FSHS girls slip past O-East in playoffs

? Free State junior Ashleigh Allam picked a fantastic time to start making layups again.

After struggling for weeks with one of the easiest shots in the game, Allam sank a couple of huge second-half chip shots to help the Firebirds hold off Olathe East, 38-30, Wednesday in Olathe.

The first-round, sub-state victory moved the Firebirds to 9-12 on the season and, more importantly, into Friday’s sub-state championship game.

Allam was one of four FSHS players who scored six points in the victory. Her biggest bucket came midway through the third quarter, with FSHS struggling through a scoring drought.

The Firebirds led 19-9 at halftime, but watched their lead disappear quickly in the third quarter. After O-East built a 24-21 advantage, Taylor Manning trimmed the lead to one with two free throws. One possession later, Allam took a nifty pass from Chantay Caron and charged to the rim. Her first shot was blocked, but she cradled the rebound and went right back up for the lay-in.

“That was a relief,” Allam said of sinking the layup. “It came at a crucial point in the game, and I was happy to come through. I feel like I’m back to my old self again.”

The bucket gave Free State a one-point lead. The Firebirds never trailed again.

Allam didn’t carry the FSHS offense by herself. After scoring just two points as a team in the third quarter, Free State exploded for 17 in the final quarter and won the game going away.

Point guard Rosie Hull – who led the Firebirds with eight points – tossed in a pair of fancy shots, including an and-one on a fastbreak that best illustrated the Firebirds’ aggressive mind-set in the fourth quarter.

“We weren’t very good in that third quarter,” FSHS coach Bryan Duncan said. “I guess I’m not good at halftime speeches. But after that, we challenged them to be aggressive on the offensive end. If they’re going to press us, we need to attack, and fortunately we had some girls step up and make plays down the stretch.”

While the Firebirds turned things around on offense, they won the game with defense.

Sophomore Wren Wiebe shut down Olathe East’s high-powered Chelsea Harris, holding her to just three points on 1-of-8 shooting. The rest of the Firebirds held the Hawks to 26 percent shooting on the night.

“Our scoring’s not always there,” Wiebe said. “And defense is what wins games for us.”

Next up, the fifth-seeded Firebirds will play top seed Olathe South (19-2) at 5 p.m. Friday at Lawrence High. The winner moves on to the Class 6A state tournament.