The Free State and Lawrence High girls tennis players may have been playing in their hometown for the Sunflower League tournament on Thursday, but the Firebirds and Lions all were sent packing by the competition.

The top finishers in singles and doubles were just getting their final matches started at the Lawrence Tennis Center by the time Lawrence’s two teams were done for the day around 4:30 p.m.

Shawnee Mission East’s players all still were playing at that point and finished in the top three in each bracket on the way to capturing the league title.

Out of 12 Sunflower League schools, Free State finished seventh and Lawrence finished eighth – one place higher than last year.

Free State’s top singles player, Jessica Wuthrich, came into the tournament with a 15-1 record, but finished sixth in the No. 1 singles bracket and went 2-2 on the day.

“There were a lot of good tennis players – better than the other tournaments,” Wuthrich said.

“It’s really tough,” the Lions’ Yoshika Crider added after posting a winning record of 2-1, but finishing ninth in the No. 2 singles bracket.

Free State’s No. 1 doubles team of Mackenzie Lown and Lauren Thames went 2-2 and finished seventh.

“Most of the competition was really intense,” Lown said, adding that it was the highest level of play the Firebirds had seen all season.

Free State coach Jon Renberger said he built the schedule to increase in difficulty from beginning to end in order to build early-season confidence.

“The reality is there’s that next level of play that you have to be able to reach and overcome and now they’ve seen it and dealt with it,” Renberger added.

His No. 2 doubles team of May Simpson and Sierra Amon went 2-2 and finished seventh. The Firebirds’ Carly Fish was 1-3 and finished eighth in the No. 2 singles bracket.

It was a long, competitive day for all the players. Play began at eight in the morning and did not wrap up for some until 8:15 p.m.

“We got a little tired, but we’ve got the whole week to recuperate for regionals,” Crider said.

Both teams will return to the same courts next Thursday for regionals and the chance to advance to state competition.

LHS coach Steve Hudson, however, said things would be a little different next time around.

“At regionals, if you fall into the loser’s bracket you go home for the year,” he said.

All the players from Free State and Lawrence fell into the loser’s bracket at the Sunflower tourney, but neither team’s coach had cause for alarm.

Renberger thinks Wuthrich can get a four or five seed at regionals and plans to work with her on returning balls that are hit with pace, which she saw more of Thursday than she had seen prior and will be the norm next week.

The Firebirds’ coach said he wants his doubles teams to play more aggressively in order to upend higher-seeded teams.

“They’re going to be in spoiler roles next week,” Renberger said, explaining that the girls would embrace that opportunity and have the ability to win.

What’s more, Renberger has proof that it can be done. Assistant coach Emily McWilliams played for Free State in 2000 on a seventh-seeded doubles team that knocked off a two seed.

Hudson admitted the Lions fell short at times on Thursday, but he thinks his No. 1 doubles team of Marcy Vickers and Elizabeth Simons, who finished sixth yesterday with a 2-2 record, has a chance to be a top-five seed. He also remains confident in his top singles player Xin Liu, who went 1-3 and finished eighth.

“On any given day in any given match she can pull off some pretty amazing shots,” Hudson said.

The Lions will have Friday off to rest and enjoy homecoming festivities, but their coach said “regionals week” practice will be critical. Hudson said they will do some fine-tuning to give them the edge they’ll need at regionals.

Once the Lions and Firebirds get there, anything is possible.

“Whoever brings their best game and comes to play Thursday is going to move on,” Renberger said, “and I think we’ve got a shot.”