Lawrence High junior JD Woods scores the Lions' first touchdown against Leavenworth on Friday, Sept. 12, 2014, at Lawrence High.

Lawrence High’s football defense played its own version of the two-minute drill Friday night, with a seven-point lead and half a football field to protect against Leavenworth. Although a late Lions fumble — recovered by the Pioneers — put them in that precarious spot, their defense responded to preserve a 21-14 victory in their home opener.

Even after Leavenworth senior quarterback Landry Hodges picked up a clutch first down on fourth-and-three just across midfield, Lawrence (1-1) buckled down and forced the QB into four straight incompletions to seal the outcome.

Senior defensive back Dearion Cooper knocked down Hodges’ second-down throw, and Lawrence’s defense did all it could to limit the Pioneers’ passing attack, just as it had all night.

“It was really hectic, kind of nerve-wracking really,” Cooper said. “We were just hoping our corners on those first three plays would hold out, and they did. They did great. They did amazing.”

Fourth-and-10 at the Lawrence 43-yard line brought more drama, because Hodges (7-for-21 passing, 86 yards and an interception) found Gunnar Freeman open on the sideline.

“That was a crazy moment,” Cooper said, “because I honestly thought his feet were in when he caught it. And when the ref said he was out, I wanted to do backflips. It’s sad that I can’t do a backflip. I just wanted to go crazy.”

The Lions saved that for the locker room, and there was plenty of love to go around from the second half alone.

Junior linebacker Tanner Green picked off a pass and returned it 39 yards. Senior Nyle Anderson gave Lawrence a 29-yard kickoff return in response to Leavenworth’s first lead. Junior running back J.D. Woods ran for his second touchdown of the night. Junior quarterback Alan Clothier out-toughed the Leavenworth defense for a two-point conversion rush that put the Lions up seven. Junior defensive lineman Trey Georgie sacked Hodges. Cooper stuffed Pioneers weapon Isaiah Ross to end the third quarter. And junior linebacker Price Morgan and Green teamed up to snuff out another Ross carry.

That all came in a one-score game before Cooper nearly picked off a pass on Lawrence’s final defensive stand.

“I was just in the right place at the right time,” Cooper said, “and it hyped us up even more to know that we only had one minute on the clock, and we could stop them, and it’s our game after that. It was really critical.”

Morgan’s interception proved just as crucial for Lawrence. The Lions had gone three-and-out following a 26-yard touchdown run by Hodges that allowed the Pioneers to go up 14-13 midway through the third quarter. With Leavenworth at Lawrence’s 34-yard line facing fourth-and-four, Green read exactly what Hodges aimed to try.

“I saw him rolling out, and we’d been working on that all week,” Green said.

Green’s return put Lawrence at the Pioneers’ 31, and Clothier opened what proved to be a short scoring drive with a 16-yard carry.

Said Lions coach Dirk Wedd: “I thought that drive (Clothier) put the freakin’ team on his back and said, ‘Jump on, because I’m gonna take you to score.'”

Indeed, Woods (20 carries, 86 yards and a late lost fumble) followed Clothier’s first down with a nine-yard rush and then a six-yard scoring carry.

Such gains were a common sight, as the Lions totaled 293 yards on the ground. Sophomore running back Trey Moore, who exploded for a 62-yard run in the first quarter, led Lawrence with 105 yards on 10 carries.

He said the running backs and Clothier (13 carries, 87 yards and a TD) simply had to run with patience.

“It’s very important. The linemen did a great job tonight blocking 100 percent every play,” Moore said, “and every time I got the ball, there was an open hole, and I just took it.”

Lawrence led 13-0 in the opening minute of the second quarter, but Green was glad to see the Lions come back and prove something to themselves after falling behind. Stepping up on defense in the final minutes made it even better.

“Losing last week,” Green said, “we really needed a win.”

The Lions play host to Free State on Friday for the City Showdown.