Firebirds crush Wichita West, 49-0

Free State senior running back Sam Skwarlo, center, drags Wichita West's Denzel Aggison, left, and Izaha Klechka, right along as he picks up extra yardage during their first round playoff game Friday night at FSHS. The Firebirds routed the Pioneers, 49-0, and with the win advance to the second round of the state playoffs.

More than satisfied after a dominating victory to open the Class 6A state playoffs, Free State High’s football players weren’t hungry, but they couldn’t stop talking about doughnuts.

After disposing of visiting Wichita West, 49-0, Friday night at FSHS, it was the zero on the scoreboard, and not thoughts of fried dough, that had the Firebirds feeling gluttonous. The romp marked Free State’s second shutout win in a row and seventh straight victory since opening the season 0-3.

The Pioneers (5-5) had put up 39 points or more in each of their victories this season and hadn’t scored fewer than 21 points — until they met Free State (7-3).

“It’s nice to get another doughnut on the scoreboard,” senior linebacker and running back Sam Skwarlo said afterward.

Senior defensive back and quarterback Bryce Torneden said Free State’s coaching staff prepared the players all week for the dominating performance, in which FSHS only allowed 118 yards (all on the ground) and eight first downs, leading to a running clock early in the fourth quarter, once the Firebirds led by 49 points.

From the opening quarter, the likes of junior linebacker Jay Dineen, junior lineman Noah Kema and senior linebacker Paul Bittinger popped West runners for little to no gain.

“(The coaches) put in the game plan,” Torneden said, “and we fulfilled it and got another doughnut.”

While the Pioneers couldn’t get more than 2.7 yards per carry in their season-ending loss, Free State ran for 370 yards and averaged 8.6 per run. And that was even after FSHS got off to what it considered a slow start on offense.

Skwarlo’s first of four total touchdowns on the night came in the first quarter, on Free State’s first possession. But the Firebirds punted on their second series and were by no means running away with it once Skwarlo rushed for a second TD in the second quarter.

That’s when Free State started making breaks for itself and turning takeaways into points. With FSHS up 14-0, senior Drew Tochtrop recovered a fumbled kickoff return. Just more than two minutes later, junior defensive back Zack Sanders picked off a Chaz Capps pass. Free State scored after each West turnover, building a 28-0 halftime lead.

Firebirds coach Bob Lisher appreciated Tochtrop and Sanders getting the ball right back.

“First of all, it gives you a little momentum when you take the ball away,” Lisher said. “Then you get your offense back out there to work out some things and get going.”

Skwarlo, who rushed for 168 yards and three scores, often benefited from the perfect timing he and Torneden have developed running the option. The 6-foot senior hit a running lane hard for a 12-yard TD on an option pitch to the left side on Free State’s first of seven scores. The same play, to the wide side of the field, gave a diving Skwarlo an eight-yard TD in the second quarter. Skwarlo’s longest and most explosive run yet came less than a minute into the third, when the option turned into a 68 yards and another six points.

“Over the season, the option’s definitely been one of our better plays, for sure,” Skwarlo said. “If you’re gonna take on Bryce, then I’m gonna be gone. If you’re gonna take on me, then Bryce is gonna be gone. It’s just a good combination. We work really well together.’

Their chemistry netted FSHS a 39-yard TD on a passing play in the second quarter. Torneden scrambled backward, avoiding pressure, and before the QB could be taken down for a significant loss, Skwarlo came to the rescue, catching a pass near midfield and taking off down the right sideline.

“That was a backyard football play,” Skwarlo said. “A lot of times I’ll see Bryce scrambling around, and if I’m already blocking my guy, we make eye contact.”

Added Torneden: “We had the exact same play freshmen year, and it worked out. Same result.”

More times than not, Wichita West had no solution for Skwarlo when the running back had the ball in his hands.

“Once he gets downhill,” Lisher said, “he’s pretty tough to tackle. He’s a pretty strong kid, and if you hit him when he’s running downhill, you may not want to do it again.”

Torneden also burned the Pioneers through the air, as Free State started the postseason in near flawless fashion. The senior QB completed 11 of his 16 throws, including a perfect ball for senior receiver Logan McKinney (three catches, 46 yards) in the back-left corner of the end zone, as Free State pushed its lead to 42-0 midway through the third quarter.

For the second round of the playoffs, Free State will play at Wichita Northwest, which defeated Wichita North, 55-13.

Predicted Lisher: “It’s gonna be one heck of a challenge.”

WW FSHS

First downs 8 26

Rushes-yards 44-118 43-368

Passing yards 0 182

Total offense 118 550

Return yards 58 21

Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-yards 6-40 4-30

Score by quarters

Wichita West 0 0 0 0 — 0

Free State 7 21 14 7 — 49

Individual statistics

Rushing

WW: D’Anthony Andrews 21-64, Matt Swinney 6-21, Dontae Patterson 3-16, Javon Reed 4-10, Adonijah Metcalf 1-5, Chaz Capps 8-4, Thomas Washington 1-minus-2.

Free State: Sam Skwarlo 15-168 3 TDs, Zion Bowlin 6-89 TD, Bryce Torneden 10-42, Jax Dineen 3-23, Gage Foster 3-18 TD, Gabe DelValle 1-12, Paul Bittinger 2-11, Jalen Nash 1-7, Zack Sanders 1-0, Keenan Garber 1-0, Craig Travis 1-0, Team 1-minus-2.

Passing

WW: Capps 0-7-0.

Free State: Torneden 11-16-182 2 TDs.

Receiving

WW: None.

Free State: Logan McKinney 3-46 TD, Jack Flynn 2-42, Sam Skwarlo 1-39 TD, Zack Sanders 3-22, Noah Kema 1-18, Darian Lewis 1-15.

HOW THEY SCORED

First quarter

7:02 — Sam Skwarlo 12 run. Kameron Lake kick. (FSHS 7, WW 0.)

Second quarter

8:21 — Skwarlo 8 run. Lake kick. (FSHS 14, WW 0.)

7:22 — Skwarlo 39 pass from Bryce Torneden. Lake kick. (FSHS 21, WW 0.)

2:52 — Zion Bowlin 9 run. Lake kick. (FSHS 28, WW 0.)

Third quarter

11:16 — Skwarlo 68 run. Lake kick. (FSHS 35, WW 0.)

6:27 — Logan McKinney 16 pass from Torneden. Lake kick. (FSHS 42, WW 0.)

Fourth quarter

11:52 — Gage Foster 5 run. Lake kick. (FSHS 49, WW 0.)