photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High quarterback Banks Bowen runs the ball against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

The Lawrence High football team rolled over Wichita Heights 48-13 in Round 1 of the Class 6A state playoffs on Friday night at LHS.

Once again, the seventh-seeded Lions (6-3) rotated junior Tyson Grammer and sophomore Banks Bowen at quarterback, and those two combined to lead the Lions to 490 yards of total offense, including 290 on the ground, against the 10th-seeded Falcons. The teams traded scores early, but the Lions took a two-score lead at halftime and never looked back.

LHS coach Clint Bowen complimented his offensive line, which opened holes for senior running backs Tyrell Reed and Brayden Heck to gain more than 250 yards.

“We challenged our offensive line and our tight ends and our tailbacks,” Bowen said. “This was a game that we wanted to run the football, we wanted to control the clock, and wanted to keep their two really good players — D.J. Dingle and John Randle (Jr.) — off the field. We told them we have to run the ball tonight to be successful, and those kids accepted the challenge. I thought our offensive line went out there and just dominated from beginning to end.”

Deferring on the opening kickoff, LHS scored first on an 11-yard touchdown run by Banks Bowen a few minutes into the game. Wichita Heights answered on the opening play of its second drive with a 69-yard touchdown run by senior running back Randle.

LHS regained the lead, 14-7, on a 46-yard touchdown run by Reed midway through the first quarter. Another empty drive by Heights led to another LHS score — again by Reed on the ground — and the Lions followed that up with a critical third-down connection between Banks Bowen and senior receiver Cole Watson to send LHS further ahead, 21-7.

Randle carried in his second score of the night, a 22-yard touchdown run, midway through the second quarter to cut the LHS lead to 21-13 after a missed extra point. But with 49 seconds left in the half, LHS tacked on another touchdown when Grammer found senior receiver Dominic Ostronic in the right corner of the end zone.

“It was a beautiful toss,” Ostronic said. “It was right on the spot, and I couldn’t ask for a better quarterback.”

Down 27-13 with little time left in the first half, the Falcons fought their way up to the LHS 37-yard line behind consecutive first downs by senior quarterback Dingle. However, LHS senior defensive end Lance Bassett stopped the drive cold on third down when he sacked Dingle for a 14-yard loss to prevent Wichita Heights from scoring before the break.

Bassett said tracking down Dingle was a tough job. The senior read the final play of the first half perfectly.

“I knew they were going to pass,” Bassett said. “I was on the edge and I got to the shoulder and ripped off of him. Then I came out the backside, he ran away and I traced him down.”

The Lions came out of the locker room playing up-tempo all the way to the Heights 4-yard line. Another short-yardage score by Reed added to the LHS lead to begin the second half, and the Lions cruised from there.

A late fourth-down conversion by Reed set up another LHS score late in the third quarter, this one by Brayden Heck on an 8-yard touchdown run. Ahead 41-13, the Lions’ offense slowed in the fourth quarter, and they punted for the first time in the second half with 7:40 remaining in the game.

Heck tacked on another short-yardage score for LHS with 1:12 remaining, dealing the final blow to the Falcons and moving the Lions into the second round.

LHS will travel south next week to challenge No. 2 seed Derby in Round 2. The Panthers have knocked the Lions out of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, and Clint Bowen said he expected them to put up a fight this year, too.

“They want to win just as bad as we do,” Clint Bowen said. “During the week, we have to find the edge, wherever that may be — offense, defense, or the kicking game. When you get an opportunity to make a play, we have to execute at Derby to win games. Someone’s got to make plays and step up.”

GAME STATS:

Lawrence High 14 13 14 7 – 48

Wichita Heights 7 6 0 0 – 13

HOW THEY SCORED:

1Q:

7:34 – LHS touchdown: Bowen 11 run. Kirk kick is good. (LHS 7, W-Heights 0)

7:18 – W-Heights touchdown: Randle 69 run. Valdez kick is good. (LHS 7, W-Heights 7)

5:09 – LHS touchdown: Reed 46 run. Kirk kick is good. (LHS 14, W-Heights 7)

2Q:

10:23 – LHS touchdown: Reed 2 run. Kirk kick is good. (LHS 21, W-Heights 7)

6:46 – W-Heights touchdown: Randle 22 run. Valdez kick is good. (LHS 21, W-Heights 13)

0:49 – LHS touchdown: Ostronic 31 pass from Grammer. Kirk kick is no good. (LHS 27, W-Heights 13)

3Q:

9:03 – LHS touchdown: Reed 4 run. Kirk kick is good. (LHS 34, W-Heights 13)

1:41 – LHS touchdown: Heck 8 run. Kirk kick is good. (LHS 41, W-Heights 13)

4Q:

1:13 – LHS touchdown: Heck 3 run. Kirk kick is good. (LHS 48, W-Heights 13)

LHS | Wichita Heights

First downs 17 | 7

Rushing yards 290 | 223

Passing yards 100 | 12

Total-offense 390 | 235

Fumbles-lost 0 | 0

Interceptions 0 | 1

Penalty yards 25 | 20

INDIVIDUAL STATS:

Passing: LHS – Banks Bowen 3-8, 69, Tyson Grammer 1-3, 31; W-Heights – D.J. Dingle 1-9, 12.

Rushing: LHS – Tyrell Reed 15-155, Brayden Heck 21-102, Banks Bowen 5-33; W-Heights – Jon Randle Jr. 12-133, D.J. Dingle 9-84, Cale Milleson 2-6.

Receiving: LHS – Cole Watson 1-45, Dominic Ostronic 1-16, Jaydon Brittingham 1-8; W-Heights – Oscar Garcia 1-12 Avante Scales 1-8.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High senior running back Tyrell Reed spins past the defender during the game against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High coach Clint Bowen observes his team against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High blocks a field goal during the game against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High’s Tucker Corbin roars toward the LHS sideline following a blocked field goal during the game against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High coach Clint Bowen talks to his team during a time out against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High junior quarterback Tyson Grammer throws the ball against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High senior wide receiver Dominic Ostronic catches a pass for a touchdown against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High senior defensive end Lance Bassett sacks the Wichita Heights quarterback on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.

photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High sophomore Banks Bowen intercepts the ball against Wichita Heights on Friday, Oct. 28, 2022.