.

The two goals gave Free State (3-1, 1-1) 20 goals on the season in just four games, although Pendleton doesn’t foresee that trend continuing.

“We know we’re not going to score five and six goals every game, especially as we get into league play,” Pendleton said. “One or two is really good, so we’re going to take the ones we get and be really pleased.”

Meanwhile, Lawrence stands at the opposite end of the goal-scoring spectrum. The shutout means the Lions (1-2, 0-1) have failed to score a goal in the last 185 minutes of play – a span of nearly two and a half games.

Lions head coach Bill Kelly is well aware of the drought and wants his team to be less afraid of taking long shots on goal.

“For a lot of these boys, they haven’t been taught to be offensive-minded,” Kelly said. “We’ve always been defensive-minded, and we’re trying to change that in one year. It’s just a transition that they have to make.”

Both teams will return to action on Tuesday. Lawrence will travel to Olathe East, while Free State will head home to face Olathe Northwest.