Jaelyn Two-Hearts drives to the basket as Free State's girls basketball team played Mill Valley Friday in Shawnee.

Shawnee ? Free State High girls basketball coach Ted Juneau likes the complexion of experience and youth on his team, but there are games like Friday’s 54-42 loss to Mill Valley that have made him realize that there are a number of different things that the Firebirds need to do better in order to gel on the court.

Juneau’s squad was in a groove for the first quarter and a half, as the Firebirds (1-1) built a 22-13 lead, but things went downhill quickly after that. Mill Valley sophomore Presley Barton went on a personal 7-0 run and scored 12 of her game-high 17 points in the second quarter to spark the Jaguars.

Free State freshman Caely Kesten briefly halted Barton’s with one of her four field goals, but the Jaguars kept rolling with an 8-0 run to close the half.

“We’re young and it seemed like every time we left something open, they were making it,” Juneau said. “I don’t think we quit, and I thought we continued to fight. It’s just unfortunate that we came out and got a little flat and I think lost confidence a little bit.”

Juneau credited the Firebirds’ quick start to the play of junior Jaelyn Two-Hearts — who led Free State with 12 points. Two-Hearts was hampered with foul trouble for most of the night, though, and Juneau felt that that took the Firebirds out of rhythm a little bit.

“One person doesn’t change the whole complexion of the game, but when Jaelyn gets her third foul, that really kind of hurt us,” Juneau said.

“She does a good job of getting us into some things that really gets Madison (Piper) going, and gets her going and the rest of the team. Losing her hurt us a little bit I thought, and then we just lost a little bit of confidence.”

Piper joined Two-Hearts in double figures with 10, but was limited to just seven shots from the field. Juneau fully expects Piper to have a bounce back game at 7 p.m. Monday for FSHS’ road contest against the Central Academy of Excellence, but said that the Firebirds need a more balanced effort in order to be at their best.

“The first game, Sam Lawrence scored 17 and CK scored 12 and Jaelyn had two,” Juneau said. “We’ve got to get some consistency about our play. We’ve got to understand that we can score. We have scored, but we have to do it on a consistent basis because that is what will make our team better. That will help us, and help Madison be better, too.”

FREE STATE (42)

Madison Piper 3-7 3-4 10, Cameryn Thomas 2-3 3-5 7, Sam Lawrence 1-4 0-0 2, Erin Cushing 0-2 2-2 2, Jaelyn Two-Hearts 5-11 0-0 12, Caely Kesten 4-9 0-0 8, Haley Hippe 0-0 1-2 1, Jaycie Bishop 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 15-36 9-13 42.

MILL VALLEY (54)

Claire Kaifes 4-6 0-1 8, Evan Zars 2-5 0-0 4, Trinity Knapp 1-1 0-0 2, Elena Artis 4-9 2-3 11, Courtney Carlson 1-3 0-0 3, Presley Barton 7-10 2-4 19, Payton Shurley 1-1 0-0 2, Adde Hinkle 2-3 0-0 5. Totals: 22-38 4-8 54.

Free State 13 11 12 8 — 42

Mill Valley 11 19 16 8 — 54

3-point goals: Free State 3-9 (Two-Hearts 2, Piper); Mill Valley 6-11 (Barton 3, Hinkle, Carlson, Artis) Turnovers: Free State 8, Mill Valley 11.