Almost exactly one year ago, Lawrence High’s football team knocked Shawnee Mission North out of the Class 6A state playoffs.

The Lions are hoping history repeats itself, playing the Indians for the third time in a year at 7 p.m. today at LHS in the second round of the postseason. With a win, the Lions would hand their coach Dirk Wedd his 100th victory at LHS.

The two schools faced each other in Week Two, which the Lions won, 52-26. But the Lions are expecting to play a vastly different SM North squad compared to the one they played in early September.

SM North running back Marcos Garcia (725 yards, nine touchdowns) only had two carries and receiver Avante Williams (20 catches for 283 yards) didn’t play.

“We really didn’t see their best team,” Wedd said. “We will this Friday night and they are explosive. They score a lot of frickin’ points and what hurts is not having (Dante) Jackson as a corner because he’s arguably our best defensive back.”

SM North senior quarterback Will Schneider leads the Sunflower League with 2,388 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Schneider threw for 299 yards and rushed for another 52 against LHS on Sept. 9.

“We played them already so we kind of know what’s coming,” senior linebacker Santino Gee. “We’re motivated to win. Hopefully this won’t be the last week we practice and we’ll be ready for them.”

The third-seeded Lions (6-3) have played the last two games without Jackson on defense, after the explosive junior quarterback suffered an ankle injury against Shawnee Mission East.

?After giving up five touchdowns through the air against Free State, the Lions are confident they’ve fixed some of the holes in their secondary.

“We worked a lot during practice,” senior safety James Reeder said. “That was one of the most intense practices we had after that (Free State) loss because we really had to bounce back and get some momentum before the playoffs.”

Wedd added: “We have to do a good job of tackling. We can’t let them have a bunch of yards after the catch. We’ve really concentrated on that this week.”

With the sixth-seeded Indians (5-4) averaging 44.25 points in their last four games, the Lions know their offense will need to keep pace. Wedd said the top priority is a fast start and setting the tone in the opening minutes.

For the LHS seniors, they are aware how crucial a quick start could be to their season continuing to the next round of the postseason.

“Every practice, I try to do my best because every game I have to play like it’s my last game,” Gee said. “All those years, four years, it’s all into this game. We have to make it worth it.”

LHS probable starters

Offense

LT — Kristian Russell, jr.

LG — Nick Englebert, jr.

C — Jacob Mills, jr.

RG — Reese Stellwagon, sr.

RT — Kobe Buffalomeat, sr.

QB — Dante’ Jackson, jr.

RB — Trey Moore, sr.

WR — Ekow Boye-Doe, jr.

WR — Caleb Mondi, so.

WR — Jalen Dudley, jr.

WR — Clarence King, so.

K — Cole Brungardt, sr.

P — Jalen Dudley, jr.

Defense

DE — Jacob Unruh, sr.

DT — Mark Greene, sr.

DT — BJ Murry, sr.

DE — Eric Galbreath, so.

LB — Santino Gee, sr.

LB — Azariah LeBrun, sr.

LB — Erik Shackelford, sr.

CB — Jaxon Malone, so.

CB — Ekow Boye-Doe, jr.

SS — James Reeder, sr.

FS — Cade Burghart, sr.