photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence sophomore Lincoln Beck touches the ball in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

Topeka — The Lawrence boys soccer team started the season with a 4-1 road win over Topeka on Tuesday, with senior striker Patrick Sandefur securing a hat trick.

The Lions left a few chances on the field in the first half as the team dealt with some first-game miscommunications.

“We had so many opportunities to score throughout this entire match and we couldn’t finish,” Lawrence coach Joe Comparato said. “Finally, toward the end, we were starting to get things in the net. They played about how I expected them to in the first game. No matter how hard we train, nothing is like game speed.”

Still, while the Lions weren’t scoring, they controlled the game in the midfield. Comparato said the team’s midfield success starts with senior Indigo Comfort and junior Jasper Piepergerdes. The Lions forced the Trojans to stop moving the offense through the middle of the field and instead attempt to get the ball over and behind the Lawrence defense.

“Jasper and Indigo have been playing varsity ball since they were freshmen,” Comparato said. “This was nothing new to them in the middle. When you have that composure in the midfield, that’s what happens. They have a lot of control out there.”

There were no goals for the first 40 minutes, and Comparato went to his team at halftime with a message of patience. While the team wasn’t finishing goals, Comparato stressed letting plays develop instead of pressing to make plays.

The Trojans scored first with less than 27 minutes in the game. Lawrence senior goalkeeper Murphy Nowak batted the ball away while backpedaling and preventing a breakaway goal, but the Trojans scored on a penalty kick seconds after the block.

Topeka’s lead didn’t hold for long. Sandefur scored on a rebound of junior Oscar Paden’s blocked shot only three minutes after Topeka’s goal. Another three minutes later, Sandefur scored his second goal on a header that bounced above Topeka’s goalkeeper.

Lawrence scored twice more with seven minutes left in the game. Sandefur secured his hat trick with a shot that popped over the defenders’ heads, and Paden scored the final goal after a shot and a rebound were blocked. Paden’s goal came 30 seconds after Sandefur’s third.

With a three-goal lead, the Lions continued to control the pace with the midfield and prevented much of an offensive comeback for Topeka. Nowak had to step up with a few key saves, but the Lawrence defense held strong for the most part.

Starting the year with a win was important for the Lions, as they try to build as much momentum as possible early on to head into the Sunflower League conference games confidently. Despite a slow start, the Lions built some of that confidence with the team’s second-half effort.

“You have to get momentum going into those games and have the confidence that you can go out and compete,” Comparato said. “Once they have that confidence, then it really doesn’t matter who they face. If they’re comfortable on the ball, if they know where their teammates are at, then we’re going to be dangerous to a lot of groups this year.”

Lawrence hosts De Soto on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

The Lawrence boys soccer team huddles together before their 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior Indigo Comfort, left, heads the ball to freshman Joseph Catlin in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence junior Quirin Kaempf runs to the ball in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior Jonah Stutler dribbles the ball upfield in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence junior Oscar Paden, left, and Patrick Sandefur work to take the ball away in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence senior Jonah Stutler runs up to take possession of the ball in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence junior Oscar Paden dribbles the ball around midfield in a 4-1 win over Topeka at Hummer Sports Park in Topeka on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025.