Free State High’s football team scored on its first play from scrimmage, then struggled the rest of night in a 29-10 loss to Olathe North on Friday at Haskell Stadium.

The Firebirds fired up the home crowd on the opening snap when senior quarterback Craig Rosenstengle took the ball around the left side for seven yards, then pitched to junior tailback Chucky Hunter as he was dragged down.

Hunter did the rest, racing the final 67 yards to the end zone to put Free State up 7-0.

The play marked the third time this season the Firebirds had scored on their opening drive.

“That’s a great way to start the game, but we needed to continue that, and we didn’t,” Free State coach Bob Lisher said. “We were very inept offensively. I didn’t think our offense could play that bad, but I was proven wrong tonight.”

Five interceptions, several tipped balls and just three points in the final 47:23 made for a long night for the Firebirds.

“About everything that could go wrong went wrong,” Lisher added.

Despite the offense’s sub-par play, Free State remained in the game well into the second half, thanks in large part to a defense that held Olathe North’s vaunted rushing attack to 180 yards on 46 carries. That included corralling tailback L.C. Bouknight, who gained just 54 yards on 20 carries. Bouknight made his carries count, though, crossing the goal line three times. The last of his three five-yard TDs came with 3:30 to play and put the game on ice.

The Eagles’ biggest run of the night, however, belonged to quarterback Jake Catloth. Facing a third-and-10 on his own 27 late in the third quarter, Catloth rode the option around the left side and pulled the ball back at the last second. He shot to the outside, where he showed off his sprinting skills and darted 73 yards for a touchdown and a 22-10 lead.

“That’s one play, one mistake,” Free State linebacker Ryder Werts said. But it’s 70 yards.”

Despite the back-breaking run, Lisher came away from the game pleased with his defense, particularly Werts, who led Free State in tackles and consistently was around the ball or in the Eagles’ backfield.

“I’d go to war with Ryder Werts,” Lisher said. “He played his tail off even when we were down. He was sideline-to-sideline making tackles all over the place. We had some other guys do a good job, too. Defensively, besides three plays, I thought we played well all night.”

Offensively, it was a different story altogether. Free State managed just 139 total yards after the opening score, and the FSHS offense that entered the night averaging more than 41 points per game struggled to find its rhythm.

Rosenstengle was intercepted three times – twice in the first half – and later lined up at wide receiver as junior Cameron Schmidt took the snaps. Schmidt didn’t have much better luck. He finished 2-for-4 for 10 yards and two interceptions, both intended for Rosenstengle.

“We obviously didn’t execute well offensively, and I guess we have to do some more reps to get guys better at it,” Lisher said. “There was some panic in their eyes, and there shouldn’t have been. We’re good enough offensively to compete with these guys, and we didn’t do it tonight.”

Hunter finished the night with 90 yards on 12 carries. Rosenstengle finished with 67 yards on nine carries.

Despite his starting quarterback’s off night, Lisher hinted after the game that he would stick with Rosenstengle under center.

“He’s a senior. He’s gotta make plays,” Lisher said.

The loss snapped Free State’s two-game winning streak and dropped the Firebirds to 2-2 on the season. Both losses have come to Olathe schools, as FSHS fell to Olathe South in Week One.

“Traditionally, the Olathe schools are the ones you want to beat,” Werts said. “Of course it stings. I don’t like to lose to Olathe. I don’t like to lose to anyone.”