Firebirds staring down impressive double

The Free State High football team has a chance to accomplish two rare feats Friday night when it plays host to Olathe Northwest at Haskell Stadium.

A Firebirds victory would mean a 6-0 record and would represent the best start in school history. Free State started the 2002 season 5-0, but lost its next game to Olathe North.

A Free State victory would also give the Firebirds a sweep of the four Olathe schools. The Firebirds beat Olathe East in Week 2 before knocking off Olathe South and Olathe North, respectively, the last two weeks.

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Mr. Consistency: While the Murphy twins, Ryan and Brian, draw the bulk of the attention for the Free State football team, junior Craig Rosenstengle has also done his part to stuff the stat sheet. Rosenstengle has caught a touchdown pass in four of five games, including a 36-yarder during Friday night’s 38-8 win against Olathe North.

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Pressed into duty: Because of injuries to linemen, Lawrence High sophomore Chebon Dawes played both ways in Friday night’s 16-3 victory against Shawnee Mission East.

“He made some big plays,” LHS coach Dirk Wedd said of the 6-foot-2, 235-pounder. “He’s very gifted athletically, but is still learning about football.”

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Injury update: LHS junior Jared Vinoverski, who had missed two games with a hand injury, replaced junior Malcolm Sims in the secondary Friday night. Vinoverski played with a soft cast on his right wrist. Sims sat out a one-game suspension for missing practice.

Senior center Shawn Jimboy also returned to the Lions’ lineup against SM East after missing a game with a minor concussion, but starting linemen Phillip Wahwahsuck (knee), Patrick Johnson (ankle) and Brandon Holland (mono) did not suit.

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New digs: LHS will meet unbeaten Shawnee Mission West on Thursday night at refurbished SM North District Stadium. The SM North facility now has artificial turf, just like the district’s other stadium at SM South.

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A new plan: After alternating between using seniors Colin Flanders and David Liston in goal on a game-to-game basis, Lawrence High boys soccer coach David Platt has settled on Flanders between the pipes since Sept. 12.

Platt made the change because Liston has played effectively on offense and recently missed practices because of an illness.

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Netting a win: LHS senior Lily Boyce won her first singles match of the year last Monday. She defeated Free State’s Becca Sheldon-Sherman, 8-6, during the city showdown at the LHS tennis center.