Lawrence High football players weren’t happy with how they played in their loss to Blue Valley West last week.

They felt they had opportunities to make big plays, and their own mistakes cost them a chance of winning.

Now, the Lions will get their opportunity to prove they’ve learned their lessons when they face Leavenworth at 7 p.m. today at Lawrence High.

“We weren’t clicking,” junior quarterback Alan Clothier said. “It was on both sides of the ball. Offense would do good, and the defense wouldn’t stop them, or the defense would do really good, and the offense couldn’t move the ball. We learned a lot, and I think we’ve gotten better this week. I think we’re ready to go.”

The Pioneers (1-0) beat Great Bend to open their season, winning 19-0 and showing plenty of signs that they will be a tough team this season.

“We went over and scouted them,” Lions coach Dirk Wedd said. “They’re fast. They’ve got a lot of speed. That’s probably the biggest thing that worries me.”

The Lions (0-1) watched film of Leavenworth and responded with one of their best weeks of practice.

“I think we learned from our mistakes,” Wedd said. “We have ability, but right now we’re not executing. … When we execute and run the play correctly, or run the defense correctly and get all of the gaps or get all of our assignments, we’re a good football team.”

Focusing on assignments was the common theme throughout the Lions’ practices this week, and they hope that will clean up a lot of play on both sides of the ball.

One of the keys for Lawrence is whether the offense can consistently complete drives into the end zone. The Lions generated 341 yards of offense last week, but couldn’t score outside of a pair of long runs.

“We were moving the ball,” Clothier said. “The front was doing good. It was just one person every play that wouldn’t do the right assignment, and that just would destroy the whole offense. I could have played a lot better, and I was disappointed in myself, but I’m going to come out this week ready to play.”

LHS probable starters

Offense

LT — Stephen Garcia, sr. LG — Nathan Koehn, jr. C — Cole Greenwood, sr. RG — Jacob Unruh, so. RT — Amani Bledsoe, jr.

QB — Alan Clothier, jr. RB — JD Woods, jr. H — Stevin Hays, sr. WR — Nyle Anderson, sr. WR — Zak McAlister, sr. TE — Price Morgan, jr.

K — Ellis Springe, sr. P — Luke Zenger, sr.

Defense

DE — Cole Greenwood, sr. NG — Nathan Koehn, jr. DE — Amani Bledsoe, jr. OLB — Konner Kelley, jr. ILB — Price Morgan, jr.

ILB — Tanner Green, jr. OLB — Stevin Hays, sr. CB — JD Woods, jr. CB — Ivan Hollins, jr. SS — J’Mony Bryant, jr.

FS — Dearion Cooper, sr.