Free State junior Sawyer Nickel took second place at the Emporia Invitational on Saturday, leading the FSHS boys tennis team to fifth place in the team standings.

Nickel won his first three matches before losing to Valley Center’s Hayden Brauer, 8-2, in the championship. In doubles, Trey Melvin and Erik Czapinski combined for fifth place with a 3-1 record.

The Firebirds will compete in a home quadrangular Tuesday at Rock Chalk Park.

Emporia Invitational

Saturday at Emporia High

Team scores: Blue Valley 49, Blue Valley Northwest 47, Valley Center 45, Shawnee Mission East 43, Free State 40, Andover 21, Emporia 17, Shawnee Heights 8.

FSHS results

Singles

Sawyer Nickel (2nd place): def. Josaiah Juarez, SH, 8-0; def. Juan Pablo, BV, 8-4; def. Sam Freund, SME, 8-1; lost to Hayden Brauer, VC, 8-2.

Jack Kelsey (8th place): def. William Wang, BVNW, 8-7 (3); lost to Max Wang, BV, 8-1; lost to Chase Mikkelson, SME, 8-6; lost to Cooper Pennington, BVNW, 8-2.

Doubles

Trey Melvin/Erik Czapinski (5th place): def. Madrigal/Harmon, EMP, 8-1; lost to Thiagarajan/Parrish, BVNW, 8-6; def. Hansen/Palmieri, BV, 8-5; def. Napier/Shuetz, SME, 8-6.

Sam Six/Davis Stedman (13th place): lost to Hansen/Palmieri, BV, 8-4; lost to Vetter/Lasseter, AND, 8-7 (4); def. Madrigal/Harmon, EMP, 8-7 (3); def. Umscheid/Hockman, SH, 8-1.