It wasn’t long, but for a while the Free State High football team was looking like a really, really good squad.

But either the wind stopped pushing the sails or Olathe East decided to wreck the ship, because the Firebirds went from solid to unstable with a snap of the fingers and eventually fell to the Hawks, 37-14, Thursday at Memorial Stadium.

Free State High running back Brian Murphy, right, tries to break free from Olathe East defender Derek Miller during the second half. The Firebirds lost, 37-14, Thursday at Memorial Stadium.

The score was lopsided, but Olathe East (2-0) poured on 27 unanswered points in the last nine minutes, including two touchdowns when the game was out of reach.

It actually was a nail-biter for Olathe East, one of Class 6A’s top-ranked teams. Free State (0-2) dominated the line of scrimmage in the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, and pounded the ball downfield on long, clean drives that twice ended with touchdowns.

With 9:18 to play in the game, sophomore Brian Murphy scored on a 28-yard touchdown run, and Nick Witmer’s point-after gave Free State a 14-10 lead.

“Our offensive line stepped up in the second half and took charge,” FSHS coach Bob Lisher said. “I was extremely pleased with the way they came off the ball.”

With the lead change, the Hawks seemed to wake up. Andre Jones caught the ensuing kickoff, ran up the gut, was knocked backwards, stayed on his feet and ran to the left sideline to score a 91-yard touchdown. The PAT gave O-East a shaky 17-14 lead, but it was enough thanks to a shanked FSHS punt that gave the Hawks great field position and two late fumbles that O-East capitalized on to inflate its lead.

6Sports video: Free State football struggles against Olathe East

Jones scored all four of Olathe East’s late touchdowns and finished with 112 yards on 19 carries.

“We let Andre Jones outside,” Lisher said of the kickoff return. “He has so much speed, when you let him out, he’ll outrun you.”

Free State’s first touchdown came at the end of a 17-play, 77-yard drive that spanned 6:47 in the third quarter. Besides two incompletions, the Firebirds had 14 running plays for positive yardage thanks to a bullying offensive line that dominated O-East’s big guys in the trenches.

Free State High defender Jamie Resseguie (10) pressures Olathe East quarterback Derek Miller. The Firebirds lost, 37-14, Thursday at Memorial Stadium.

On fourth down at the 13-yard line, Witmer’s 30-yard field goal attempt was blocked, but junior Brett Lisher scooped up the loose ball and hustled to the corner of the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown.

“We’re much better than we were last week, but we still have a ways to go,” coach Lisher said. “But I’m real proud of our guys. We stepped up and played in the second half.”

Brian Murphy totaled 97 yards on 15 carries, and his twin brother, Ryan Murphy, added a nice over-the-shoulder interception when Olathe East was threatening early in the third quarter. Senior Jamie Resseguie added 73 yards on 16 carries.

In all, Free State’s offensive line contributed to 168 rushing yards and 91 more in the air. Brett Lisher had 33 yards receiving, and sophomore Christian Ballard added 30 more on two catches.

The score was similar to last week’s 35-13 loss to SM North, but the on-field product was visibly better, something that has coach Lisher optimistic.

“If we continue to make the type of improvements we made tonight,” Lisher said, “we’ll have a good season.”