photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior Jaxon Becker embraces Tahj Edwards after the LHS running back scored a touchdown against Olathe North on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024, in Olathe.

The Lawrence High School football team (2-1) will host one of its most formidable opponents of the season at home on Friday.

The Gardner Edgerton Trailblazers are 3-0 and the defending 6A Kansas state champions. They have a potent offense built on a strong, old-school run game. While the Trailblazers have won 15 of their last 16 games, the Lions have a good shot at taking a home win.

Last year’s Gardner Edgerton defense was dominant in the state championship run. The defense had three shutouts and held five teams to less than seven points. The Trailblazers allowed 14 or more points four times a season ago. This year, the Trailblazers have allowed 27 points or more in all three games.

The Lions will need to be disciplined defensively. The Trailblazers utilize a wishbone formation, which includes a slew of different plays from similar looks. The Trailblazers can hand the ball to the fullback for a run up the middle, or call a counter with a running back, or a triple-option play.

“It is a rugby scrum-type game,” coach Clint Bowen said. “Stopping that, it’s being smart, it’s being option-sound, it’s being responsibility-sound. It’s on a play-action pass, getting your eyes on your guy after he hit you in the mouth three times.”

The Lions’ defensive line and linebackers must stay fundamentally sound and know who they are after in each situation.

“There’s no time to think,” Bowen said. “There’s no time to guess. If your key does this, you do that. And you do that over and over, and that one time you don’t, that’s when those offenses get you. It’s about your key, your reaction.”

The LHS offense will look to run the ball more than it did against Olathe North. In last week’s game, coach Clint Bowen said that the Olathe North defensive line and linebackers were able to make plays in the box without relying on safeties to play close to the line of scrimmage, which in turn made it more difficult for the passing game to make plays downfield.

Still, the Lions’ pass offense had a couple of magic plays against Olathe North that helped bring the team close to winning. Those kinds of plays aren’t what Bowen and the offense want to rely on, but it’s good to have, especially when playing a strong, well-coached team like Gardner Edgerton.

“Even the best pass protectors in the world in the NFL, on about 35% of drop back passes, the quarterback has to throw out of pocket or off-timing,” Bowen said. “Pass protection is hard. We want things to execute with space and timing all pretty, but it’s good to know that when things do go wrong, Banks (Bowen) has the ability to keep his eyes downfield and make some plays.”

Those plays aren’t called, but they sure are practiced. The Lions have found success in those moments because of the work done with receivers and the quarterback on scramble drill. Receivers know where to go when a play breaks down, and Banks Bowen knows where to find his guys. It has paid off so far, and it’s something that can be the difference maker in a game like Friday’s.

Clint Bowen said that his team didn’t take the week of practice last week seriously heading into their game against Olathe North, which contributed to the 42-34 loss. Bowen said that he’s stressed in practices that it comes down to the preparation, and that the team can only get on Fridays what they put into those practices. The loss was an eye-opening moment that the team can learn from in its attention to practice details.

“I think when you go to a game and your way doesn’t work and your guy on the other team wins that battle, it takes that to open your eyes a bit that everything you do has a consequence,” Bowen said. “Having lost that game, I think that might have opened their eyes a bit to that.”

The good news for LHS is that the Lions get a home crowd that can make an impact. On the road against Olathe North, there was a strong contingent of Lions in the visiting student section who were loud throughout the game. With a raucous crowd that helps the home team play better, the Lions can get back to their winning ways in a critical game.

“The kids look forward to that,” Bowen said. “The home game gets them a little more excitement. It’s fun for them. To be able to play in front of their friends and their families, it always means a little more.”

The game will start at 7 p.m. at Lawrence High School.