Free State High will play a familiar foe today when it tips off its second annual Firebird Winter Classic.
The FSHS girls (3-6) will play Olathe North (7-3) at 5:30 p.m. today in the Firebirds' main gym. O-North beat Free State, 47-40, three weeks ago in a Sunflower League contest to start a four-game skid for FSHS, which hasn't won since Dec. 20.
"It's fun to a play a different team in a tournament, but at the same time we're playing somebody from our league and we know them and, of course, they know us," Firebird coach Craig Hershiser said. "Three games in three days is a good format this time of year because by the end of January you have most of the things in that you want to do."
Free State is led by senior guard Lauren Wright, who averages 12.8 points a game and has 17 of Free State's 18 three-point goals.
Lawrence High (3-8) is new to the FSHS field. LHS, part of Emporia High's Glacier's Edge tournament for several seasons, will play defending tournament champion Kansas City Schlagle (8-2) at 7 tonight in the main gym.
Schlagle, ranked No. 4 in Class 5A, and Hutchinson (8-1) are the tourney favorites. Hutchinson, Class 6A state runner-up last season and No. 4 in the coaches' 6A poll with its loss to top-ranked Wichita Heights, will play Tonganoxie (3-7) at 7 tonight in the FSHS North Gym. Hutch is led by 5-foot-8 senior point guard Sammi Knapic, a UMKC signee.
Schlagle has two NCAA Div. I signees in senior guards Marchele Campbell (Syracuse) and Tamra Cobbins (Texas).
"They're listed as one of the best guard duos around," first-year LHS coach Kristin Mallory said.
Cobbins is the point guard and Campbell the shooting guard. Last season, Campbell averaged 24.1 points a game with a whopping 90 three-pointers.
"The point guard is the one that makes them click," Mallory said. "She can kick it out to Campbell and they'll be a tough duo to stop. We'll try to throw different styles of defenses at them."
Lawrence's top three scorers are underclassmen. Sophomore Josie Polk leads the Lions at 10.9 points per game. Sophomore Cherrale Ricks (8.3) and junior Leigh DeBiasse (8.2) rank 2-3.
Ricks, a 5-foot-11 forward, has been an offensive force the past two games. She scored 20 points against Olathe East and Olathe North.
"She's doing a better job posting up," Mallory said. "She's stronger and using her body more. The guards have been working on their post passing and she's been getting in position to score."
DeBiasse (wrist) and senior center Mandy Amyx (ankle) have been plagued by injuries since last week. Mallory lists both starters as probable for the tournament.
The Lions have lost five in a row since beating defending Sunflower League champion Shawnee Mission East.
"I like it," Mallory said. "I think the girls will like it, too. It's three more home-type games for us and we should get more fans there. I think that's a positive for us."
New look: Free State will have three new teams Topeka Highland Park, Topeka West and Wichita North in its tourney field next season. Teams coming back are FSHS, LHS, Hutchinson, Kansas City Sumner and KC Wyandotte. The Firebirds will rotate in a few new teams every year, sharing teams with Emporia's Glacier's Edge and Topeka's Capital City Classic tourney fields.
Ticket prices: Admission is $4 a day for adults and $2 a day for students. A three-day adult tourney pass is available for $10.
Pancake feed: FSHS will hold an all-you-can-eat pancake feed from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in the school cafeteria. Advance tickets for the feed cost $4 per person. Day-of-event tickets are $5.
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