Lawrence High receivers Sam Sedo (12) and Baylor Bowen celebrate a touchdown by Sedo against Shawnee Mission West during the first quarter on Friday, Sept. 17, 2021 at Lawrence High School. (Photo by Nick Krug/Special to the Journal-World)

Lawrence High caught steam early Friday night against Shawnee Mission West, and strolled to a 35-7 victory in the second half.

The Lions (3-0) posted 280 yards of total offense, including 158 yards through the air during their second home game of the year.

“They’re starting to bond a little bit better,” LHS head coach Clint Bowen said. “They’re starting to get a little bit of that team feeling about it, you’re starting to see them kind of respond once you get this little adversity.”

LHS opened the evening with a 32-yard touchdown pass from senior Truman Juelsgaard to junior Sam Sedo, jumping out in front with a 7-0 lead.

The following drive didn’t hold the same luck for the Lions, as the SMW defense kept LHS from crossing the 30-yard line and forced a fumble while sacking Juelsgaard.

Holding off the Vikings’ second drive, a major tackle from junior linebacker Kenton Simmons forced a turnover on downs to keep SMW out of LHS territory.

“We keep emphasizing our gap integrity and the players are doing that,” Bowen said. “They’re buying into it, we’re playing a little better fundamentals, guys are jumping the ball up front.”

Carrying some momentum into the second quarter off a pair of stops, LHS was knocking on the door again. Another fumble would make a quick scare for the Lions, until Juelsgaard found senior Baylor Bowen in the left-corner of the end zone for a 15-yard score.

Now holding a double-digit lead, LHS was greeted with a SMW quarterback change, from Keith Gravely to Mehki Knight. Lions junior defensive end Lance Bassett kept Knight’s first drive short, logging a third-down sack.

Bowen has been watching his defense grow since Week 1 and is starting to see the repetition of locking in pay off.

“I didn’t think our tackling was as clean as I wanted it to be tonight,” Bowen said. “But we continue to get more and more installed in our defensive package. That’s coming along good. The kids are buying in and learning.”

A quick three-and-out forced an LHS punt situation, which went awry. A high snap placed SMW in prime scoring position with just over a minute left in the half.

SMW set up a quick field goal try before the end of the half, but it got blocked by sophomore tackle Kem Allen, and the Vikings were scoreless heading into the locker room.

Keeping SMW off the scoreboard on the first drive of the second half, LHS followed up its stop with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Juelsgaard to senior Kivryn Heck, pushing the Lions’ lead to 28-0.

Showing a spark of life midway through the third quarter, SMW picked off LHS sophomore quarterback Tyson Grammer on his first drive of the game.

Despite the 51-yard pickup for the Vikings, SMW QB Knight’s completed pass got fumbled after a near TD. Senior linebacker Evan Bannister recovered the ball for LHS.

Any chance of an SMW comeback dissolved early in the fourth quarter, as the visitors gave up a punt return touchdown to LHS returner Zeric Avery. The special teams score increased the Lions’ lead to 35-0.

Avery shared his thoughts on the return, as well as facing a tough defender in Cortez Valesco.

“We practiced for him,” he said. “He’s tough and he saw me running. I hit him with a little stiff arm and got in the crib. Just hit the pedal.”

Midway through the fourth quarter, SMW worked its way into Lions territory off a 50-yard rush from sophomore Noah Gunion. Two carries later, junior Demarion Horton took off for a 22-yard touchdown rush, putting the Vikings on the board with 7:33 to play.

Working the clock down on offense, Grammer threw a high pass that would be picked off with 2:45 to go. A hard third-down stop from junior defensive end Tucker Corbin sealed off the Vikings’ final drive, making an LHS win official.

SCORECARD:

Shawnee Mission West 0 0 0 7 – 7

Lawrence High 7 14 7 7 – 35

HOW THEY SCORED:

1st Quarter:

10:30 – LHS touchdown: Sedo 32 pass from Juelsgaard. Glasgow kick is good. (SMW 0, LHS 7)

2nd Quarter:

10:21 – LHS touchdown: Bowen 15 pass from Juelsgaard. Glasgow kick is good. (SMW 0, LHS 14)

6:16 – LHS touchdown: Juelsgaard 5 run. Glasgow kick is good. (SMW 0, LHS 21)

3rd Quarter:

8:57 – LHS touchdown: Heck 21 pass from Juelsgaard. Glasgow kick is good. (SMW 0, LHS 28)

4th Quarter:

10:05 – LHS touchdown: Avery 50 punt return. Glasgow kick is good. (SMW 0, LHS 35)

7:33 – SM West touchdown: Horton 22 run. Daniels kick is good. (SMW 7, LHS 35)

STATS:

Shawnee Mission West | Lawrence High

LHS | SMW

First downs 10 | 3

Rushing yards 122 | 116

Passing yards 158 | 15

Total-offense 280 | 131

Fumbles-lost 1 | 1

Interceptions 2 | 1

Penalties-yards 20 | 15

Individuals Statistics:

Rushing:

LHS: Brayden Heck 16-89, Tony Jacobsen 6-21, Avion Nelson 3-8, Truman Juelsgaard 3-4, Tyson Grammer 1-(-1)

SMW: Damarion Horton 5-29, Michael Reeves 7-17, Noah Gunion 7-54, Levia Lopez 1-3

Passing:

LHS: Truman Juelsgaard 7-8, 139, Tyson Grammer 1-6, 19

SMW: Keith Gravely 3-4, 10, Mehki Knight 1-2, 5

Receiving:

LHS: Baylor Bowen 4-98, Sam Sedo 2-35, Kivryn Heck 1-21, Brayden Heck 1-4

SMW: Ed Storey 1-1, Logan White 3-14