Free State High football players found a way to survive and advance in the first round of the playoffs last week. Unfortunately for them, it doesn’t get any easier.

The Firebirds will go on the road for the second round of the playoffs to face Junction City at 7 tonight at Al Simpler Stadium. It’s the first time Free State will play the Blue Jays since the 2008 state championship game.

“We’re really excited,” senior receiver and cornerback Andrew Keating said. “We’re doing it all for our seniors now, and it’s win or go home. So it’s a big game and a lot at stake.”

The Firebirds (7-3, ranked No. 5 in Class 6A by Kpreps.com) might not be thrilled about a long bus ride, but they haven’t been intimidated by road games. Free State has a 5-0 record away from home this year.

“I don’t know. Sometimes it’s just unexplainable,” FSHS coach Bob Lisher said. “We play better on the road than we we do at home, but then again, we’ve played some decent opponents at home as well.”

Free State’s losses at home were against Shawnee Mission East and Olathe North, the top two ranked teams in 6A, and to Leavenworth, which is still in the playoffs in 5A.

But nobody can really pinpoint why the Firebirds have been so successful in unfamiliar territory.

“I’m not really sure why we can do good on the road,” Keating said. “It’s the same mindset as a home game.”

The Blue Jays (8-2) are a strong running team that uses a ton of different formations. But after a week of studying them and practicing against the formations, the Firebirds are confident they can be successful against Junction City.

“We’ll have to do a lot of checks,” senior cornerback and H-back Joel Spain said. “I know (safety) Bryce (Torneden) and I were talking in the secondary about making the correct checks on their different formations. That was new for us at first, but I think we got it down.”

FSHS probable starters

Offense

LT — Scott Frantz, sr.

LG — Shane Hofer, sr.

C — Coleman Houk, sr.

RG — Josiah LeBrun, sr.

RT — Tanner Liba, jr.

QB — Bryce Torneden, jr.

RB — Carson Bowen, sr.

H — Joel Spain, sr.

WR — Logan McKinney, jr.

WR — Andrew Keating, sr.

TE — Darian Lewis, jr.

K — Joel Spain, sr.

P — Joel Spain, sr.

Defense

DE — Jalen Galloway, jr.

NG — Michael Georgie, sr.

DE — Shane Hofer, sr.

OLB — Drew Tochtrop, jr.

MLB — Jay Dineen, so.

LB — Paul Bittinger, jr.

LB — Zion Bowlin, so.

OLB — Carson Bowen, sr.

CB — Andrew Keating, sr.

CB — Joel Spain, sr.

FS — Bryce Torneden jr.