Lawrence soccer collides with O-Northwest / LJWorld.com

High School Sports

October 27, 2009

The Lawrence High boys soccer team is well aware of the fact that the 2009 season has been less than ideal in terms of the team’s win-loss record.

None of that matters tonight, however, when the fifth-seeded Lions (4-11-1) travel to Olathe at 6 tonight to take on No. 5 Olathe Northwest (9-6-1) in a first-round regional game at College Boulevard Activity Center.

The game is eerily similar to the situation the Lions faced in 2008, when they also opened the postseason with a game against the Ravens.

“Same team, same place, same time,” LHS coach Matt Anderson said. “The only difference is that the weather will be nicer.”

The Lions hope the result will be, as well.

In that one, LHS lost 1-0 and saw its last-ditch effort at tying the game bang off the post with one second left.

This year, Olathe Northwest defeated Lawrence High, 4-0, in the regular season but the Lions are encouraged by the fact that even that is similar to what they endured last season. In 2008, ONW knocked off LHS, 3-0, before the two played a one-goal game when it mattered most.

“We have enough guys who were there last year who understand what it takes to succeed in the postseason,” Anderson said. “I told the guys (Monday night), ‘I’ve never asked you to play perfect, nobody can play perfect, but we have to execute.’ We have yet to put together that one game where we execute for 80 minutes. It might as well be (tonight).”

After a 2-2-1 start, the Lions lost nine of their next 11 games, including two separate four-game losing skids.

LHS is 1-1 in its last two contests, however, and Anderson said the feeling of victory was fresh in the minds of his players.

“All we’re looking for is to take the best of what we’ve been able to accomplish and put that into a four- or five-game run. I told the guys why not us.”