The Free State High boys swimming and diving team has talent, experience and — perhaps more importantly for this weekend’s purposes — a home-pool advantage as the team plays host to the two-day Sunflower League championships at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center.

Swimming preliminaries will start at 5 p.m. today. Saturday will begin with the diving preliminaries at 9 a.m., followed by the swimming and diving finals at noon.

While the Firebirds compete in their home water for the last time, there is no sense of finality to the season. That will come in two weeks at the state competition, Feb. 18-19 at the KSU Natatorium in Manhattan, as last year’s state victors will attempt to bring back another shiny state banner to their home pool.

“The guys are rested but at the same time maintaining their endurance for state,” said FSHS coach Annette McDonald. “Looking at the heat sheets, we look pretty strong but the competition is there.”

McDonald said competition should come mostly from Olathe East and Shawnee Mission East.

“They were right there with us last year and they’re right there this year,” she said.

The Firebirds have seven swimmers qualified for state with either automatic or consideration times. In an ideal setting, McDonald would like to add a couple of more names to that list, including junior Andrew Ashley, who continues to flirt with state contention.

Those Firebirds who already have locked up a ticket to state many races ago also will look to sharpen their skills for the next level. They include seniors Anthony Portela (competing today in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly), Chris Sellon (200 individual medley and 500 freestyle), Nathan Schriner (100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke) and sophomore Chase Torgerson (200 individual medley and 100 backstroke).

Free State won’t be the only city team in the pool. Lawrence High will arrive having already had four members qualify for state. LHS coach Ryan Adams said one of his team’s main goals was to qualify two more relay teams for state — in the 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays — as well as three more swimmers in the 500 freestyle.

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“We’re looking for 100 percent of the kids to improve,” Adams said. “We’re going to swim smart and swim fast.”

LHS diver Nick Leet also will look to defend his league championship on Saturday.