photo by: Courtesy photo

Free State's Ezra Birdashaw competes in a match in the 120-pound weight class on Saturday at Olathe West on Dec. 19, 2020. The Firebirds went 3-0 on the day, improving to 10-0 on the year.

Free State’s wrestling team finished off a perfect opening month by winning all three matches during Saturday’s quadrangular at Olathe West.

The Firebirds started off the 3-0 day by defeating Washburn Rural’s split squad by a 61-15 margin. Free State then knocked off Junction City (No. 7 in Class 6A) in a 51-21 win during the second dual.

In the final battle, FSHS earned a 62-16 win over Olathe West. The Firebirds improved to 10-0 on the year after a strong opening month of the 2020-21 campaign under first-year head coach Randy Streeter.

Many wrestlers posted perfect individual records for Free State on Saturday.

Nolan Bradley (106-pound weight class), Ezra Birdashaw (120-pound weight class), Caleb Streeter (138-pound weight class), Ben Mellenbruch (152-pound weight class), Laython Biddle (160-pound weight class), Matthew Marcum (170-pound weight class), Austin Burenheide (182-pound weight class) and Tai Newhouse (285-pound weight class) all won every match they competed in on the day.

Madyson Gray, who won a state title a year ago, also won all five matches she competed in on the girls wrestling side.

Eric Streeter (113-pound weight class), meanwhile, dropped his first match of the year in a tough battle of ranked wrestlers against Junction City’s Zach Petrusky.

FSHS will return to the mat in January after the break. Free State’s first competition is a home triangular against Olathe East and Gardner-Edgerton on Jan. 9.

Olathe West quadrangular

Saturday at Olathe West

FSHS 61, Washburn Rural (Split Squad) 15

120: Birdashaw (FS) TF Baird (WR)

126: Byrne (FS) fall Goodman (FS)

132: Runau (WR) fall Barton (FS)

138: Streeter (FS) maj dec Ahlf (WR)

145: Aguilar (WR) dec Shepley (FS)

152: Mellenbruch (FS) fall Hutson (WR)

160: Biddle (FS) maj dec Ingold (WR)

170: Marcum (FS) fall Collings (WR)

182: Burenheide (FS) fall Calhoon (WR)

195: Rorick (FS) received a FF

220: Allison (FS) received a FF

285: Newhouse (FS) fall Gimbert (WR)

106: Bradley (FS) fall Sparling (WR)

113: Streeter (FS) fall Nelson (WR)

FSHS 51, Junction City 21

126: Foxworth (JC) fall Goodman (FS)

132: Petrusky (JC) fall Barton (FS)

138: Streeter (FS) maj dec Villeneuva (JC)

145: CJ Newman (JC) fall Shepley (FS)

152: Mellenbruch (FS) maj dec Lujan (JC)

160: Biddle (FS) fall Padilla (JC)

170: Marcum (FS) maj dec Nabus (JC)

182: Burenheide (FS) received a FF

195: Rorick (FS) received a FF

220: Allison (FS) received a FF

285: Newhouse (FS) received a FF

106: Bradley (FS) fall Witt (JC)

113: Petrusky (JC) dec Streeter (FS)

120: Birdashaw (FS) dec Blake (JC)

FSHS 62, Olathe West 16

132: Goodman (FS) SD OT Warren (OW)

138: Streeter (FS) fall Fuller (OW)

145: Novacek (OW) maj dec Shepley (FS)

152: Mellenbruch (FS) fall Johnson (OW)

160: Biddle (FS) fall Edwards (OW)

170: Marcum (FS) fall Hann (OW)

182: Burenheide (FS) fall Karnel (OW)

195: McLaughlin (OW) fall Rorick (FS)

220: Floersch (OW) received a FF

285: Newhouse (FS) fall Diaz (OW)

106: Bradley (FS) fall Bell (OW)

113: Streeter (FS) fall Hay (OW)

120: Birdashaw (FS) fall Newport (OW)

126: Barton (FS) received a FF