WRITER: David Rodish

Lawrence girls basketball wins, boys lose in penultimate regular season game against Shawnee Mission North

Lawrence girls basketball got a 32-point win in the team's penultimate regular season game on Tuesday against Shawnee Mission North, while the boys basketball team lost late to the Bison. In the girls basketball game, the Lions took an early lead and controlled the game. The Bison attacked the Lions with a press defense, but the Lions were able to exploit that with quick passing to move the ball up the court ...

Free State swimmer Bateman finishes junior year with all-state honor, sets sights for senior season

Anderson Bateman looked up to the video board following his finals swim in the 100-yard freestyle and celebrated with a quick arm pump. Next to his name read 47.29 seconds, which was 0.92 seconds faster than Bateman’s seed time. But what Bateman was really looking at was the number three next to his name. That race earned him 16 of his 29 total points at the state meet, which led to him earning all-state ...

Eight Free State wrestlers, four Lawrence wrestlers reach regional podium, earn trip to state tournament

Eight Free State wrestlers and four Lawrence wrestlers earned a spot in the 6A boys state wrestling tournament after placing in Saturday’s regional tournaments. Lawrence wrestled in the 6A East regional tournament and scored 74.0 points, which was 13th in the tournament. The Lions’ four wrestlers to move on to the state tournament is an improvement from last year’s three. Lawrence likely would’ve had a ...

Free State places 12th in 6A boys state swim and dive meet; Lawrence takes 19th

LENEXA — The Free State and Lawrence boys swim and dive teams concluded their seasons on Saturday in the 6A state boys swim and dive meet at the Shawnee Mission School District Aquatic Center. Free State finished 12th in the state with 92 team points, while the Lions earned 16 points from senior Alex Oral. The Firebirds improved upon last year’s placement, finishing a spot higher in 2026. “This team is a ...

City Showdown: Free State boys basketball leads all 48 minutes in 63-49 win over Lawrence

Free State trailed or was tied for exactly zero seconds of Friday's City Showdown boys basketball game against Lawrence. Before the clock even started, the Firebirds (7-14) took the lead with a technical free throw from sophomore Brendan Barrett, which was followed by a layup from senior Ethan Prescott on the first possession of the game. The Firebirds carried that into a dominant first half, building an ...

Preview: Young players settling in will be key for Free State, Lawrence girls basketball in City Showdown

Friday’s girls basketball game between Free State and Lawrence will provide an atmosphere that many of the players haven’t experienced yet. What they can expect is a crowded gym, a crazy environment and a good game. Free State (7-13) will play host to the Lions (10-10) at 5:30 p.m. for the girls basketball portion of the City Showdown. Both teams enter on a losing streak, meaning a win against the ...