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

Lawrence sophomore Josh Galbreath returns a late fourth quarter kickoff for a touchdown against Dodge City on Friday, Oct. 27, 2023.

Returning to the field after a 7-3 season that included advancing to the second round of the 6A KSHSAA playoffs, the Lawrence High football team will start a new year with a home game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday at 7 p.m.

The Chesty Lions are bringing back a lot of talent from that seven-win team, and they are expecting a strong season.

On the other hand, the Lions’ first opponent of the season struggled last fall. The Raiders won one game and lost 49-20 to Olathe South in the 6A playoffs. Of the 10 Raiders who earned all-league honors last season, tight end Carter Cox and offensive lineman Logan Headley are the only two returning to the offense as honorable mentions. On defense, the Raiders bring back three all-league honorable mentions. Two are defensive backs — Adam Olson and Ja’mon Carpenter — and one is a defensive lineman, Sawyer Noyce.

Defensively, the Lions get after the quarterback. Linebacker Josh Galbreath, who plays both ways and is also one of the team’s top receivers, is a strong pass rusher. Defensive lineman Larney Finney impressed his coaches at the football jamboree with his consistent pressure in the middle. Coach Clint Bowen expects the defensive line to be able to rush the passer, although the group might struggle early in its run defense. An important emphasis in the first few games will be to see how the team can defend the run.

Bowen said that the Lions have players in the secondary that can make plays. If the defensive line can put pressure on the Raiders’ quarterback and force him to make a bad decision, then the back-end guys can make him pay. The overall athleticism of the defense will be a bonus for the team.

“On any given snap, Josh Galbreath can make an unbelievable play,” Bowen said. “On any given snap, (free safety) Jaylen Parks can make an unbelievable play. On any given snap, Ethan Curry can make an unbelievable play. That’s what it’s about.”

The Lions are returning their starting quarterback Banks Bowen, but the senior is a much different player than he was just one year ago. After breaking his hand as a sophomore, last year was the first time that Bowen fully committed to playing quarterback. There was a lot of good from his tape, but this year he will be challenged with more complexity and is working to be a truer pocket passer.

photo by: Mike Shaw/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High quarterback Banks Bowen makes a pass during the game against Shawnee Mission West in Overland Park on Friday, Oct. 20, 2023.

“This past summer I was just on the field every day, and I’ve only been playing quarterback, I’ve only been training for quarterback,” Bowen said. “I think I can throw it better, instead of just being an athlete. I can truly play the position and be the quarterback this team needs.”

To accompany a better passing attack, the Lions have two wide receivers who proved over the offseason to be reliable. In the preseason jamboree, the first two throws were designed to get junior Jaxon Becker the ball, and one of the best plays that Bowen made on a throw was when he rolled out, kept his eyes downfield and found Galbreath for what would be a first down in a real game situation.

Galbreath said that he and Bowen are friends off the field, which helps their chemistry. In a moment where Bowen might scramble out of the pocket, Galbreath knows what his quarterback is thinking.

In those situations where Bowen might have run last year, this year he will keep his eyes downfield for an opportunity to throw. To Bowen, spreading out the defense with the pass game is critical for the season.

Clint Bowen said that one of the ways to open up the defense is with the Lions’ run game. Establishing the run game early will be critical to force the defense to put more defenders in the box, which would allow the pass game to flourish. Starting the game early with a strong run attack will be key in each game, and particularly in the team’s first regular-season outing. While a lot of that falls on the team’s running backs, Bowen called the team’s offensive line heroes for a reason: They’ll be the reason the Lions can or cannot accomplish their goals offensively.

“We’re a big O-line, we’re a physical O-line,” Bowen said. “We have a chance to be a team that can truly do both. We can run the ball effectively, we can throw the ball effectively if those guys continue to develop in the way they have.”

A lot can be discerned from practices, but the Lions will really figure out who they are as a team once the lights are on and they’re in the game. Friday will be the first test for what the team expects to be a big year with a longer playoff push than in the past few seasons.