It’s impossible to ignore the Free State High-Lawrence High matchups for today’s Class 6A regional wrestling tournament at LHS.

The Firebirds and Lions finished 1-2 respectively at last weekend’s Sunflower League tournament and are poised to repeat the feat when action begins at 10:30 a.m. for the eight-team tournament.

Five of the 14 first-round matches will match wrestlers from the two city schools. It all starts with the 112-pound match between FSHS freshman Mike Goble and LHS sophomore David Stites.

“It seems like we’re either wrestling Lawrence High or have a bye in that first round,” FSHS coach Darrell Andrew said. “It’s kinda like our own mini-dual.”

LHS and FSHS also will face off at 119, 135, 160 and 189. If things progress as seeded, the Lions and Firebirds will see each other three more times in the semifinals, with each squad qualifying four to seven wrestlers for state next weekend.

But that’s only if things progress as seeded.

“You’d like to think if you get someone in the top four seeds, you can get them to qualify,” LHS coach Mark Dulgarian said. “But you never know.”

The Lions’ lone top seed is senior Aaron Madill, who is 34-0 at 160 pounds. Second seeds are: freshman Chris Cates (103), junior Pharouk Hussein (125), freshman Brendan Halpin (135), junior Clayton Kellerman (215) and senior Kenny Poeverlein (275).

LHS senior Chris Hultine, 23-4 at 152 pounds, took second at league, but was denied a two seed because of head-to-head matchups. With Hultine, a regional champ last year, seeded fourth, it’s no surprise that 152 may be the toughest class.

“One fifty-two’s gonna be a butt-kicking class,” Dulgarian said.

FSHS junior Brett Shoffner (19-10 this season) is the top seed, mostly on the strength of his two wins against Hultine this season, the second coming in the league finals Saturday.

Shoffner is one of the Firebirds’ four No. 1 seeds. Junior Matt Somers (125) and seniors Kyle Frank (171) and Nick McGovern (189) are coming off league titles.

“We’ve got our top guns sitting pretty on paper,” Andrew said. “But it’s an important tournament for them to come through and get that No. 1 seed for the state tournament.”

Those are the guys who should qualify for state. Others, like Grant Steinbach (215), Brandon Allsbury (103) and Jeremy Bustamante (275) have excellent chances, Andrew said.

Still, Andrew said he hoped some of his younger wrestlers would come through with state-qualifying performances.

“What an incredible experience it would be for them to qualify for state, just to see the atmosphere,” Andrew said. “Brandon Allsbury’s come on so strong from the middle of the season, I can’t think of a better reward for him to qualify.

“This is the time to put in all on the line, there’s nothing to hold back for now.”