LUCAS — Andrew Smollen and the rest of the Lucas offense gave Warren JFK something to think about in the run-up to Friday’s 7 p.m. Division VII, Region 25 championship game at Warren’s Mollenkopf Stadium.

The Cubs aren’t afraid to air it out.

Known for its punishing and methodical ground game, Lucas relied on the right arm of Smollen in last week’s 27-14 win over McDonald in the regional semifinals at Bob Wine Field.

The sophomore quarterback completed six of 10 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns, including the back-breaking 49-yarder to Connor Harper just before halftime to give Lucas a 21-7 lead.

“Teams aren’t expecting us to throw on them, so when we throw a long pass for a touchdown, it’s kind of heartbreaking,” Smollen said afterward. “They’re used to Lucas going three yards a play and going right down your throat — and we got a touchdown on one play. I think it was heartbreaking for them.

“They were packing the box and we have really good athletes. It started with the offensive line. They gave me plenty of time and I just got (our guys) the ball and they did the rest.”

Smollen threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ethan Sauder earlier in the second quarter to give Lucas a 14-7 lead. Sauder iced it with a nifty 29-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to spot the Cubs to a 27-7 advantage.

While the second-seeded Cubs (7-2) had little trouble in dispatching McDonald, top-seeded JFK had its hands full with Dalton in a 28-18 win that was closer than the final score indicated.

Dalton led 12-7 with less than two minutes remaining in the first half and was driving, but an interception by JFK’s Eddie Kiernan led to a 34-yard Jesse Likens touchdown run and a 14-12 halftime lead.

The Eagles scored on their first possession of the third quarter to take a 21-12 advantage and, after another Dalton turnover, took a 28-12 lead on a short touchdown run by Cam Hollobaugh. Hollobaugh and Likens each rushed for more than 100 yards for the Eagles.

“We kept our composure and we handled adversity well,” Hollobaugh told Youngstown’s WKBN-TV after the win. “We played a full four-quarter game and we pounded the football. That was the difference.”

Lucas is looking to defend its regional championship, but Smollen knows it won’t be easy.

“I know they’re a good team,” Smollen said. “It should be a great game again.”