photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior linebacker Max Hidalgo tackles an Olathe Northwest offensive player during Lawrence High’s Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

Lawrence fell short on homecoming night, allowing 25 unanswered points in a 35-28 loss to Olathe Northwest on Friday.

A pick-6 with under a minute left in the second quarter gave Lawrence a 28-10 lead and all the momentum, but the Lions couldn’t stop the Ravens’ run game in the second half and allowed three touchdowns and a field goal to go unanswered.

The Lions got the ball to start the game but didn’t get too far, punting on fourth-and-7 from the 50-yard line. The Ravens didn’t do too much on their first drive, which ended in a punt on their side of the field. The punt, however, did a lot to flip the field. Quarterback Brody Comfort’s pooch punt dropped inside the 10 and rolled to the half-yard line.

Lawrence didn’t let the field position affect them at all. Senior running back Ethan Curry had a 2-yard run to give the team some breathing room, then took the next carry 80 yards to the Olathe Northwest 17-yard line. Junior quarterback Joey Dooley took the ball the final 17 yards on a touchdown run, ending the three-play, 99-yard drive in the end zone.

Olathe Northwest moved the ball better on its second drive, getting to the 15-yard line before ultimately stalling and settling for a field goal. Lawrence didn’t get far on its drive following the field goal as the pass offense went cold.

The Lawrence defense made up for its offense with a forced fumble that was recovered by junior cornerback Truth Pope in Raven territory. Sophomore running back Acein Goodman ran through some tackles and dragged a couple of defenders into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown run to give the Lions a two-score lead in the second quarter.

The Ravens responded with their first touchdown of the night on a rollout run from Comfort. Olathe Northwest had a lot of offensive success with Comfort moving to the edges either as a runner or when throwing the football.

Senior receiver Aaden Chee got the Lions in a good starting position to respond with a kick return to the Ravens’ 45-yard line. The Lions picked up a couple of first downs and finished the drive when senior receiver Caleb Wingerd was wide open at the goal line for a 23-yard touchdown pass.

Lawrence piled on with a pick-6, when Curry intercepted Comfort’s pass at the Lawrence 38-yard line and weaved through traffic to get all the way into the end zone.

The Ravens drove into field goal range in the final 44 seconds and hit the 32-yarder to make it a 28-13 Lawrence lead heading into halftime.

Olathe Northwest got the ball to start the second half but didn’t get far. On a fourth-and-1, Comfort’s pass was tipped and nearly intercepted by Wingerd. The Lions started with a 12-yard run from senior running back Kayden Pitts but stalled soon after and punted.

The Ravens stuck to the ground game and pounded the rock, taking up the rest of the third quarter on the drive. After getting in the red zone, it took two plays for running back Noah Harrell to get into the end zone to cut Lawrence’s lead down to eight.

More disaster followed for Lawrence as a fumble on third-and-2 on the wrong side of the field gave the Ravens momentum and a chance to tie the game. On a fourth-and-1, Comfort rolled to his right and looked like he was about to run for the first when he threw to the back of the end zone for a touchdown. The 2-point conversion was successful, which tied the game at 28 with a little over 10 minutes left.

Lawrence drove down the field and took up six minutes on its drive but ultimately stalled just outside of the red zone with less than five minutes left. An incomplete pass on fourth down gave the Ravens the ball back, and they made the Lions pay.

The Ravens ran the ball with Harrell deep in their own territory on fourth-and-2 and converted. Comfort later paid off the gutsy call with a 51-yard scramble for a touchdown, giving them their first lead of the night.

Lawrence moved the ball through the air, but a few incompletions set up a fourth-and-4 at the Olathe Northwest 40. A holding call brought the Lions back 10 more yards, and Dooley was intercepted on a pass to Curry.

The Ravens took a knee and got the win, putting Lawrence at 4-2 on the season ahead of its road game against Shawnee Mission Northwest at 7 p.m.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior Ethan Curry finds space through the tackles for a successful fourth-down play against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley swerves around defensive players to carry the ball against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley looks for a path to carry the ball during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence sophomore Acein Goodman runs around Olathe Northwest players to score a touchdown on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Lawrence.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley searches for a teammate to throw the ball to during Lawrence High’s game against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High School faces Olathe Northwest for its annual Homecoming game on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior wide receiver Caleb Wingerd celebrates junior quarterback Joey Dooley for scoring the first touchdown against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley celebrates a touchdown against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley yells to celebrate scoring the first touchdown against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley dodges an Olathe Northwest defensive player and goes on to score the first touchdown of the game on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence junior quarterback Joey Dooley runs the ball down through Olathe Northwest defensive players to score a touchdown on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior Ethan Curry celebrates after a successful play against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior Ethan Curry and junior Truth Pope celebrate after a long run down field against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior wide receiver Ethan Curry catches and carries the ball down the field during Lawrence High School’s game against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence senior Alex Bart and senior Timetrius Sessions take down an Olathe Northwest ball carrier on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High School students clap and cheer when the football team takes the field during their pink-out Homecoming game against Olathe Northwest on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.

photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence High School alumni cheer for the football team to start the game against Olathe Northwest during their Homecoming football game on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, in Lawrence.