photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High defender Tony Jacobsen tackles a Gardner-Edgerton ball carrier on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023.

The Lawrence High football team’s early composure unraveled in a 35-6 senior-night loss to undefeated Gardner Edgerton at home on Friday.

The Blazers (6-0) overcame early penalties to take a 21-0 lead by halftime and ran away with the game in the second half. LHS (4-2) grappled with Gardner Edgerton’s rushing attack, which featured 232 total yards on the ground mainly between senior Dylan Butash (58), senior Grant Ellis (55), and sophomore Syre Padilla (53).

Offensively, LHS could never match the highs of its first drive – which resulted in a red-zone turnover – and finished the night with just 211 yards of total offense, including 106 from junior quarterback Banks Bowen (8 of 20) through the air.

A seemingly strong start by the Lions, whose defense forced a three-and-out on Gardner Edgerton’s opening drive and raced into the red zone moments later, ended abruptly when Bowen looked for the end zone and was picked off by the Blazers’ senior defensive back Eli Porter.

Porter’s takeaway returned nearly 40 yards for the Blazers, setting up Bravin Powell and the Gardner Edgerton offense near midfield. Powell would eventually dash into the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown with 1:36 to go in the first quarter.

“I was proud of the effort and approach we took at the beginning of the game,” LHS head coach Clint Bowen said. “It was unfortunate that we throw the pick down there because at the start of the game, our kids came out and had a true belief they were going to be in this game and be in this fight from the beginning to the end.”

LHS seemed to find another spark when Bowen took off for a 9-yard run and netted 15 extra yards on an unsportsmanlike penalty called against the Blazers. But that momentum wasn’t enough, and the Lions punted away near midfield.

After a second consecutive stop, Gardner Edgerton found itself in prime scoring position again on a 17-yard carry by Padilla, which set up another short rushing touchdown for Powell with 9:15 left in the second quarter.

LHS sophomore receiver Jaxon Becker, who logged 60 yards on three receptions in the first half, made a 34-yard catch and run into fourth-down territory midway through the second quarter. But on fourth and 9 from the Blazers’ 14-yard line, Gardner Edgerton junior defensive back Jake Linden sacked Bowen for a loss and handed possession back to the Blazers late in the first half.

With 50 seconds before the half, Powell punched in his third rushing touchdown of the night on a 1-yard plunge over the LHS defensive line.

“They’re very physical,” Becker said of Gardner Edgerton’s defense. “They’re jamming you and trying to make you off-balance and stuff… we executed but we didn’t finish. I think we can go pretty far (still), as long as we stay focused on us and no one else.”

Opening the second half with possession, LHS went three-and-out on its first drive back out of the locker room. Gardner Edgerton responded quickly, leaping toward a four-score lead with a 12-yard touchdown run by senior running back Grant Ellis.

LHS found a rhythm on its next drive, working into the Blazers’ territory near the 40-yard line. The Lions benefited from a 15-yard facemask penalty and were able to scrape their way to first and goal and eventually score on a 1-yard touchdown squeeze by Bowen.

Before the third quarter ended, Ellis scored on a 34-yard run, and LHS entered the fourth quarter still trailing by four scores. The Lions got another shot inside the red zone but were held short of pay dirt on fourth down, and the Blazers reclaimed possession with just over 10 minutes remaining. They milked the rolling clock and mowed down the field and into the red zone before time expired.

After the game, senior offensive tackle and defensive end Kem Allen said LHS isn’t finished, yet.

“We’re not the kind of team that’s just going to throw in the towel,” Allen said. “You saw that today, even though the scoreboard didn’t reflect it. We’re still trying to make plays, still hustling no matter what the score said.”

LHS returns to action next week when they take on unbeaten Free State in the City Showdown at FSHS.

BOX SCORE:

Gardner Edgerton 7 14 14 0 – 35

Lawrence 0 0 6 0 – 6

GEHS | LHS

First downs 18 | 13

Rushing yards 232 | 105

Passing yards 96 | 106

Total offense 328 | 211

Fumbles lost 0 | 0

Interceptions 0 | 1

Penalties-yards 5-50 | 5-54

HOW THEY SCORED:

1Q:

1:36 – GEHS touchdown: Powell 6 run. Adrian kick is good. (GEHS 7, LHS 0)

2Q:

9:15 – GEHS touchdown: Powell 3 run. Adrian kick is good. (GEHS 14, LHS 0)

0:50 – GEHS touchdown: Powell 1 run. Adrian kick is good. (GEHS 21, LHS 0)

3Q:

9:06 – GEHS touchdown: Ellis 12 run. Adrian kick is good. (GEHS 28, LHS 0)

6:31 – LHS touchdown: Bowen 1 run. Lefort kick is no good. (GEHS 28, LHS 6)

4:42 – GEHS touchdown: Ellis 34 run. Adrian kick is good. (GEHS 35, LHS 6)

INDIVIDUAL STATS:

Rushing: GEHS – Butash 6-58; Ellis 3-55; Padilla 7-53; Snype 4-24; Martin 1-5; LHS – Paul 12-46, Jacobsen 4-26, Edwards 6-20, Bowen 6-13.

Passing: GEHS – Powell 6-9, 96; LHS – Bowen 8-20, 106.

Receiving: GEHS – Hawkinson 2-55, Martin 1-21, Singleton 3-20, Ellis 1-4; LHS – Becker 3-60, Paul 3-30, Mosiman 2-16.

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High defensive back Noah Richardson Tackles Gardner-Edgerton wide receiver Randy Singleton on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 in Lawrence.

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High’s Josh Galbreath stares down Gardner Edgerton quarterback Bravin Powell on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 in Lawrence.

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High cornerback Noah Richardson flies in to tackle Gardner-Edgerton running back Dylan Butash on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 in Lawrence.

photo by: Landon Cory/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High wide receiver Jaxon Becker catches a pass against Gardner-Edgerton High School on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 in Lawrence.