Free State’s boys tennis team started off the 2021 campaign with a third-place finish at the Emporia Invitational on Saturday.

The Firebirds scored 40 points as a team, finishing behind runner-up Blue Valley (49 points) and Blue Valley Northwest (59) in the six-squad event.

FSHS was led by a third-place finish from its No. 1 doubles tandem of Ben Melvin and George Thornton. The duo was seeded fourth entering the event, winning its first two matches before falling in the semifinals. They closed things out with a 8-1 win in the third-place match.

Free State had a pair of singles players earn top-nine finishes, as well. Jared Loos secured sixth as an individual, going 2-2 on the day. After losing in the opening round, Owen Thompson won three consecutive matches in the consolation bracket to notch ninth as a singles player.

The Firebirds will now turn their attention to a busy week, as they are slated to compete three times in a four-day span.

Emporia Invitational

Saturday at EHS

Team scores: 1. Blue Valley Northwest 59; 2. Blue Valley 49; 3. Free State 40; 4. Andover 37; 5. Valley Center 26; 6. Emporia 18.

FSHS results

No. 1 doubles: Ben Melvin/George Thornton — 3rd place

No. 2 doubles: Jake Hedges/Minh Vu — 1-2 on the day

Singles: Jared Loos — 6th place

Singles: Owen Thompson — 9th place

Singles: Britton Snyder — injury default