On paper, the Free State High boys soccer team is favored in tonight’s matchup with Lawrence High.

But, as both teams know, “on paper” means squat in a rivalry game.

The Firebirds (1-0) and the Lions (0-3) will meet at 7 tonight at the Youth Sports Inc. fields in the annual city showdown. A tape-delayed broadcast will be at 10:30 tonight on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

Last year, the Lions finished just 2-14-1, but the tie was a 1-all stalemate against the Firebirds, who finished 9-7-2.

Free State then ousted LHS in regionals, but a lesson was learned: A game with so much emotion is always up for grabs.

“We know this game brings out the best in Lawrence High,” Free State coach Jason Pendleton said. “The last two years, we’ve had some serious battles with them.”

In 2001, a 12-victory Firebird squad that went to the state quarterfinals owed one of its six losses to the Lions, who finished 6-11.

The Firebirds have had the most success the last few years, but it rarely has been at Lawrence’s expense.

“Hopefully we can replicate that again,” LHS co-coach David Platt said. “As a coach, you never have to pump them up for a game like this.”

This year’s teams feature impact finishers. Free State senior forward Joel Angelone scored a pair of goals in the Firebirds’ 3-0 victory over Olathe Northwest Thursday, and LHS counters with forward Ibrahim Bah, an athletic striker with two of the Lions’ three goals this season.

Angelone had 21 goals as a junior last year, including the lone goal in the tie with LHS.

This season, though, Angelone and the Firebirds have had just one game to lose the offseason rust.

“The Lions have an advantage in that this will be their fourth game and our second,” Pendleton said. “There’s still a lot of questions I have yet to answer about our team.”

After tonight’s showdown, the Lions take a week off before traveling to play Olathe East Tuesday. The Firebirds return to action Saturday at home against Topeka Hayden.