The Free State High girls tennis team swaggered into the Lawrence High tennis courts Monday and left after making one thing clear.

In girls tennis, this is the year of the Firebird.

Free State rolled, 8-1, over LHS in the only head-to-head dual between the city teams this year. The Firebirds won five of the six singles matches and swept all three doubles matches to blow by the rival Lions.

A Firebird squad that should be drained with so much competition in so little time instead looked sharp Monday. They had competed in the Emporia quad Saturday and will play in the Overland Park Aquinas Invitational today.

“It was kind of tough to have an emotional match like this sandwiched between two big competitions,” FSHS coach Jon Renberger said. “Obviously, everyone wants to play well against Lawrence High.”

And seemingly everybody did.

In singles, all five of the varsity seniors won, including Rachel Koch at No. 1, Marisa Steinbach at No. 3, Ellie Ott at No. 4, Kristen Bushouse at No. 5 and Brenna Spurgeon at No. 6.

Only Andrea Koch, just a sophomore, lost her singles match, falling 8-6 to LHS senior Danielle Huff.

Andrea Koch, though, with the help of big sister Rachel, was able to top Huff and Sarah Wilson in doubles, 8-5. The Koch sisters were just two days removed from taking first in doubles at Emporia.

Free State's Rachel Koch returns a serve from Lawrence High's Amy Bullerman. Koch won the singles match and teamed with sister Andrea for a doubles win, and the Firebirds beat LHS, 8-1, Monday at the Lawrence Tennis Center.

“I think we played really well,” Rachel Koch said of her doubles team. “We obviously know each other, and we’ve played against each other a lot.”

The Lions were without their top player, senior Sydney Lartigue, who sat out because of illness. It bumped every player up one spot, creating obvious challenges that most of the Lions couldn’t overcome.

“I think the girls are down,” LHS coach Dick Wedel said. “But, still, I was pleased with the way we played.”

Both the Lions and Firebirds are entering the stretch run, which begins its climax next week at the Sunflower League championships at Shawnee Mission East.

Both Renberger and Wedel feel good about the state of their squads heading into the season’s critical stage.

¢ 6Sports video: Firebirds take girls tennis dual

“The most important part is that we’re playing with confidence,” Renberger said. “Knowing that there’s stiffer competition ahead, it’s important to have the belief that things are going to go well.”

And, simply put, things went quite well for the Firebirds Monday.

Just ask Wedel.

“Free State didn’t fool around,” Wedel said. “Hats off to them. They came out and beat us … bad.”