Free state high junior Camren Torneden (1) is pushed out of bounds by an Olathe North defender in this Oct. 9 file photo. The Firebirds face the Eagles once again at 7 tonight at the Olathe District Activities Center.

Last week, the Free State High football team avenged its second loss of the season to Shawnee Mission Northwest with a 41-21 victory in the first round of the Class 6A state playoffs.

At 7 tonight, in Olathe, Free State will look to make it two in a row when the Firebirds (7-3) take on Olathe North (8-2) at the Olathe District Activities Center.

O-North knocked off the Firebirds, 35-7, in Week 6 of the season, and the FSHS players are more than aware that they have a chance to make up for that tonight.

“We’re not going to call it revenge, it’s more like redemption,” senior Taylor Stuart said. “Revenge sounds dirty and hateful, and we’re not a dirty and hateful team.”

Regardless, it’s likely going to take a down-and-dirty effort from the Firebirds tonight if they hope to advance to the semifinals.

Things have changed quite a bit since the previous meeting between these two teams. For Free State, the offense has found its groove, and the defense has tightened up its weaknesses. The Firebirds have won four straight, including last week’s confidence-building, first-round victory over SM Northwest, in which Free State answered a 14-0 deficit with 41 straight points. Responding to a hole like that is something the Firebirds might have struggled with earlier this season. A big reason for the Firebirds’ ability to turn things around has been the team’s attitude and improved focus.

“Fundamentally, we’ve come a long ways,” Free State coach Bob Lisher said.

For Olathe North, junior running back James Franklin has emerged as an even bigger weapon, and he’s still running behind the same mammoth offensive line that gave the Firebirds fits.

“When you’re big, strong, athletic up front like they are and then you have James Franklin behind them and then you have some receivers with speed, that’s a pretty good combination,” Lisher said.

Franklin rushed 28 times for 178 yards and three touchdowns in the Oct. 9 meeting. Quarterback David Blazevic added the other two touchdowns for O-North. Free State’s only score came late in the game when Camren Torneden connected with Connor Stremel in the end zone to avoid the shutout.

“Offensively, we struggled that night,” Lisher said. “And that was because of their defensive line. Their defensive line is very, very good.”

Regardless of what unit has what kind of talent and which players have become better players in the weeks since the first meeting, Lisher and his team are focused solely on their efforts entering tonight’s do-or-die clash.

“Our focus is just doing things our way, playing our game, keeping control of the football and keeping it out of their hands,” Lisher said. “You always want to have a quick start, but, sometimes, when you get in these types of games, it’s difficult to get that.”

Something that has been easy for the Firebirds to get recently is turnovers. In its last four games, Free State has forced 11 turnovers, including seven interceptions and four fumbles.

“As of late, we’ve done a nice job,” Lisher said. “I think our guys feel like they create turnovers now. They’ve done it, and we’ve score a little bit on defense here and there, so that’s just something our guys believe in. They believe they can do it, now they just have to go out and get it done.”

That’s pretty much the mindset for the tonight’s game.