Emporia ? Free State has won its first Class 6A state playoff game in school history. The Firebirds defeated the Shawnee Mission West Vikings, 53-35, Wednesday night at White Auditorium in Emporia.

Senior center Christian Ballard led Free State with 20 points.

Free State will play the winner of Topeka High vs. Blue Valley West on Friday.

Free State leads SM West, 43-33, with 2:40 left in the game.

Free State leads SM West, 34-26, at the end of the third quarter. Senior center Christian Ballard leads the Firebirds with 18 points. Junior forward Weston Wiebe and senior guard Kyle Schreiner have five points each.

Free State leads SM West, 22-12, at halftime. Ballard single-handedly outscored the Vikings, 10-2, in the second quarter. SM West held Ballard scoreless in the first quarter.

SM West was over the foul limit with about 5:00 remaining in the second quarter. Free State is currently 3-of-7 from the foul line. SM West is 1-of-5 from the foul line.

Free State went on a 13-2 run to open the second quarter. Ballard has eight points, all in the second quarter. Ballard hit three shots in the paint, then pulled up for a 15-footer. Senior guard Kyle Schreiner capped the run with a three-pointer from the left corner.

Free State (11-11) will tip off against Shawnee Mission West (18-4) in the first round of the Kansas Class 6A state tournament at about 7:15 p.m. from White Auditorium in Emporia.

After the first quarter, Free State trails SM West, 10-7.

Wiebe got the Firebirds on the board with an 18-foot jumpshot from the top of the key. Senior guard Nick Devin followed with a steal, where he took it the length of the floor for the left-handed layup. Schreiner also converted a layup for Free State.

Jared Witter leads SM West with five points in the first quarter.