photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence freshman Joey Dooley looks to shoot a 3-pointer against Gardner Edgerton on the road on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Gardner — The Lawrence High School boys basketball team finished its regular season with a 74-57 road win over Gardner Edgerton, while the girls basketball team lost earlier in the evening, 73-59.

The girls basketball game was a back-and-forth battle until the Trailblazers pulled away in the second half. The Lions took an early 6-2 lead after sophomore Cami Nauholz scored the team’s first three points and junior Jada Baars added a 3-pointer. Nauholz scored twice, and senior Brynnae Johnson added a bucket to give the team a 12-9 lead with under 3 minutes left in the quarter.

The Trailblazers went on a quick run to take a 7-point lead. Nauholz ended the run with her fourth field goal of the quarter, and freshman Macyn Ramsay hit a 3-pointer to cut the Trailblazers’ lead to 2 points.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior Brynnae Johnson scans the court in a 73-59 loss at Gardner Edgerton on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Gardner Edgerton scored a 3 to start the second quarter, but senior Nyasia Ramos followed it up with the Lions’ third 3-pointer. Baars hit another 3 before the Trailblazers finished the half on a 7-0 run, which gave them a 34-24 lead at halftime.

Lawrence continued to make 3s to keep them in the game, including a second one from Ramsay at the start of the third quarter and one from freshman Jayla Colter a few possessions later. Even though the Lions were hitting shots, they couldn’t stop the Trailblazers from hitting an equal number of 3s.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence freshman Macyn Ramsay throws a pass to the paint in a 73-59 loss to Gardner Edgerton on the road on Friday, February 28, 2025.

Nauholz scored 5-straight points midway through the third quarter to cut the Trailblazer lead to eight points, which was the last time the Lions were less than 10 points behind.

The Trailblazers led by 14 entering the final quarter and went on a 16-4 run to solidify the game. The Lions finished hard with 10 straight points from some of the younger members of the team but ultimately fell short, losing by 14.

The Lions finished the girls basketball regular season 9-11 and are 13th in the 6A East behind Shawnee Mission East and ahead of Blue Valley.

The Lawrence boys basketball team entered the regular season finale with a six-game losing streak, but they were able to snap it with a 74-57 win at Gardner Edgerton.

“That felt amazing,” coach Nick Wood said. “We talked before the basketball game that we were guaranteed two opportunities. We needed to go out there and embrace this one. It would’ve been easy to pack it in, but it says a lot about their character and a lot about the type of program we’re building here (that they didn’t).”

The Trailblazers took an early lead midway through the first quarter and held it into the second quarter. Junior Eddie Roman Nose and freshman Joey Dooley scored to tie the game at 18 at the start of the quarter. The Trailblazers got ahead by two points before the Lions rattled off six-straight points to take the lead. Roman Nose finished the quarter with a 3 to keep the lead with the Lions at 28-25.

Dooley hit a 3 after senior Aden Ramirez hit two free throws at the start of the second half. The Lions held the Trailblazers to 11 points in the third quarter on four field goals. Lawrence added to their lead with a slight advantage in points from free throws.

In the final quarter, the Lions had one of their hottest shooting streaks of the season. Dooley started it with two free throws before hitting a 3. Ramirez hit two 3s, and senior Avery Johnson hit another 3 after Ramirez.

All of the Lions celebrated heavily with their teammates, from starters to the bench players. The energy they showed for each other was one of many bright spots in the win.

“That’s what we pride ourselves on — it’s about we, not I,” Wood said. “I think you saw that from us tonight. It wasn’t a matter of who made the play… it was ‘we made the play.’ They’re a dangerous group when they play that way, and it was a heck of a lot of fun to watch.”

After the Trailblazers converted an and-1 situation, Dooley finished through contact, and Ramirez followed him up with another 3. That brought the Lawrence lead to 14. Dooley hit another 3 after the Trailblazers hit one, and he scored his fifth triple late in the fourth. The Lions finished the quarter with 32 points, and Dooley finished the game with 25 points.

The Lions finished 6-14 and are 15th in the 6A East, ahead of Shawnee Mission North and behind Gardner Edgerton.