Lawrence High cross country coach Brian Anderson said he gets the sense that his team just wants to impress him.

The LHS boys certainly did this year, as the Lions won their second consecutive state title.

“He puts in a lot more work than we do,” said senior co-captain Roy Wedge, who won the individual title.

Anderson knew his team had a chance to win, but said he was not sure as he watched things play out on race day.

“The scores were kind of deceiving this year,” Anderson said. “I was really nervous to hear if we had won or not. I remember people telling me that other teams were ahead.”

Anderson said team unity brought on by the leadership of co-captains Wedge and Calvin Morgan led the team to its unprecedented success.

Throughout the season, Anderson’s main concern was keeping his runners healthy.

“With the scare of people being sick with the swine flu, I was concerned for the boys,” Anderson said.

Anderson, who has been coaching in Lawrence for 22 years, became the head coach in 2003.

“If he wasn’t here to tell us what to do, we wouldn’t be where we are now,” Wedge said.