It seems so simple, the philosophy guiding Highland’s Jason Lawrence.

The senior running back said it so casually, it was hard to find any reason to doubt his words.

“You’ve just got to believe in yourself,” he said.

That confidence helped the 5-foot-9, 175-pound Lawrence rack up 115 all-purpose yards and score a touchdown on Friday night.

But it was a play he made on the other side of the ball that sealed Highland’s 27-23 win at home against Griffith in the season opener.

The Panthers nearly stole the game late, scoring a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to cut into Highland’s 27-10 lead. Junior running back Jaxon Lawson did most of that damage, finishing with 168 all-purpose yards and all three Griffith TDs.

But the Panthers’ final Hail Mary attempt was intercepted by Lawrence to end the game and calm the fraying nerves of Highland coach Pete Koulianos.

“You have to Griffith credit. Those kids battled,” Koulianos said. “It seemed like every time we pulled ahead, they made a play to get back into it. Those last two minutes were pretty tense.”

Lawrence and the rest of the offense put the Trojans in a position to weather that Griffith comeback. Lawrence scored on 50-yard run on Highland’s first possession, navigating through the middle of the Panthers defense before breaking away for the TD. It was indicative of the skill set that gives Koulianos so much confidence in Lawrence.

“He’s a playmaker, and he’s very elusive,” Koulianos said. “That’s one thing that sometimes gets underestimated with him, is his elusiveness. He has the ability to find a gap and get into it.”

Lawrence’s numbers would’ve been even more impressive if not for a penalty that nullified his kickoff return for a TD at the beginning of the second half. Lawrence said he couldn’t find the energy to get mad about that, though.

“I was so out of breath,” he said with a laugh.

But Lawrence is confident even in short-yardage situations. On the opening drive of the second half, with Highland facing a crucial fourth-and-4 at Griffith’s 14-yard line, Koulianos called for a pass to Lawrence out of the backfield. Lawrence picked up 9 yards on that play, extending a drive that ended with a TD two plays later.

Lawrence said he had no doubts.

“We’d watched a lot of film, so we knew it was going to be wide open,” he said.

Highland senior quarterback Blake Vanek doesn’t lack confidence in Lawrence either. They have been teammates since their freshman season.

“I know Jason’s going to make the play every time he touches the ball,” Vanek said. “I don’t think that play could’ve been designed any better. All I had to do was get the ball to Jason, and he made a great play.”

Lawrence’s junior season was cut short when he suffered a dislocated right elbow on a punt return in the regular-season finale against Kankakee Valley. He was the team’s leading rusher with 376 yards and five TDs, numbers he should eclipse this season after rushing for 106 yards on 21 carries against Griffith.

Lawrence isn’t Highland’s only offensive weapon. Vanek rushed for 77 yards, and senior running back Joshua Hubbard added 40 yards and two TDs.

“It makes me feel confident in our team,” Lawrence said. “Seeing Blake scrambling all over the yard and seeing Josh pounding the ball on the inside, that feels great.”

Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.