Heading into the second round of the Class 6A state playoffs, Free State High’s football team is walking into uncharted territory.

The Firebirds are making their longest road trip in program history to play unbeaten Garden City at 7 tonight.

Free State made the five-plus hour, 333-mile drive to western Kansas following practice Thursday with 37 players and most of the coaching staff, staying overnight at a hotel.

The rest of the coaches and players that aren’t first- or second-team on the depth chart will leave this morning, and the entire team will return following the game in the wee hours Saturday morning.

“I’ve coached a long time and I’ve never had to spend the night for a football game before,” 20th-year Free State coach Bob Lisher said. “But it is what it is. We’re looking forward to the chance to play.”

Despite the long-distance drive, Free State players are excited to make the most of their first overnight trip.

“It’s kind of like a college thing: go out the day before, stay the night and then get to play the next day,” said senior linebacker Jay Dineen, a Kansas commit. “It should be fun getting to travel with the team.”

Third-seeded Garden City (9-0) features an offense that has scored 40 or more points in five games this season.

One reason for the high-scoring squad is a dominant run game led by senior quarterback Jesse Nunez, who has rushed for 1,277 yards and 19 touchdowns and is close to becoming the school’s all-time leading rusher. Another reason is a massive offensive line that averages about 275 pounds.

“We’ve faced some big teams, but nothing like this,” Lisher said. “They are big all the way across the front. They look kind of like a college team across the front. They are wide, they are big, they are athletic, so it’s going to be a challenge for us.”

Of course, the sixth-seeded Firebirds (7-2) are excited about the challenge of stopping Garden City’s run game. Free State has only allowed 52 points during its six-game winning streak, holding opponents to 110 rushing yards per game.

“In my career here at Free State, I’ve played some pretty big linemen,” senior defensive lineman Noah Kema said. “Those are always the ones that you have to prep for the most because they have they most length and can create holes the best.”

After a sluggish first half last week, the Firebirds are confident that all of the travel won’t affect their play in unfamiliar territory.

“Coach Lisher made clear to us that you don’t go out like that,” Kema said. “You don’t go out feeling you’re more superior to another team. You play with confidence. You play angry. You play with a chip on your shoulder. But everyone is hungry in the playoffs.”

FSHS probable starters

Offense

LT — Chase Houk, sr.

LG — Jay Dineen, sr.

C — Nathan Spain, jr.

RG — Reese Todd, sr.

RT — Spencer Roe, jr.

QB — Dallas Crittenden, sr.

RB — Zion Bowlin, sr.

WR — Zack Sanders, sr.

WR — Daniel Bryant, sr.

WR — Bo Miller, jr.

TE — Noah Kema, sr.

K — Kameron Lake, so.

P — Jake Rittman, jr.

Defense

DT — Noah Kema, sr.

NT — Nathan Spain, jr.

DT — Nick Eddis, sr.

ROLB — Gage Foster, jr.

ILB — Jay Dineen, sr.

ILB — David Johnson, jr.

LOLB — Drew Wise, sr.

CB — Gabe del Valle, jr.

CB — Daniel Bryant, sr.

FS — Zack Sanders, sr.

SS — Zion Bowlin, sr.