Free State's Ryder Werts (19) smacks Washburn Rural quarterback Jordan Ochsner as he throws. Free State won Friday, completing a 3-0 sweep of its district.

Free State's Chucky Hunter leaps into the end zone over Washburn Rural's Jordan Mills. Hunter ran for 118 yards in Free State's 27-8 victory Friday at Haskell Stadium.

Free State High senior quarterback Craig Rosenstengle runs down field as Washburn Rural's Brandon Vilander trails in the background on Friday, Oct. 26, 2007 at Haskell Stadium.

Bob Lisher usually has the last word following Free State High football games. Not Friday night.

After the Firebirds’ coach delivered his postgame debriefing in the wake of a desultory 27-8 victory over woebegone Washburn Rural, quarterback Craig Rosenstengle burned some ears.

“Unfortunately, we played below par,” Rosenstengle said following his chew-out session. “We didn’t get any better. We came out flat, and we can’t do that.”

Statistically, Rosenstengle had one of his best outings. He threw for two touchdowns and ran for another while compiling an impressive 242 yards of total offense (158 passing, 84 running).

“I guess I did all right,” the 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior said, “but the first time I threw the ball, it was underthrown and intercepted.”

Indeed, on the first play of the night following an opening kickoff touchback, Rosenstengle unloaded a bomb, but the Junior Blues’ Nolan Peters – he would be heard from again later – stole the pass easily.

Right then it was apparent the Firebirds were not taking the Junior Blues, winners only once all season, seriously.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t be like this,” Lisher said. “We don’t want to undervalue an opponent, and Rural did a good job. They came out with some new schemes. We tried to adjust, but never got it straight.”

Perhaps the biggest disappointment, however, was the inability of the Firebirds to post what would have been a school-record fourth shutout. Although Rural never really threatened when it had the ball, the Junior Blues avoided the whitewash when Peters returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter.

“That was caused by a lack of focus,” Lisher said. “We had two guys out of position on our coverage team.”

Lack of focus. Lack of intensity. Lack of interest. Free State suffered from all of those afflictions. Thus Rosenstengle asked for and was granted a few minutes on the post-game stump.

“We needed to talk and get things straight,” he said. “We needed to talk mainly about intensity in practice and in games.”

Not surprisingly, Lisher was delighted to see his team leader – Rosenstengle also starts in the defensive secondary – give his extemporaneous speech on the ills of just going through the motions.

“I’m glad one of our seniors stepped up,” the Firebirds’ coach said. “Our seniors need to continue to lead.”

Another senior, tight end/linebacker Mike Santee, sounded like he would have given the same speech if Rosenstengle hadn’t.

“I think it was necessary,” said Santee who led the Firebirds with three catches for 49 yards. “Every team we face in the playoffs will be good, not like last year.”

Free State qualified for the Class 6A playoffs by defeating Lawrence High, 27-0, last week. By winning Friday night, the Firebirds clinched the district championship and a home game in the first round of the playoffs next Friday.

However, it’s not likely they’ll be higher than a No. 3 seed when the pairings are announced late this morning, meaning they’ll entertain a No. 6 seed, and that could be Sunflower League champion Shawnee Mission Northwest. Olathe East stunned the Cougars, 24-20, on Thursday night.

But there are other possibilities. In fact, the teams in the eight-team field will have such similar records that some names may have to be drawn out of a hat.

“I don’t care who it is,” Santee said about the Firebirds’ next foe. “I’m really looking forward to our next game. I’m ready to go.”

Notes: Chucky Hunter, who didn’t carry the ball in the first quarter, rushed for 118 yards in 17 carries to boost his season total to 1,035 yards. : Brian Sims was wide left on a 21-yard field goal from the right hashmark just before halftime. : Washburn Rural had only one turnover, a fumble recovered by Jason Sneegas that set up Sims’ field goal attempt. : In winning its last five games, Free State (7-2) has surrendered an average of only 5.8 points a game. :