FREE STATE SENIORS CHRISTIAN BALLARD, LEFT, AND KYLE SCHREINER were sophomores when the Firebirds advanced to the Class 6A state tournament in 2005. This week, they'll be counted on to provide experience and leadership as Free State heads to Emporia for this year's state bash.

FREE STATE HIGH'S KYLE SCHREINER tries to drive against Shawnee Mission Northwest's Brad Schnefke. The Firebirds beat the Cougars last Wednesday on their way to the Class 6A state tournament, where Schreiner hopes to experience a different outcome than when he made the trip as a sophomore.

FREE STATE HIGH SENIOR CHRISTIAN BALLARD elevates for a shot against Olathe Northwest. Ballard has become the Firebirds' go-to scorer during their run to the Class 6A state tournament.

It was just two years ago when Kyle Schreiner tried to model his game after Kansas University freshman guard Brady Morningstar.

“He’s probably the guy who I’ve looked up to and is the reason I am the player that I am,” Schreiner, Free State High’s senior shooting guard, said.

Morningstar, a senior guard at Free State two years ago, led the top-seeded Firebirds into the Class 6A state tournament against No. 8 Shawnee Mission West. The Firebirds lost in an upset.

Two Firebirds remain from the varsity team that gained state experience in Emporia two years ago – Schreiner and senior center Christian Ballard.

“That was probably one of the greatest moments I’ve ever had in my life,” Schreiner said about the state playoff experience his sophomore season. “It was good experience for me to get in there and know I could play on that stage.”

Schreiner played roughly 16 minutes and scored three points, while Ballard suited up but didn’t play in the first-round tilt against the Vikings two years ago.

Two years later, it’s Free State holding the No. 8 seed and SM West the No. 1 seed heading into Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. state playoff game at the same location – White Auditorium in Emporia.

“I’ve been talking about that all day,” Ballard said of the reverse seeding. “A lot of people are going to underestimate us a little bit. They’re going to say we got lucky and barely got through sub-state. We know in our minds that we can go up there and win the state title.”

This season, Ballard and Schreiner are two of the primary scorers coach Chuck Law puts on the floor. It’s safe to say they didn’t have that same role two seasons ago while playing for Schreiner’s dad, Jack Schreiner.

“I didn’t need to score, obviously,” Schreiner said. “We had a great team with five seniors. Back then, if I missed a shot, I’d get really mad at myself. I’ve really learned that all shots are not going to go in.”

You could say Schreiner was on the Morningstar learning curve his sophomore season. He said Morningstar’s ability to create any shot he wanted inspired his offensive imagination.

Schreiner had a talk with Morningstar at a KU practice he attended before the Free State season started.

“He told me you couldn’t take state for granted because you could be one and done, or you could go out and win the whole thing,” Schreiner said. “You just want to play in the moment and do what you can to win.”

Schreiner’s attention to detail and hard work has paid off. He’s started every game for Free State this season.

“I like to be the go-to guy,” Schreiner said. “But we have Christian, too, and if we need a bucket, we can give him the ball. Coach Law has told me over these past two years that I need to make shots and I need to make plays. I’m just hoping to step up, kind of like Jimmy Chitwood did in ‘Hoosiers.'”

As for Ballard, he weighed about 230 pounds his sophomore year, as opposed to his 275-pound frame this season. He didn’t get in many varsity games as a sophomore.

“Back then, I was pretty much a practice guy,” Ballard said. “I didn’t really play 100 percent every single play. Now, I’m coming out focused every day and really giving my hardest every second, and I think it’s made me a better player.”

Ballard’s constant tenacity couldn’t be more visible in Saturday’s 49-34 sub-state victory against Olathe South. The senior center scored 18 points and grabbed 10 boards.

Schreiner and Ballard will get the opportunity to make history Wednesday with what could be the first Free State state playoff victory ever.

“It’s big motivation, just like football was,” Ballard said of 2006 being the first year the Free State football team ever won a state playoff game. “We want to come up here and make it a first for this one, too.”