lockers in the Free State High School hallways show school spirit for the upcoming state tournament basketball games. The boys play tonight, and the girls play Thursday in Emporia.

Free State High School students Abby Towner, left, a member of the pom squad, and Tori Hallenbeck, a cheerleader, work on a sign drawing attention to state tournament games for the girls and boys basketball teams. The girls finished painting the sign Tuesday morning.

Excitement is bubbling on the west side of Lawrence. For the second time in the school’s short history, Free State High School’s boys and girls basketball teams are both headed to state competition.

The Free State Firebirds are trying to exact a bit of revenge on the Shawnee Mission West Vikings. The Vikings ended the Firebirds’ football postseason hopes in November, but the Free State boys’ basketball team will have a chance to return the favor at 6:30 tonight in Emporia. The girls’ basketball team hits the court at 4:45 p.m. Thursday to face Washburn Rural.

Fans of both teams are looking for big victories, and some are even making plans to return to Emporia on Friday for semifinal action.

Senior Kyle Weinmaster has every intention of attending both games and is hoping for a win or two to keep the teams alive in the playoffs. A football player in the fall, Weinmaster said he needs to attend as many boys’ and girls’ games as he can.

“It’s supporting my team,” he said. “Pretty much all the guys and girls who play basketball came and supported me and the football team.”

Weinmaster said no Free State boys’ team has had success against Shawnee Mission West over the past few years, and he’s especially hopeful that the Free State boys will break that streak.

“I hope we just pound them,” he said.

Decorations have been popping up around the school. Parents decorated the girls’ locker room, and others put decorations on the athletes’ lockers. The school has planned for buses to take students to the games in Emporia.

Richard Flaig, also a senior, said he attended virtually all of the games this season. He’ll be making the trip to Emporia and is hoping 35 to 40 students attend as well.

“From the people I’ve talked to, everyone’s pretty excited,” Flaig said. “We might paint up for the game,” he added.

Flaig said most people were telling the players good luck but trying not to make too big of a deal out of the game.

“We don’t want to make them nervous,” he said.

Parents are getting in on the act as well.

Margaret Wiebe has a sophomore son at Free State and a nephew, Weston, who plays on the boys’ team. Wiebe and her family are planning to make the trip Friday to Emporia if the boys win their first-round game.

“Every game was very close,” Wiebe said. “Hopefully our whole family will be able to get together and go down Friday night.”

All games in Free State’s Class 6A bracket are played in White Auditorium in Emporia. Tickets are $5 for students, with box-office windows opening an hour before each game.

If the Free State boys win today, they are guaranteed a game on Friday and Saturday, the semifinal and then either a championship game or third-place contest.

For the girls, winning Thursday also means games on Friday and Saturday.

Both Free State teams last advanced to state competition together in 2001, Free State Athletics Director Steve Grant said.