Phew!!! What a ride. Never before, during my eight years of covering high school sports, had I followed a fall sports team that took me all the way through the break and into the first week of the winter sports season. Thanks to the 2008 Free State High football team, I now have. The Firebirds — as I’m sure anyone who’s reading this knows by now — turned 1-2 and 3-3 records into the best postseason run the school had ever seen. They did it with effort, they did it with heart and they did it with tremendous chemistry.That run ended Saturday at the Class 6A state championship game, where Free State fell to Junction City, 19-14, thus bringing an end to the longest high school football season I have ever known. For the last five or six weeks, the Firebirds believed they were going to win every time they stepped onto the field. And they played that way. You know, it’s funny; but things really started clicking after the Firebirds saw themselves on ESPN’s Top 10 plays of the day during a blowout victory against Leavenworth. Maybe there’s something to that…… Nah. I doubt it. But ever since that point, the Firebirds played like they were trying to land a second spot on the countdown for something they did instead of something done by their opponent. Anyway, as we look forward to the 2009 high school football season, I can’t help but wonder which city high school is in a better position to make a similar run — Lawrence High or Free State. Call me crazy, if you like. But if I had told you in early October that the Firebirds would be playing in the 2008 state title game, you would’ve called me crazy then, too. To help you — and me — decipher which school is in better shape heading into the ’09 campaign, here’s a look at the top returning players on the Lions’ and Firebirds’ rosters: Free State Firebirds, 2008 Record: 9-4
1. Camren Torneden, senior QB/CB
2. Michael Lisher, senior OL/DL
3. Keene Niemack, senior LB/RB
4. Matt Ruder, senior OL/DL
5. Aundre Allen, senior WR/CB
6. Kirk Resseguie, senior RB/LB
7. Chandler Schmidt, senior LB/CB
8. Connor Stremel, senior WR/DB
9. Gabe Ballard-Hansen, senior K
10. Bo Schneider, senior WR/DBLawrence High Lions, 2008 Record: 4-6
1. Jay Baker, senior OL/DL
2. Darren Sorem, junior LB
3. Tyrae Jenkins, senior RB/DB
4. Ben Muiller, senior OL/LB
5. Chris Gaston, junior QB/DB
6. Taylor Coleman, senior DE/TE
7. Hank Marshall, junior RB/LB
8. Chase McElhaney, senior WR/DB
9. Mason Bertrand, senior WR/DB
10. Dom Reiske, senior OL/DLSo there it is. It’s quite a list. Which team do you think is in better shape heading into next season?