OVERLAND PARK, Kan. ? Final: Washburn Rural 3, Free State 0.

The Firebirds are unable to get a goal and Washburn Rural hangs on to win.

Free State finishes the season at 16-5, its best record in school history.

Washburn Rural finishes 20-1.

For more, log on to www.LJWorld.com later or pick up a copy of Sunday’s Journal-World.

3:36 p.m. update

Midway through the second half, the Firebirds still trail Washburn Rural, 3-0.

Free State has done a much better job with its attack in the second half and has spent nearly half of the time in the Washburn Rural end. But that time has not amounted to many chances and time is really starting to stack up against the Firebirds now.

At this point, it appears that the Firebirds are still playing hard and playing for pride. It’s clear they’d like to get at least one goal before heading home.

17 minutes to play.

Halftime: Washburn Rural 3, Free State 0

Free State limps into the half trailing by three goals. Considering the fact that the Firebirds only surrendered three goals in an entire game once this season, it’s safe to say that the halftime huddle is unfamiliar territory for the boys in green.

Washburn Rural outshot Free State 8-0 in the first half, and the Firebirds only recorded two, maybe three, legitimate scoring chances. The best of those came with 1:09 to play in the half when Daniel Chance got free for a shot at the top of the box from 20 yards away. Unfortunately, that represented the best opportunity for the Firebirds all half.

Free State has to believe they’re still in this game, but the Firebirds are no longer going to be able to sit back on defense. They have to take some chances and have to find a way to generate an attack.

The second half is unofficially scheduled to begin at 3:13 p.m.

2:58 p.m. update

A series of Washburn Rural cornerkicks costs the Firebirds.

Joesph Welch scores at 4:49 on a cornerkick from Anthony Schmiedeler to make it 3-0 Washburn Rural.

The aggressive attack of the Junior Blues’ offense has rendered the Free State midfielders and forwards useless thus far.

2:50 p.m. update

Another throw-in deep in the Free State end has proven disastrous for the Firebirds.

Washburn Rural senior Eric Semjenow scored his second goal of the game on a throw-in from Ethan Speake. The actual throw was no threat but the aftermath killed Free State. While Sam Passig tried to clear the ball out of bounds, he flubbed it, leaving a playable ball for Rural junior Jeremiah Ben Sullivan, who slipped it in front to Semjenow, who hammered it home past a helpless McClure.

10 minutes to play until halftime. Free State appears to have turned it up a notch, desperate to get something going on the offensive end.

2:43 p.m. update

We’re now halfway through the first half and Washburn Rural continues to dominate play. The ball has been deep in the Free State end for most of the first 20 minutes of the game but, true to form, the Firebirds have given up just a couple of dangerous chances.

Free State appears to be searching for its rhythm on offense and goalkeeper Jackson McClure looks a little shaky but overall solid in net. He’s bobbled a few balls already, one of which led to a direct scoring chance for the Junior Blues.

Still, with 17 minutes to play in the half, Free State remains one break away from tying things up.

2:32 p.m. update

The Junior Blues strike first when senior Eric Semjenow scores on a header off of a throw-in at 31:57.

The throw came from the far sideline and soared into the box, where Semjenow headed it straight into the air and toward the Free State net. When the ball came down, it crept between the outstretched arm of FSHS goalkeeper Jackson McClure and the crossbar and bounced softly into the net.

WR has outshot the Firebirds 3-0 in the early going and has controlled the pace of play for most of the first 12 minutes of the game.

Free State does not appear to be down about the early deficit, though. Clearly they understand that you have to score to win anyway.

2:19 p.m. update

The teams are on the field and the whistle has been blown.

The 2009 Class 6A state title game is under way.

2:13 p.m. update

We’re now less than 10 minutes from kickoff now and the Firebirds and Junior Blues have taken the field for the pregame introductions.

The Firebirds, the visiting team on the scoreboard, are in their all-green uniforms with white numbers. The Junior Blues, meanwhile, are wearing all white with blue numbers.

The National Anthem just finished and it’s time for the intros.

The Free State cheering section is packed with students, parents and faculty members, as it seems everyone thought that the beautiful weather made it too good to stay inside. There also is a huge number of Free State High football players on hand today. The Firebirds, of course, defeated Olathe East, 34-7, in the first round of the Class 6A state football playoffs Friday night.

Original Post, 1:55 p.m.

When they talk about playing soccer in November, they don’t talk about days like this.

Under sunny skies and 74-degree temperatures, the Free State High boys soccer team is about to begin its first state championship game in school history.

Free State (16-4) reached today’s title game with a 2-0 victory over Dodge City High on Friday night. Daniel Chance and Hunter Peirce provided the goals for Free State, one coming with 37:07 remaining in the first half and the other coming with less than three minutes to play in the game.

The Firebirds enter today’s contest winners of seven straight. What’s more, they’ve broken their own school record for victories with each of the past three wins and recorded an incredible 12 shutouts this season, including three in the playoffs.

Washburn Rural (19-1) advanced to today’s title game with a 3-1 victory against Shawnee Mission Northwest on Friday.

Northwest, atoned for its Friday loss with a victory over Dodge City in the third-place game.

Northwest and Dodge City just received their medals and the countdown to kickoff is officially on. The unofficial start time for today’s Class 6A state title game is 2:19 p.m.

Check back with www.LJWorld.com throughout the afternoon for updates from today’s game.