Olathe ? The Free State High gymnastics team tied a school record for points and matched its previous best performance at state by taking third place Saturday at Olathe East.

Led by strong performances on the balance beam and uneven bars from senior Amelia Firns-Hubert, as well as solid all-around showings from junior Drue Davis and sophomore Kelcy Bowers, the Firebirds’ racked up 105.125 points and finished third, just behind second-place Shawnee Mission Northwest, which finished with 105.25.

Olathe East won the state title with a team score of 106.35.

“It was close enough that it came down to pointing their toes and if the judges saw something small on the different routines,” Free State coach Kathy Johnson said. “It was pretty tough, but they did awesome and made a little history.”

Firns-Hubert delivered the Firebirds’ top individual performance of the meet by finishing second on the balance beam with a 9.075. Firns-Hubert also finished third on the uneven bars, with a 9.2, giving her two individual medals during her final trip to state.

Bowers and Davis also earned individual medals, with Davis finishing third on the floor exercise (9.35) and Bowers finishing third on the beam (9.05). Those efforts, along with steady showings in their other events, placed the Free State duo that led the team all season near the top of the all-around standings.

Davis picked up an all-around medal with a sixth-place finish (35.25), and Bowers just missed out on a medal and finished eighth (34.9).

Although the Firebirds had their sights set on a team title, Johnson said the girls were happy with third because of what it carried with it – a school record for team total, a trophy for the trophy case and the best finish in school history, tying the 2004 team that also took third at state.

In addition, five of the eight Firebirds who competed at state Saturday will return in 2009, giving Free State hope for a higher finish next season.

“A lot of the girls will be back next year,” Johnson said. “And now they have a little something to build on.”

Joining Bowers, Davis and Firns-Hubert at state were Alexa Clements, Aly Frydman, Lexi Gonzales, Jackie Soelter and Courtney Zinn.

The lone Lawrence High representative at state was junior Maria Carvajal, who competed in the uneven bars.