photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High senior Tony Jacobsen returns a first quarter kickoff against Olathe West in Lawrence Friday, Sept. 8th, 2023.

It took a couple of reps, but the Lawrence High football team recovered from a 14-0 hole and rolled to a 49-14 victory over Olathe West in Friday night’s home opener.

Leaning on multiple defensive playmakers and senior tailback Tony Jacobsen, LHS (2-0) outpaced the Owls (0-2) throughout the second half with 28 unanswered points. The Lions finished the night with 426 yards worth of offense, including 97 from Jacobsen on the ground.

The Lions’ offense couldn’t seem to get its wheels spinning right away, drawing blanks on both of their two opening drives throughout the first quarter.

O-West, however, moved quickly behind freshman quarterback Cameron Kruse, who found junior wideout Mason Barnard for an 8-yard TD pass midway through the first quarter. Kruse found the endzone again early in the second quarter on a short-yardage TD run, capitalizing on a 56-yard kickoff return by senior returner Dylan Velasco.

“There’s nothing scarier than an 0-2 team early in the year when everyone’s hyped up,” LHS head coach Clint Bowen said. “When you meet a team with their back in the corner, it’s always a dangerous team. I’m proud that we came out and found a way to win.”

Down 14-0 with 10:26 to play in the half, LHS delivered its first answer on the next drive – a 27-yard touchdown pass from Banks Bowen to junior wide receiver Gabe Wingerd. Faced with a tough 4th and 4 on their next possession, the Lions persevered with an 11-yard dash by Bowen up to the goal line, setting up an easy TD punch for senior Malcolm Paul.

LHS senior safety Zander Thomas then picked off Kruse for a whopping 68-yard interception return that resulted in a 7-yard TD run by Bowen, sending LHS up 21-14 shortly before halftime.

With 2:36 worth of second-quarter clock left on the board, the Lions’ defense came up huge. Sophomores Josh Galbreath and Kavon Price came together to shut down a last-minute throw by Kruse on 4th and 10 to end the half.

LHS opened the second half with the spotlight turned on. After forcing a stop on the opening drive, the Lions scored right away on their first drive when Jacobsen took a handoff 80 yards to the house, handing LHS a two-score lead with 8:06 to go in the third quarter.

Now, the Lions’ defense wanted in on the action. Bringing the pressure on fourth down, Galbreath blocked a punt by Kruse on the next drive and LHS sophomore defensive end Devin Foster quickly recovered the loose ball, taking it 25 yards for another score.

Breaking down the sequence, Galbreath said the defense saw that block coming from a mile away.

“Coach Bowen told me, ‘Josh, you’re going to block this punt, you’ve been watching it on film all day,'” Galbreath said.

Up 35-14 midway through the third quarter, LHS checked in another score courtesy of sophomore tailback Tajh Edwards on an 11-yard blast.

LHS entered the final quarter leading 42-14 on the heels of a special teams takeaway – a squib kick on the corresponding kickoff, which bounced off an O-West blocker and ended up in Wingerd’s hands as the third quarter expired.

Thomas picked off Kruse for a second time with just under nine minutes left, handing LHS possession with a chance at some late insurance. Behind a series of short runs by Edwards, the Lions put the game away with a 1-yard floater pass from Bowen to senior wideout Mason Mosiman with just under three minutes left on the clock.

LHS (2-0) hosts Shawnee Mission East (0-2) next Friday at 7 p.m.

GAME STATS

Olathe West 7 7 0 0

Lawrence 0 21 21 7 – 49

O-West | LHS

First downs 12 | 13

Rushing yards 102 | 282

Passing yards 81 | 144

Total offense 183 | 426

Fumbles lost 1 | 0

Interceptions 2 | 0

Penalties-yards 0-0 | 4-35

HOW THEY SCORED

1Q:

5:46 – O-West touchdown: Barnard 8 pass from Kruse. Kurth kick is good. (O-West 7, LHS 0)

2Q:

10:26 – O-West touchdown: Kruse 1 run. Kurth kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 0)

8:33 – LHS touchdown: Wingerd 27 pass from Bowen. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 7)

3:43 – LHS touchdown: Paul 1 run. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 14)

2:36 – LHS touchdown: Bowen 7 run. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 21)

3Q:

8:06 – LHS touchdown: Jacobsen 80 run. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 28)

7:05 – LHS touchdown: Foster 25 fumble return. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 35)

1:08 – LHS touchdown: Edwards 11 run. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 42)

4Q:

2:45 – LHS touchdown: Mosiman 1 pass from Bowen. Lefort kick is good. (O-West 14, LHS 49)

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Rushing: OW – Galvin-Funk 11-31; Hakim 2-10; Foland 9-43; Gillam 2-10. LHS – Bowen 14-102; Jacobsen 10-97; Edwards 9-56; Paul 7-27.

Passing: OW – Kruse 6-21, 81. LHS – Bowen 10-18, 144.

Receiving: OW – Gillam 1-37; 2-17; Barnard 2-15; 1-12. LHS – Wingerd 4-89; Becker 4-38; Jacobsen 1-15; Mosiman 1-2.

photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High quarterback Banks Bowen attempts a first quarter pass against Olathe West in Lawrence on Sept. 8, 2023.

photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High senior Tony Jacobsen returns a first quarter kickoff against Olathe West in Lawrence Friday, Sept. 8th, 2023.

photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High linebacker Jah’ir Johnson stares down the quarterback in a matchup against Olathe West in Lawrence on Friday, September 8th, 2023.

photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World photo

Lawrence quarterback Banks Bowen runs past a defender in the first quarter against Olathe West in Lawrence on Friday, Sept. 8th, 2023.

photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World

Sophomore receiver Jaxon Becker from Lawrence High stiff-arms a defender in a game against Olathe West in Lawrence on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023.

photo by: Landon Cory/Journal-World photo

Lawrence High’s Zander Thomas returns a late second quarter interception against Olathe West in Lawrence on Friday, Sept 8th, 2023.