Based on Friday’s Sunflower League swimming championship preliminaries, today’s finals could turn into a duel between host Free State High and Shawnee Mission East.

Perhaps fittingly, the league finals start at high noon.

This new version of the Sunflower Showdown materialized at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center after the two schools qualified first in the day’s initial eight races. When the water became still, Free State was tops in five of the 11 events, SM East led four and Olathe East two.

“Right now, they’re our biggest competitor,” FSHS sophomore Chase Torgerson said of the Lancers, a team that took the four top seeds in the 100-yard freestyle. “They’ve got guys with comparable times, so they’ll be a little bit of a threat.”

The powers that be in the Sunflower League have not changed since last season, when SM East won the league meet, and Free State tied for second with Olathe East.

Earlier this year, the Firebirds — missing several key members of their team — and Lancers took part in the Olathe Invitational, an event SM East won comfortably.

“Coming in, I knew they were strong and had a good field,” Free State coach Annette McDonald said. “They’re just strong in depth, so it’s going to be tough. But the competition is there. The kids are here to compete and that’s what it’s about, right? We want to have some exciting races,” she said.

Two of those swimmers absent for the previous matchup with the Lancers were seniors Chris Sellon and Anthony Portela, who each earned two No. 1 seeds in today’s finale. The two — along with Torgerson and senior Nathan Schriner — also had the best time as a part of Free State’s 200-yard medley relay team. Sellon had top showings in the 200-yard individual medley and the 500-yard freestyle.

Portela swam the best results in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly despite suffering jet lag returning from a campus visit to Indiana University, where he met with former Firebird and current Hoosier swimmer Alex Brunfeldt. Portela said Indiana, Minnesota and California-Santa Barbara rounded out his top three potential schools.

“I’m glad the meet’s at 12,” Portela said of today’s finals. “I’m going to get a lot of rest. I have a date with my bed.”

In addition to the five top seeds, Free State picked up two more state qualifications with an automatic time from Mitch Moore in the 200-yard individual medley and a consideration time from Spencer Flannigan in the 100-yard freestyle.

In spite of Lawrence High’s lack of experience, Lions coach Ryan Adams had a goal of getting three swimmers to state in the 500-yard freestyle. Two made the cut — Alex Boyer and Zach Hendersen.

“I don’t like to use the term ‘young team,’ but there’s a lot of guys that haven’t swum league before,” Adams said. “It’s a new experience for them.”

Today’s schedule will start with the diving preliminaries at 9 a.m., followed the meet finals at noon.