Gage Foster, of Free State, got some open space for yards against Shawnee Mission West during the first quarter on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 at Shawnee Mission South District Stadium.

There was plenty to celebrate in Lawrence over the holiday weekend. For the first time since 2010, Lawrence High and Free State football teams both won their season openers.


The Lions began their 2017 campaign with a 42-21 victory over Shawnee Mission Northwest, handing coach Dirk Wedd his 100th career win with a balanced offense.


Throughout the summer, there was a lot of attention on Lawrence’s passing game with returning receivers Ekow Boye-Doe and Jalen Dudley, but senior running back Hunter Krom stole the show in the opener with 334 rushing yards and three scores. It appears to be a single-game record for at least the last 20 years.


Free State’s football team recovered from a quick safety to roll past Shawnee Mission West, 56-9. The Firebirds’ defense already looked in midseason form, stuffing the run and forcing SMW’s quarterback to run everywhere to escape pass rushes.


The Firebirds knew their defense would be their strength at the beginning of the season and it didn’t disappoint. The defense’s dominance only allowed the offense to find a rhythm with short fields, flipping a slow start into a blowout.


Offensively, the Firebirds displayed a nice balance on the ground and through the air. Quarterbacks Gage Foster and Jordan Preston both threw at least one touchdown and the Firebirds had success running the ball behind their big offensive line.


Now for a look ahead to next week:


Lawrence High at Shawnee Mission North on Thursday at 7 p.m. — The last time these two teams squared off, the Indians ended the Lions’ season in the second round of the playoffs. SM North, replacing four-year starting QB Will Schneider, suffered a 22-19 loss to SM South.


Shawnee Mission South at Free State on Friday at 7 p.m. — The Raiders (1-0) snapped a nine-game losing streak with their 22-19 win over SM North. Third-year coach Brett Oberzan, a former FSHS assistant coach, watched his team take an early two-score lead, which included a touchdown catch by tight end Austin Connor before halftime. Quarterback Jack Roberts added a running score.

Gage Foster, of Free State, got some open space for yards against Shawnee Mission West during the first quarter on Friday, Sept. 1, 2017 at Shawnee Mission South District Stadium.

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If you’re new to the blog, we’re copying one of the popular features of KUsports.com, “Keegan’s Ratings,” where Sports Editor Tom Keegan ranks KU football and men’s basketball players after every game he attends. These individual rankings are just one person’s opinion, but it’s a good way to look at how each person impacted each game.

Lawrence High football

1. Hunter Krom sr. RB — A monstrous performance in his first start, Krom produced plenty of eye-popping statistics. His 334 rushing yards are the most in recent memory and possibly a single-game school record. Plus he had three touchdowns, including two that were longer than 70 yards. But my favorite stat from Thursday: Krom carried the ball 31 times and he was tackled in the backfield only once.


2. Ekow Boye-Doe, sr. WR/CB — On offense, he proved why he’s so dangerous when he took a short slant route for a 50-yard score, spinning past the only defender near him. Boye-Doe finished with five catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, he might have been even better. He held SMNW’s top receiver without a catch in the first half and made several tackles in open space.


3. Garrett Romero, jr. QB — When Romero was called upon last season, he never looked as comfortable as he did Thursday. Romero made smart throws and completed 7 of his 11 attempts for 110 yards and three touchdowns. His fade pass to Jalen Dudley for a touchdown in the third quarter was picture perfect.


4. Jakoby Masters, jr. SS — It seemed like every other defensive play, the public-address announcer was calling out “Jakoby Masters” for another tackle. Masters was flying around the field to make key stops. The 5-foot-10, 136-pound defensive back was rewarded for his speed, snagging an interception.


“He’s worked very hard in the weight room,” LHS coach Dirk Wedd said of Masters. “He’s one of those kids, we liked him last year, but he couldn’t get on the field. He didn’t pout. He just said, ‘Well I have to get bigger and faster,’ and that’s what he did.”


5. Jacob Mills, sr. C — The Lions averaged 7.96 yards per carry on the ground and Mills was a major reason why they had so much success. A returning starter, he set the tone with big blocks up the middle, creating wide running lanes for his running backs.


6. Nick Englebert, sr. LG — Along with Mills, another returning starter on the offensive line. Engelbert controlled the line of scrimmage against opposing defensive linemen, pushing them backward on nearly every run play.


7. Jalen Dudley, sr. WR — Dudley pulled down a 28-yard touchdown catch over a cornerback in the third quarter. He ended the game with two catches for 38 yards, plus he had at least one pass breakup in the secondary.


8. Deshon Lewis, so. CB — A 5-6, 128-pound cornerback, Lewis was targeted early and often by SMNW’s offense. He gave up some catches, but did a nice job making tackles immediately afterward. In his first varsity appearance, he avoided giving up big plays and never looked overmatched by the receivers he was guarding. Fellow sophomore defensive back Kendrick Hobson, who had an interception, had another strong night.


9. Caleb Mondi, jr. LB — In his first game starting at linebacker (after playing receiver last year), Mondi shined with his physicality. He delivered a couple of strong hits, broke up some pass plays in coverage and showed a good range running sideline to sideline alongside fellow linebacker Ja’Relle Dye.


10. Ross Brungardt, jr. K — Brungardt converted on all six extra points and did a nice job kicking off, but that’s not why he’s on this list. He had his 28-yard field goal attempt blocked in the fourth quarter, saw the ball scooped up by the Cougars, and made a touchdown-saving tackle. Very impressive play.


• Rankings from Bobby Nightengale

Free State football

1. David Johnson, sr. LB — Midway through the first quarter, Johnson sprinted down on kickoff coverage and blasted SM West’s returner with a big hit. On the next play, Johnson one-upped himself with another hard hit, which popped the helmet off the running back. Whether it was kickoffs or regular plays, Johnson set the tone with his hard hits.


2. Nathan Spain, sr. NT — Sometimes it’s hard for players in the trenches to stand out without watching film. Not the case for Spain on Friday. He made tackles around the line of scrimmaging, helping stop the Vikings’ rushing attack. Plus he added an interception in the second half with nice footwork to keep one foot inbounds.


3. Spencer Roe, sr. DT/RG — Starting on both sides of the ball, Roe made a major impact on defense. He registered a sack in the first quarter (whistled for a late hit when he took the quarterback to the ground) and appeared to recover a fumble. Roe added another tackle for a loss in the second half where he immediately let go of the running back when he heard the whistle, avoiding any chance of a second late hit penalty flag.


4. Jax Dineen, jr. RB/LB — On Free State’s second offensive possession, Dineen turned a 4th-and-8 into a 27-yard touchdown run bouncing off of defenders. Using his mix of speed and strength, Dineen finished with 70 yards and two scores on only eight carries. Defensively, he made a few tackles at linebacker.


5. Jake Rittman, sr. WR/K — Outran his cornerback and scored on a 37-yard pass over the middle in the first quarter, helping the Firebirds turn the game into a rout. Rittman added another 16-yard catch afterward. In addition to his contributions at receiver, he converted on all of his extra point attempts and did a nice job kicking off.


6. Keenan Garber, jr. DB/WR — Showcased his big-play ability with a 43-yard touchdown grab at the end of the first quarter. Garber made a nice adjustment on the ball, sliding in front of the cornerback next to him before running into the end zone. Defensively, he didn’t have many balls thrown in his direction, but he broke up a pass in the end zone on the first play of the second quarter.


7. Tanner Cobb, sr. WR — Finished with three catches for 49 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown in the third quarter. On his touchdown catch, Cobb displayed his speed by racing past defenders to the end zone on a screen pass and showed how dangerous he can be in space.


8. Bo Miller, sr. OLB — Not afraid to show his physicality, Miller was constantly around the ball. Miller registered a sack in the second quarter, chasing down SMW’s quarterback for an 11-yard loss. On offense, he had four carries for 18 yards.


9. Gage Foster, sr. QB/OLB — Foster only played in the first half before he was forced to exit because of a hamstring injury. In those two quarters, he displayed a nice touch on his throws at quarterback, tossing a two touchdowns. Starting on both sides of the ball, Foster provided his usual strength and speed on defense.


10. Jordan Preston, jr. QB — Entered in the second half and showed a strong command of the offense. Working with a big lead, he was efficient with a passing touchdown and rushing score. Preston ended the night completing 3 of his 4 passes for 66 yards.


• Rankings from Bobby Nightengale

photo by: Nick Krug

Lawrence High receiver Ekow Boye-Doe escapes Shawnee Mission Northwest defensive back Mark Addington as he runs for a touchdown during the first quarter on Thursday, Aug. 31, 2017 at Shawnee Mission North District Stadium.

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