With huge game against SM West on the horizon, Lancers show they’re back on track

Junior Christian Blessen celebrated after catching a pass from Lancers quarterback Jordan Darling for a touchdown against SM Northwest Friday.

It may have taken a quarter or two, but the Lancers football team got back on the right track Friday, rebounding from a disappointing performance the previous week against Lawrence Free State.

And the timing couldn’t have been better.

With a 34-7 drubbing of SM Northwest at SM North Stadium, the Lancers appeared once again to be operating as a finely tuned machine on both offense and defense as they move into the heart of district play. Quarterback Jordan Darling and the Lancers offense seemed to get off to a slower-than-usual start in the first half, though a first-quarter Darling keeper and second-quarter touchdown pass to Christian Blessen gave them a 14-0 lead at halftime.

But two quick touchdowns in the third quarter showed the offense was again operating on all cylinders. The defense was consistently effective as well. The Cougars only score of the night came after SM East coach Chip Sherman had started subbing in second team players.

The win gives the Lancers a 1-0 record in district play as they prepare for a red-hot SM West in their second district contest next week — a game that Sunflower Football League blogger Eli Underwood says “could be the most hyped Shawnee Mission School District game of the last decade.”

SM West lit up SM North 58-0 on Friday, putting them at 6-1 on the season.

Darling spread out the passing attack against SM Northwest, targeting receivers like Blessing and Billy Sutherland who hadn’t seen many passes this season.

Lancer booster and Brian Libeer’s weekly recap video is below: