Defense saves Lions’ victory over Olathe Northwest

Lawrence High junior running back JD Woods (11) leaves Olathe Northwest linebacker Ethan Wall (1) behind as he makes a 63 yard run during their game Friday night at LHS. The Lions held on for a 20-17 win.

Several defensive starters on Lawrence High’s football team left the locker room after Friday’s game against Olathe Northwest with some ice and sore body parts.

It’s the price to pay for the Lions, who were on defense for most of the second half and kept the Ravens scoreless in their final five possessions to preserve a 20-17 victory at LHS in the first week of district play and on Senior Night.

When the Ravens moved the ball past midfield and into the red zone, the Lions’ defense tightened up for big stops, knocking down passes in the secondary and jamming up their running game.

“Oh my gosh, this is probably one of the most exciting games that you can have,” senior free safety Dearion Cooper said. “We gave it all we could, gave it all we had, stopped them at the end. It’s just amazing.”

After trailing 10-6 at halftime, LHS junior running back JD Woods ran up the middle for an 85-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. He added another 76-yard touchdown run on his next carry, which followed an Olathe Northwest touchdown.

“Tanner Green kicked out on both of those, and I just saw it and hit it,” said Woods, who ran for 294 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. “Cut back wasn’t there tonight so I couldn’t really do it. Coach (Jamie Resseguie), our offensive-line coach, pulled me in yesterday, and he was just telling me that I had to trust the blockers.”

With a three-point lead midway through the third quarter, the Lions’ defense kept the Ravens scoreless for the final 18 minutes.

“Just freakin’ huge hearts,” LHS coach Dirk Wedd said. “They played so hard for so long.”

There were plenty of highlights. Senior Cy Burghart ended a drive at midfield with a sack, juniors Trey Georgie and Green had key fumble recoveries, and junior Price Morgan made plenty of tackles.

Senior Cole Greenwood and junior Amani Bledsoe also caused havoc at the line of scrimmage. Bledsoe only played on the defensive side of the ball, drawing multiple blockers against him, as he recovers from an MCL sprain.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Olathe Northwest (4-3) junior running back Dominque Bruce gashed through the LHS (4-3) defense for a 32-yard run inside of the red zone. However, the defense held strong for the next three plays and was rewarded with an Olathe Northwest missed field goal that went wide left.

“I mean, that’s just us doing what we do,” said junior cornerback Ivan Hollins, who broke up several passes. “We have a real strong ‘D,’ and we just need to keep it up.”

On Olathe Northwest’s final drive, Cooper broke up a pass over the middle of the field on fourth down, delivering a hit just as the ball arrived to the wide receiver. Lawrence’s sideline erupted as the offense only needed to run out the clock.

“I kind of scoped it out beforehand,” Cooper said. “A few plays previously that when he got out there, they were throwing it to him. So I just saw where he was going, where the pass was coming, and just took my opportunity.”

As the LHS defense laid the ground work for the win, Woods provided the sizzle. It wasn’t always easy for him, as Olathe Northwest made several stops in the backfield, but Woods performed his magic and pulled a rabbit out of his hat for a few long touchdowns. He provided Lawrence’s only score in the first half, a 48-yard run on a sweep toward the LHS sidelines, when he somehow stayed in bounds while breaking free from a scrum of tacklers.

“Every time you don’t call a play for him,” Wedd said, “you feel like you’re missing out on an opportunity because he’s so dynamic.”