Free State's Nikki Miele (right) flashes a big smile after rolling a strike to send the Firebirds past Topeka West in the first game of the FSHS Invitational match play semifinals on Friday at Royal Crest Lanes. Miele rolled three strikes on the 10th frame to help the Firebirds' win Game 1 against Topeka West by one pin.

The Free State High girls bowling team had to wait a week to host its first tournament of the season after the FSHS Invitational girls tournament was postponed on Jan. 11, but it was sure worth it for the Firebirds.

In the unique tournament that features three traditional games, four Baker games and match play, the Firebirds played the role of the underdog to come away with a second-place plaque on Friday at Royal Crest Lanes. Free State fell to Olathe North in the Baker format best-of-three match play championship.

“This is an exciting day for our program,” Free State coach Chuck Law said. “I don’t know if we’ve ever picked up a plaque or an award of any kind in this particular tournament.”

After the three traditional and four Baker games concluded, the top eight teams advanced to match play. The Firebirds earned the No. 8 seed and had to take on top-seeded Lawrence High in the match play quarterfinals.

The Lions placed three bowlers in the top 10 between Holly Evans (fifth place, 610 series), Emilie Rodman (sixth, 598) and Dominique Vann (seventh, 567) to claim the No. 1 seed.

Lawrence High bowler Dominique Vann releases the ball during the Free State Invitational girls bowling tournament on Friday at Royal Crest Lanes. Vann finished seventh individually with a three-game series of 567.

Despite the Lions’ dominance prior to match play, the Firebirds went in with the attitude of having nothing to lose. The Firebirds capitalized on a few LHS open frames to win Game 1, 158-138, in the best-of-three Baker format series.

“They’re a fun-loving bunch. Sapphie (Knight) kind of gets them going,” Law said. “As long as they don’t bowl too tight and they just relax and go up and do what they’re comfortable doing, they can get some things accomplished. They were awesome once we got to the Baker. I think that whole sense of camaraderie and teamwork — they really fed off of one another.”

The missed spares continued to haunt the Lions early in Game 2, but they locked in late to force a rubber match. The Lions closed out the game with five straight strikes — including three from Evans in the 10th frame — to edge the Firebirds, 179-169, in the second.

“You don’t focus on anything else,” Evans said. “You’ve just got to go and make your team proud.”

The Lions weren’t able to build on the strong finish to Game 2, though. The Firebirds moved on to the semifinals after winning Game 3, 158-141.

Free State's Sapphie Knight jumps in the air after rolling a strike on Friday during the FSHS Invitational at Royal Crest Lanes.

Free State needed every pin to win Game 1 of the semifinals against Topeka West. While Knight, Sydney Jordan, Lexie Lockwood and Raegan Finkeldei did their best to ease the nerves of Nikki Miele going into the 10th frame, the Firebirds’ anchor felt plenty of pressure with needing to strike out to win Game 1. Miele rose to the occasion to win Game 1 by one pin for FSHS. Free State stayed hot in Game 2 to complete the sweep, 197-196, 189-153.

“Let’s just say I was shaking the whole time,” Miele said with a laugh.

Awaiting Free State in the championship match was seventh-seeded Olathe North. The Firebirds had their best and worst Baker games in the championship match, but the Eagles prevailed, 165-157, 145-207, 161-121. The loss in the championship only briefly diminished the excitement for the Firebirds.

“To come out second and lose to a really great Olathe North team, that should give us a lot of momentum going forward, I would hope,” Law said.

Free State Invitational

Friday at Royal Crest Lanes

Varsity

Match play quarterfinals: No. 8 Free State def. No. 1 Lawrence High (158-138, 169-179, 158-141), No. 5 Topeka West def. No. 4 Shawnee Mission Northwest, (149-161, 195-157, 143-118), No. 3 Topeka Seaman def. No. 6 Shawnee Heights (139-149, 156-140, 198-152), No. 7 Olathe North def. No. 2 Washburn Rural (190-179, 152-223, 225-160).

Match play semifinals: No. 8 Free State def. No. 5. Topeka West (197-196, 189-153), No. 7 Olathe North def. No. 3 Topeka Seaman (180-137, 181-186, 212-156).

Match play championship: No. 7 Olathe North def. No. 8 Free State (165-157, 145-207, 161-121).

Team scores (Three-game series + four Baker games): 1. Lawrence High 3007, 2. Washburn Rural 2943, 3. Topeka Seaman 2824, 4. Shawnee Mission Northwest 2819, 5. Topeka West 2747, 6. Shawnee Heights 2707, 7. Olathe North 2654, 8. Free State 2608, 9. Topeka High 2402, 10. Mill Valley 2279, 11. St. James 2230, 12. Highland Park 2158, 13. Leavenworth 2088, 14. SM West 1908, 15. Atchison 1842, 16. Hayden 1691.

Lawrence High: 5. Holly Evans 210-215-185–610, 6. Emilie Rodman 215-214-169–598, 7. Dominique Vann 233-162-172–567, 21. Skyler Scrivner 141-223-135–499, Ashley Dykes 141-148-164–453, Iana Chieu 130-150-126–406.

Free State: 13. Nikki Miele 188-183-160–531, Sapphie Knight 187-141-158–486, Sydney Jordan 176-151-148–475, Lexie Lockwood 180-136-145–461, Reagan Finkeldei 134-147-167–448, Gabbie McCurdy 124-160-118–402.

Junior Varsity

Match play quarterfinals: No. 8 SM West def. No. 1 Shawnee Heights (148-131, 97-89), No. 5 Mill Valley def. No. 4 SM Northwest (111-146, 186-163, 133-112), No. 3 Washburn Rural def. No. 6 Olathe North (103-110, 168-139, 133-98), No. 2 Lawrence High def. No. 7 Topeka West (133-87, 115-99).

Match play semifinals: No. 5 Mill Valley def. No. 8 SM West (137-115, 169-99), No. 3 Washburn Rural def. No. 2 Lawrence High (139-124, 114-117,106-105).

Match play championship: No. 3 Washburn Rural def. No. 5 Mill Valley (139-106, 128-101, 129-121).

Team scores (Three-game series + four Baker games): 1. Shawnee Heights 2253, 2. Lawrence High 2133, 3. Washburn Rural 2056, 4. Shawnee Mission Northwest 2041, 5. Mill Valley 2038, 6. Olathe North 2030, 7. Topeka West 1944, 8. SM West 1917, 9. Topeka High 1866, 10. Free State 1804, 11. Topeka Seaman 1750, 12. St. James 1724, 13. Highland Park 1715, 14. Hayden 1415, 15. Leavenworth 1304.

Lawrence High: 7. Abby Tyler 151-143-133–427, 10. Mollie Coffey 143-142-137–422, 14. Alexis Foster 117-144-137–398, 21. Jojo Blackwood 96-133-154–383, Macala Sisson 102-81-117–300.

Free State: Hannah Schenkel 104-137-107–348, Kala Ewing 121-107-108–336, Megan Donner 108-117-103–328, Elsa Fair 104-107-113–324, Victoria Vasquez-Ortega 119-113-90–322, Angel Westfall 85-81-105–271.