Free State and Lawrence High football teams both picked up wins in the first week of districts and are in a good spot for the upcoming two weeks.

However, that doesn’t make the road forward much easier. The Firebirds will go on the road to face two teams that have been ranked in the top-five in the last two weeks, and the Lions get one of the two remaining unbeaten teams in the Sunflower League.

The positive with last week’s wins is that they likely will only need one victory over the next two games to secure a spot in the playoffs.

Here’s how each district looks after the first week:

District 4: Olathe North (1-0, +21 point differential), Lawrence (1-0, +3), Olathe Northwest (0-1, -3), Olathe East (0-1, -21).

District 5: Free State (1-0, +21 point differential), Topeka (1-0, +11), Manhattan (0-1, -11), Washburn Rural (0-1, -21).

Now let’s get to some thoughts from last week, starting with Benton Smith’s analysis of Free State’s 42-14 win over Washburn Rural:

•They’re getting a littler healthier, which is huge. Sophomore linebackers Jay Dineen and Zion Bowlin being able to play will really help defensively. The Firebirds also have senior Carson Bowen back at linebacker playing near full strength.

•Junior quarterback Bryce Torneden looked to have rhythm to his throws as far as hitting wide receivers at the exact moment he need to. As long as Torneden is healthy (and they don’t suffer any more devastating injuries), they have an offense and a line that should keep them competitive with just about any team. Torneden’s dual threat ability is difficult to defend and that makes things easier for junior Khaury El-Amin and other FSHS running backs.

•Shane Hofer again showed how athletic he can be on the defensive line by picking off a pass. He would’ve housed it if there wasn’t a block in the back flag.

•The players weren’t too satisfied and they won by 28. That’s a good sign of maturity. The next couple weeks could be challenging playing at Manhattan and Topeka. Opponents and venus new for this year are difficult to prepare for, especially with playoff spots on the line.

Lawrence High beat Olathe Northwest 20-17 and here are my thoughts:

•The Lions’ defense is playing with a lot of confidence and it’s making a world of difference. Ever since their goal line stand against Olathe South, the Lions have allowed just two touchdowns in the past six quarters. One of those touchdowns came after a fumble and Olathe Northwest started in the red zone. Otherwise they’ve stopped two solid offenses dead in their tracks.

•JD Woods stayed patient when he was tackled in the backfield several times, and it paid off on his big runs. Some running backs would have become antsy trying to make something out of nothing, but Woods continued to run behind his line, and it set up four long runs (three for touchdowns). It doesn’t take much to spring Woods, but it was impressive how quick he turned the game around in the second half.

LHS doesn’t keep single-game records, but it’s believed Woods set a new school record with 294 rushing yards. It’s likely the most rushing yards in one game since Thomas Daniels went for 276 yards in the 1995 state championship game.

“When he gets to the linebackers, I know he’s gone,” junior quarterback Alan Clothier said.

•The Lions secondary was tested repeatedly but turned in their best performance. They held Olathe Northwest QB Jack Hatzfeld to just five completions in 22 attempts. Ivan Hollins and Luke Zenger proved to be strong in man-to-man coverage, and Dearion Cooper just has a nose for the ball and makes it difficult to complete throws over the middle.

•It was big for the Lions to get junior Amani Bledsoe back on the defensive line. Bledsoe attracts a ton of double-teams and even the occasional triple-team. With all of that attention, it allows linebackers Price Morgan, Konner Kelley, and Tanner Green to have an easier path to the ball and make several stops at the line of scrimmage or in the backfield.

Now for a look ahead to next week:

Free State at Manhattan on Friday at 7 p.m. — The Indians (6-1) lost their first game last week to Topeka, 52-41, after taking a 14-0 lead. They have a strong run game with Keiadrain McDonald and Chris Martin, and quarterback Eric Prockish has a strong arm. It’s likely a must-win game for the Indians to make the playoffs, with Topeka High expected to beat Washburn Rural.

Lawrence High at Olathe North on Friday at 7 p.m. — The Eagles (7-0, ranked No. 2 in 6A by Kpreps.com) started the season slowly but have dominated in the past few weeks. They beat Olathe East, 49-3, and held them to less than 100 yards of total offense. O-North have one of the top rushing attacks in the league, led by Venus Triplett, who ran for 142 yards and three scores last week. The Eagles also have an extremely quick defense that’s strong at stopping the run.
*
Free State’s volleyball team responded well after a tough home loss to Bishop Miege that had players upset with the way their season was going.

The Firebirds had a 4-2 record and took fifth place at the Emporia Invitational on Saturday, with their only losses coming against Maize (ranked No. 6 in 6A by the Kansas Volleyball Association) and Topeka Seaman (ranked No. 4 in 5A).

There were tears and plenty of frustrated players after the loss to Miege (ranked No. 1 in 4A), with a lackluster third set after playing the first two sets close.

“The big difference was the first two sets, as a team, we were confident in each other and ourselves,” Allie Knapp said after the loss to Miege. “Between every single play, every single mistake that we had, we really were coming together and making each other feel great about ourselves. In the third set, the confidence was gone in ourselves and each other, and that was a huge difference. We let it get the best of us, and we shouldn’t have.”

The Emporia Invitational showed a good response to that, and with regionals looming on Saturday, it happened at a good time. The Firebirds will play in the Blue Valley West triangular Tuesday night and in a dual against Lawrence High on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Lions haven’t been able to find a rhythm lately. After taking fourth place at the Joan Wells Invitational earlier this month, the Lions have a 2-9 record.
*
As always, feel free to comment, email me, or find me on Twitter @nightengalejr.