Manhattan ? Since Free State High opened in 1997, only one sports team has won a state championship — the boys swimming squad last year.

Now the Firebirds will be hoping for back-to-back titles when the Class 6A state meet begins a two-day run today at Kansas State’s Ahearn Natatorium.

“I know those guys would absolutely love to have that feeling again,” Free State coach Annette McDonald said. “But we also have to be realistic enough to know that a few things would have to fall our way to have that happen again.”

Free State settled for third place in the Sunflower League swim championships Feb. 5 at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center.

“We are just going to go out and try to swim the best we have all season,” McDonald said. “It would really be awesome if we can bring home another trophy.”

The Firebirds should at the very least have a shot at a top-three finish considering the strengths of the seven FSHS swimmers who qualified for the meet, which starts with preliminaries at 2 p.m. today and will conclude with the finals starting at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The loss of 10 seniors from last season, including four who scored points in last year’s state meet — especially standout Alex Brunfeldt, the two-time champ in the 500-yard freestyle — means the Firebirds cannot afford any mistakes.

“A couple of years ago we were the ones that went in there thinking we would be guaranteed a top-three placing,” Free State senior Chris Sellon said, “and we had a bad day the first day and didn’t get it done.”

While Lawrence High’s goals might not be quite as lofty as Free State’s, LHS coach Ryan Adams is certain his team can improve on last year’s 22nd-place finish.

“You can bet we’ll be better than that,” said Adams, whose Lions have six individuals and two relay teams qualified for this weekend.

Senior diver Nick Leet might have the best opportunity at a state crown, considering he took fourth in Manhattan last year.

“Any of the state’s top five divers on any given day could be the one taking home that trophy,” Adams said, “and Nick’s definitely in that category.”

Lawrence High actually doubled its number of entrants when state officials called and said that because there were not enough high-level qualifying times in every event, they also would use consideration times to fill out the heats.

“No matter what happens this weekend, it’s already quite an accomplishment to have the most guys going to state in the last three or four years,” Adams said. “But I really think that we have a couple of individuals who are going to have outstanding meets.”

That’s the same hope that Free State senior Anthony Portela has for himself and his team.

“I don’t know if we can repeat, but we’re sure going to try,” said Portela, who already has three state titles and could add a few more this weekend when he competes in the 100-yard butterfly and 200-yard individual medley.