If anything good came out of the Free State High boys soccer team’s 4-1 loss Thursday to Shawnee Mission Northwest, it’s that the defeat is totally irrelevant in relation to what’s next.

The Firebirds’ regular season came to a close with the loss at Free State, but sub-state action is next — which means a clean slate and an opportunity to make all the wrongs right again.

“We’d like to hope that there’s an added sense of urgency in our players now,” FSHS coach Jason Pendleton said.

Free State (6-8-2) has loss seven of its last eight after starting the season 5-1-2. If anyone wants the slate cleaned, it’s the Firebirds.

Despite the lopsided loss Thursday, the game was oh-so-close to being a nail-biter. With SM Northwest up 2-0 early in the second half, Free State had three point-blank shots on goal in a span of 10 seconds, one each by Michael Gaus, Aaron Ideus and Jeff Stebbins. All three were knocked away by Cougar defenders.

Just four minutes later, SM Northwest scored its third goal, pretty much putting to rest any hopes of a Firebird rally.

“Their ability to keep us out of the goal right then was a big turning point,” Pendleton said. “If we get that goal, it’s 2-1. The kids get confident and sense some momentum.”

Free State High's Joel Angelone (13) battles with Shawnee Mission Northwest's Joel Morgan. The Firebirds lost to the Cougars, 4-1, Thursday afternoon at Free State.

The Cougars spaced out their scoring, notching two goals in each half. Free State scored late, when senior Scott Schumaker took a loose ball and rifled a shot past Cougar goalkeeper Austin Meyers in the 75th minute.

But overall, SM Northwest controlled much of the game. The Cougars outshot Free State, 16-10, and had many more dangerous opportunities throughout, particularly in the first half.

“I think they’re a better team than us,” Pendleton said, “but if we alleviate some of the mistakes we were making, more so than what they were creating, it could’ve been a lot better.”

The loss, on a day that honored eight Free State seniors, wrapped up the regular season for the Firebirds.

They now prepare for the do-or-die implications of sub-state. Because the Firebirds are a lower seed, they will hit the road and play Tuesday at Emporia. Game time will be 5 p.m.