GARDNER — When the game turned into a free-throw contest, Ted Juneau needed not worry.

OK, so maybe that wasn’t enough to keep the normally mild-mannered second-year Free State coach from exhaling, and maybe he had a good reason.

“He was always, like, yelling at us for those little things,” said senior Erin Cushing with a smile. “Stupid little things we do.”

Juneau’s demeanor may have been deserved, but then again so was Cushing’s smile. A snake-bitten Free State squad, winless on the year after several close calls and overtime contests, broke through with its first victory of the 2017-18 season, winning at Gardner Edgerton, 52-44.

The Firebirds (1-8, 1-4 in league), ahead by 10 late in the fourth quarter, came away with most of their 18 made free throws over the final eight minutes. Caely Kesten, who knocked down all seven of her attempts in the second half, later noted that success at the line wasn’t by accident.

“We’ve definitely practiced a lot of free throws,” Kesten said. “Right now we’re doing a fundraiser for one of the teachers at our school. His son has cancer, and so we’re doing a free-throw fundraiser for him.”

Around the new year, Nolan and Laura Henderson, two FSHS teachers, learned their 3-month-old son had been diagnosed with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, a form of cancer rarely seen in children that young.

In turn, the girls team set up a contest to do some good. Each of the players was tasked with getting friends to pledge various amounts of money per free throw made, with the players each shooting around 100 throughout various practices.

“It’s been working,” Cushing said.

Certainly enough to get the win.

Although the Firebirds were far from perfect at the line, knocking down exactly two-thirds of their shots, they held a decisive advantage over the Blazers, who missed half their attempts.

“They kept their poise and did a lot of good things. I’m just really proud of them,” Juneau said. “I just thought we played pretty darn solid.”

And it wasn’t just the regulars.

Although Kesten led the team with 16 points, followed closely behind by Cushing (11), Sam Lawrence (10) and Shannon Clarke (9), it was a collective effort that earned the Firebirds the lead in the first half.

Initially trailing 7-0, Free State’s offense roared to life. Cushing knocked down a 3 for the Firebirds’ first field goal, and Lawrence knocked down two more as part of a 14-2 Free State run and first half in which the Firebirds shot 5 for 7 from 3-point range.

Later, with several players out of the game due to foul trouble, Juneau turned to Evie Harrell, Erin McClorey and Liliana Keathley to buy his starters some time. Their job, Juneau said, was to hold the lead. Instead, they added to it.

“That was really impressive,” Cushing said. “It was so important.”

Armed with a host of hustle plays, including one from Clarke that inspired Juneau to yell “That’s hustle” back toward his bench over and over as he pumped his fist, the Firebirds continued to swarm the Blazers (6-3 3-2), building up their advantage to nine points in the third quarter and then to 10 in the fourth.

Some 15 or so fourth quarter free-throw attempts later, the Firebirds were in the locker room, shouting in celebration in a moment Kesten later described as simply wonderful.

“Eh, you know. They were a little happy,” Juneau joked. “I told ’em they ought to act like we’ve been here before. Then I realized they hadn’t.”

Free State (52)

Sam Lawrence 3-6 1-2 10, Caely Kesten 4-11 7-7 16, Shannon Clarke 2-10 5-8 9, Haley Hippe 2-6 2-4 6, Erin Cushing 3-12 3-6 11, Mayela Edwards 0-4 0-0 0, Joy Nunoo 0-0 0-0 0, Evie Harrell 0-2 0-0 0, Erin McClorey 0-0 0-0 0, Liliana Keathley 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-51 18-27 52.

Gardner Edgerton (44)

Kelby Wilson 1-6 2-4 4, Kynli Nelson 5-10 7-12 17, Taylor Carpenter 3-8 1-4 7, Sofia Semon 1-8 1-2 4, Skylar Washington 3-10 4-8 10, Madyson Beasley 1-2 0-0 2, Jaden Sprague 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 14-44 15-30 44.

Free State 14 15 8 15 — 52

Gardner Edgerton 10 12 11 11 — 44

3-point goals: Free State 6-13 (Lawrence 3, Cushing 2, Kesten 1); Gardner Edgerton 1-16 (Semon 1). Fouled out: Clarke, Nelson, Carpenter. Turnovers: Free State 13, Gardner Edgerton 12.