Olathe ? A dud of a first quarter didn’t keep Free State High’s girls basketball team down Friday night at Olathe Northwest.

When shots wouldn’t fall for the Firebirds early, they resolved to pick up the defensive intensity. Following sophomore point guard Cameryn Thomas’ lead, FSHS found the energy and effort to defeat the Ravens, 65-44.

Free State missed 10 of its 12 field goals in the first quarter, allowing ONW to get out to an 18-8 lead. But the home team’s success proved short-lived.

The Firebirds flipped a switch defensively and held the Ravens to 8-for-32 shooting in the final three quarters. FSHS coach Bryan Duncan said Thomas (15 points, nine rebounds) deserved much of the credit. Disappointed with the start for his team, ranked No. 7 in Class 6A, Duncan told his Firebirds (6-2): “Do what Cameryn does.”

And it worked.

“If she gets out and is pressuring the ball,” Duncan said, “everyone needs to get out and pressure the ball. She’s kind of like the quarterback of our defense, and they really feed off what she does.”

Said Thomas: “I love defense. Naturally, I just like to pressure, and the team likes to pressure, too.”

Free State began its recovery in the second quarter, when junior guard Madison Piper scored 10 of her game-high 25 points, and the Ravens’ fortunes headed in the opposite direction.

The Firebirds turned a three-point halftime deficit into a seven-point lead entering the fourth, then held ONW scoreless the first 5:06 of the final quarter, forcing the Ravens to miss their first eight shots on the way to 2-for-16 shooting in the period.

“When we ran our trap defense,” Thomas said, “I think that’s really what got us going. We started picking it up, and it picked up our energy, and we got a couple steals off it.”

Thomas carried Free State’s offense in the fourth quarter, scoring seven points and securing six rebounds (three on offense).

“I just want to do whatever I can for our team and bring our momentum up,” the 5-foot-7 sophomore said.

Sophomore Jaelyn Two Hearts made three of her seven three-pointers and scored 11 points for FSHS, which played without senior starter Caiti Schlesener. Sophomore Erin Cushing made her first varsity appearance off the bench and scored four points.

“We were piecing that together,” Duncan said of the win, “from the second quarter on, and I think that speaks pretty well for our kids, to step up in some adversity.”

Free State (65)

Cameryn Thomas 6-10 3-5 15, Madison Piper 8-17 5-5 25, Hannah Walter 1-5 4-7 6, Jaelyn Two Hearts 4-11 0-0 11, Peyton Brown 0-0 1-2 1, Jaycie Bishop 1-2 0-0 3, Erin Cushing 1-2 2-4 4. Totals 21-45 15-23 65.

Olathe NW (44)

Sami Marks 3-5 0-0 8, Annemarie Boeh 2-6 1-2 5, Pete Sellon 3-6 4-7 10, Christen Curry 2-3 2-2 7, Ryley DeMaro 0-4 0-2 0, Sarah Beth Gueldner 2-12 1-2 6, Maddi Heise 2-7 1-4 5, Kaylie Kappelmann 0-0 3-4 3. Totals 14-43 12-23 44.

Free State 8 18 19 20 — 65

Olathe NW 18 11 9 6 — 44

Three-point goals: FSHS 8-23 (Piper 4, Two Hearts 3, Bishop); ONW 4-14 (Marks 2, Curry, Gueldner). Fouled out: ONW: Curry. Turnovers: FSHS 6, ONW 13.