Topeka ? Washburn Rural, a familiar antagonist, stands between Lawrence High and a berth in the Class 6A state girls soccer tournament.

Washburn Rural (13-3) and Lawrence (8-7) will tangle at 6 p.m. today at Rural for the right to go to next week’s state meet at Topeka Hummer Park.

Rural has ended the Lions’ season in each of the last two years, including a 1-0 double-overtime heartbreaker last May. Also, a little more than a month ago, the Junior Blues halted the Lions’ five-game season-opening win streak by posting a 1-0 victory on the Rural field.

That mid-April defeat sent the Lions into a tailspin. They dropped six of their next seven before rebounding for a 1-0 triumph over Free State. Then Lawrence spilled the Firebirds again in a first-round regional game Tuesday night, 2-0.