Free State High baseball players were thrilled with their victory against top-ranked Olathe East on Monday, but their competition doesn’t get much easier this weekend.

The Firebirds will open play against Omaha (Nebraska) Creighton Prep in the River City Baseball Festival at 7:15 p.m. today at Kansas University’s Hoglund Ballpark.

Thirty-five teams across four states will converge on Lawrence this weekend for the 14th-annual festival, including five teams from last year’s Kansas Class 6A state baseball tournament.

“There’s no doubt there’s some really, really strong competition,” FSHS coach Mike Hill said. “If you can come into the event off a victory, that certainly helps, but it’s only as good as it lasts. If we go out and don’t play well Thursday night, then it really doesn’t matter what we did on Monday. But I think it gives the kids a little boost of confidence.”

The Firebirds (8-2, ranked No. 5 in the coaches poll) are on a four-game winning streak and are looking forward to their next test: three games in three days. Creighton Prep (14-3) is ranked No. 2 in Nebraska’s Class A.

“I certainly think it’s one of the highlights of the season,” Hill said. “Not only for our kids but frankly the kids across this region. It’s turned into what’s arguably one of the premier, if not THE premier, high school baseball event in this part of the country.”

Free State will also play Springfield (Missouri) Kickapoo on Friday and Nixa (Missouri) on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Lawrence High (2-8) will open against Blue Valley Northwest at 5 tonight at Hoglund Ballpark.

The Lions haven’t won a game in the festival since 2012, but they’re always up for the challenge of playing top teams.

“We always tell the kids, ‘To win a state tournament, you have to win three games against three quality opponents,'” LHS coach Brad Stoll said. “We always try to treat it like that and have a mini state tournament in the middle of the season.”

LHS will play Jefferson City (Missouri) on Friday and St. James Academy on Saturday as it looks to turn its season around and end a three-game losing streak. One of the biggest challenges will be getting strong outings from starting pitchers to limit the workload for the bullpen.

“It’s just amazing the amount of talent that comes in here,” Stoll said. “It’s nice because you play the Sunflower League teams every year, so it’s always kind of fun to have three teams in the River City who are someone you don’t have a chance to play every year.”

Thursday

At Hoglund Ballpark, Kansas University

5 p.m. — Lawrence vs. Blue Valley Northwest

7:15 p.m. — Free State vs. Omaha Creighton Prep, Neb.

At Free State High

9 a.m. — Blue Valley North vs. Topeka Hayden

11:15 a.m. — Shawnee Mission Northwest vs. St. James

1:30 p.m. — Shawnee Mission West vs. Blue Valley Southwest

3:45 p.m. — Olathe South vs. Lee’s Summit West, Mo.

6 p.m. — Shawnee Mission South vs. Warrensburg, Mo.

At Lawrence High

9 a.m. — Olathe East vs. Washburn Rural

11:15 a.m. — Olathe North vs. Bishop Miege

1:30 p.m. — Olathe Northwest vs. Blue Valley

3:45 p.m. — Shawnee Mission East vs. Blue Springs, Mo.

6 p.m. — Olathe North vs. Raymore-Peculiar, Mo.

8:15 p.m. — Blue Valley West vs. Rockhurst, Mo.

Friday

At Hoglund Ballpark, Kansas University

9 a.m. — Blue Valley North vs. Warrensburg, Mo.

11:15 p.m. — Shawnee Mission North vs. Raymore-Peculiar, Mo.

1:30 p.m. — Shawnee Mission East vs. Maize

3:45 p.m. — Olathe East vs. Jefferson City, Mo.

6 p.m. — Shawnee Mission Northwest vs. Rogers, Ark.

8:15 p.m. — Shawnee Mission West vs. Rockhurst, Mo.

At Free State High

11:15 a.m. — Olathe Northwest vs. Blue Springs, Mo.

1:30 p.m. — Olathe North vs. Ozark, Mo.

3:45 p.m. — Free State vs. Springfield Kickapoo, Mo.

6 p.m. — Maize vs. Ozark, Mo.

8:15 p.m. — Olathe South vs. Branson, Mo.

At Lawrence High

9 a.m. — Omaha Creighton Prep, Neb. vs. Topeka Hayden

11:15 p.m. — Omaha Creighton Prep, Neb. vs. Lee’s Summit West, Mo.

1:30 p.m. — Shawnee Mission Northwest vs. Warrensburg, Mo.

3:45 p.m. — Olathe Northwest vs. Branson, Mo.

6 p.m. — Shawnee Mission South vs. Nixa, Mo.

8:15 p.m. — Lawrence vs. Jefferson City, Mo.

Saturday

At Hoglund Ballpark, Kansas University

9 a.m. — Omaha Creighton Prep, Neb. vs. Branson, Mo.

11:15 a.m. — Free State vs. Nixa, Mo.

1:30 p.m. — Leavenworth vs. Springfield Kickapoo, Mo.

3:45 p.m. — Blue Valley Southwest vs. St. James

6 p.m. — Shawnee Mission South vs. Rockhurst, Mo.

8:15 p.m. — Lawrence vs. St. James

At Free State High

9 a.m. — Lee’s Summit West, Mo. vs. Ozark, Mo.

11:15 a.m. — Lee’s Summit West, Mo. vs. Jefferson City, Mo.

1:30 p.m. — Raymore-Peculiar, Mo. vs. Jefferson City, Mo.

3:45 p.m. — Washburn Rural vs. Blue Valley West

6 p.m. — Blue Valley vs. Raymore-Peculiar, Mo.

At Lawrence High

9 a.m. — Blue Springs, Mo. vs. Springfield Kickapoo, Mo.

11:15 a.m. — Blue Springs, Mo. vs. Rogers, Ark.

1:30 p.m. — Shawnee Mission West vs. Nixa, Mo.

3:45 p.m. — Blue Valley Northwest vs. William Chrisman, Mo.

6 p.m. — Bishop Miege vs. William Chrisman, Mo.