Free State 20, Shawnee Mission East 9: Firebirds earn first postseason win

Game updates

Keep up to date on Lawrence’s game with Blue Valley North.

9:20 p.m.: 20-9, final score. Free State High has earned its first football playoff win in school history.

9:09 p.m.: Free State leads, 20-9 with 3:13 left. Touchdown came on a fourth-and-goal from the 6, Ryan Murphy passed to Christian Ballard, but the pass bounced off bounced of Ballard’s hands to Craig Rosenstengle for the score. Kick was made.

8:56 p.m.: Score remains 13-9 with 7:25 in the fourth. Free State had a fourth-and-five from their own 35, but faked a punt – winning the first down on a penalty by SME.

8:43 p.m.: Still 13-9, minute-and-a-half left in the third. Free State had a first-and-goal opportunity from the SME one-yard-line, but missed a 29-yard field goal after two penalties.

8:29 p.m.: Second half is underway. No score yet.

8:06 p.m.: Free State leads, 13-9, at the half. Ryan Murphy scored on a four-yard run with 18 seconds left in the half. The two-point conversion failed.

7:51 p.m.: Shawnee Mission East made it to the Free State four-yard line, after a 61-yard pass, with 3:40 in the half. SME kicks a 21-yard field goal, with 2:38 to go in the half, to take a 9-7 lead.

7:38 p.m.: Shawnee Mission just missed a 47-yard field goal.

7:26 p.m.: Free State 7, SME 6. Free State scored on 17-yard pass from Ryan Murphy to Chucky Hunter with 2:26 left in the first quarter. Jason Sneegas hit the kick.

7:12 p.m.: The game is now underway. Shawnee Mission East scored quickly – after intercepting a Free State pass from Ryan Murphy, they scored on a four-yard run two plays later, at 9:54 in the first quarter. The kick missed.

The Firebirds never have won a playoff game in their 10 years of existence. Free State (9-0) will try to change that when it faces Shawnee Mission East (5-4) at 7 tonight at Haskell Stadium in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

Return here throughout the evening for updated scores, and discuss the game in our comments section.