photo by: Chris Duderstadt

Free State's Bayn Schrader high-fives his teammates during the Baker games of the Sunflower League meet on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2018, at Mission Bowl 'N Olathe.

The two city bowling teams will kick off the season with one of the largest meets of the year.

A total of 16 teams will compete in the Firebird Invitational, including both Free State and Lawrence High. The boys meet will begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, while the girls meet is slated to start at 8:30 a.m. Friday. Both meets will take place at Royal Crest Lanes in Lawrence.

It will be an eye-opening experience for the new city bowlers, something seniors from both LHS and FSHS have tried to relay to the underclassmen. It is a good test to see how this year will go for the seniors trying to embrace a bigger role on each squad.

“I really want to do good this season and I want to be a leader,” Lawrence senior Ashley Dykes said. “I just want to enjoy the last season that we have.”

Dykes figures to be a prime candidate to adopt a leadership role for the Lions, a role that was previously held by Diamonique Vann last year.

photo by: Chris Duderstadt

Lawrence High’s Ashley Dykes smiles after throwing a strike at the Sunflower League meet on Tuesday at Mission Bowl ‘N Olathe.

Between the boys and girls, the LHS bowling team netted seven meet victories last season before sending two boys and one girl to the state tournament. Former Lion Holly Evans eventually placed eighth as an individual at the state meet.

Dykes hopes to thrive in her final season with the LHS girls team, though she’s pleased with the strides she has made in her career. Dykes, who is also a golfer, first picked up the sport during her freshman season. She was using a plastic ball that came from the bowling alley.

“I love that anybody can do it,” Dykes said. “It doesn’t matter how tall you are or big you are.”

The Lawrence boys team will also feature several new faces after losing two state qualifiers from last year’s squad. But senior Lorenzo Dan believes this team can make improvements throughout the season.

“We want to make progress,” Dan said.

Free State, meanwhile, has a nice blend of experienced bowlers and newcomers ahead of the new season.

The Firebirds return five varsity bowlers on the boys side, while bringing back four varsity bowlers on the girls team.

On the boys side, senior Bayn Schrader is back after making it to the state tournament in each of the last two seasons. The girls teams has a pair of four-year bowlers in Lexie Lockwood and Sydney Jordan.

“We have an interesting mix of experienced returnees and a whole lot of new faces,” FSHS coach Chuck Law said. “It is a matter of younger kids stepping up and filling in for the people that we lost last year.”

Schrader hopes to end his bowling career on a high note.

Two years ago, Schrader made it to the state tournament with the FSHS bowling team. He finished 30th individually, but the experience was vital. He then qualified as an individual last season, placing 12th.

“This year, the goal is just to go down and place higher than 12th,” Schrader said.

On the girls side, Lockwood is back after netting honorable mention honors in the Sunflower League last season. Jordan is trying to make the most of her final year in bowling, a sport she began doing competitively at 7-years-old.

But both bowers believe that the Firebirds are capable of doing some damage as a team this year.

“I know we lost a lot of our really good bowlers, but I think our team has a lot of potential this year,” Jordan said. “I think we have a pretty good shot.”

Lions claim second at Shawnee Mission South triangular

The Lawrence High boys swim team finished second during a three-team event Wednesday afternoon at Shawnee Mission South.

LHS scored 76 points to clinch runner-up by 14 points. Olathe Northwest won the event with 188 points, while Shawnee Mission South finished with 62 points. Lawrence did not win a race, but finished in the top-three in four of the 12 events.

Braden Augustine, Andrew Severn, Giovani Lule-Paredes and Luke Dunlap claimed third in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:56.30. Keyan Crawford finished third in diving with 175.60 points.

Dunlap, Severn, Nathan Stoddard and Augustine netted second in the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:39.57. Logan Grose also posted third in the 100-yard breaststroke with a mark of 1:14.41.

Lawrence will return to action at the LHS Invitational on Jan. 17.

Shawnee Mission South triangular

Team scores: 1. Olathe Northwest 188; 2. Lawrence 76; 3. Shawnee Mission South 62.

LHS results

200-yard medley relay: 3. Braden Augustine, Andrew Severn, Giovani Lule-Paredes, Luke Dunlap, 1:56.30.

200 free: 5. Nathan Stoddard, 58.50; 7. Jake Signor, 1:00.72; 9. Alexander Arnone, 1:01.76; 11. Jack Morse, 1:03.57.

200 IM: 7. Andrew Augustine, 2:51.83; 8. Alexander Arnone, 2:53.43.

50 free: 5. Braden Augustine, 24.72; 8. Andrew Severn, 26.24; 16. Logan Grose, 28.12; 19. Adam Walther, 29.55; 20. Reed Pfeifer, 30.03.

Diving: 3. Keyan Crawford 175.60; 6. Salvador Good 159.90.

100 fly: 6. Giovani Lule-Paredes, 1:07.64; 7. Luke Dunlap, 1:09.49.

100 free: 5. Nathan Stoddard, 58.50; 7. Jake Signor, 1:00.72; 9. Alexander Arnone, 1:01.76; 11. Jack morse, 1:03.57.

500 free: 5. JJ Smith, 6:28.01; 6. Trenton Snyder, 6:28.81; 7. Rafael Machado, 6:38.21.

200 free relay: 2. Luke Dunlap, Andrew Severn, Nathan Stoddard, Braden Augustine, 1:39.57.

100 back: 5. Jake Signor, 1:16.67; 6. Andrew Augustine, 1:19.26; 7. Chase Reed, 1:21.94.

100 breast: 3. Logan Grose, 1:14.41; 5. Andrew Severn, 1:16.79; 10. Reed Pfeifer, 1:21.77; 12. Will Damron, 1:24.33; 14. Rafael Machado, 1:28.06.

400 free relay: 4. Alexander Arnone, Trenton Snyder, Adam Walther, Chase Reed, 4:17.83.