photo by: Courtesy photo

Free State's D'onte Goodman wrestles in the 126-pound weight class during his match against Blue Valley West Wednesday night at Blue Valley West on Jan. 13, 2021. The Firebirds improved to 13-0 on the year with their latest victory.

Despite a late schedule change, Free State’s wrestling team was business as usual during its 69-12 win at Blue Valley West on Wednesday.

The meet was originally supposed to be a double dual at Olathe Northwest before a quarantine forced everybody to improvise. The Firebirds responded by winning the first seven matches of the evening en route to a convincing road victory.

With the win, Free State improves to 13-0 on the year. The Firebirds, who were unranked entering the year, are now ranked No. 7 in Class 6A. They have shown great balance across their lineup for much of the season, which was on full display in their latest win.

Nolan Bradley, Eric Streeter, Darius Shields, Ezra Birdashaw, D’onte Goodman, Madyson Gray, Caleb Streeter, Laython Biddle, Matthew Marcum, Austin Burenheide, Alex Allison and Tai Newhouse all won their respective matches on Wednesday for Free State.

Free State will host Blue Valley on Wednesday.

Free State 69, Blue Valley West 12

106: Bradley (FS) received a FF

113: Streeter (FS) pin Darling (BVW)

120: Shields (FS) dec Olsen (BVW)

126: Goodman (FS) pin Hammel (BVW)

132: Birdashaw (FS) pin Moriarty (BVW)

138: Gray (FS) pin Watts (BVW)

145: Streeter (FS) pin Veda (BVW)

152: Schram (BVW) pin Mellenbruch (FS)

160: Biddle (FS) received a FF

170: Marcum (FS) pin Perchelet (BVW)

182: Burenheide (FS) pin Perchelet (BVW)

195: Allison (FS) pin Svoboda (BVW)

220: Lowe (FS) pin Rorick (FS)

285: Newhouse (FS) pin Gilbert (BVW)

Baldwin defeats Lawrence in dual

In a battle between two area teams, Baldwin’s wrestling squad secured a 54-28 win over Lawrence High at home on Wednesday.

The Bulldogs won seven matches via fall and earned another two victories by forfeit. Nikos Benton, Miguel Andazola, Josh Broyles, Conner Murry, Jack Harvey, Wesley Martin and Zane Nowak all pinned their respective opponents for Baldwin. BHS is now 15-5 on the year.

Andrew Honas, Kevin Honas and Logan Farrell all won their respective matches via pin for the Lions. Jack Elsten won by a major decision. Lawrence will travel to Liberty on Saturday.

Baldwin 54, Lawrence 28

106: Andrew Honas (LAWR) over Ayedin Johnson (BALD) (Fall 0:47)

113: Jack Elsten (LAWR) over Dalton Dempsey (BALD) (MD 10-2)

120: Kevin Honas (LAWR) over Jack Baron (BALD) (Fall 0:39)

126: Nikos Benton (BALD) over Noah Kirk (LAWR) (Fall 4:28)

132: Logan Farrell (LAWR) over Caden Englert (BALD) (Fall 3:13)

138: Miguel Andazola (BALD) over Zach Razak (LAWR) (Fall 1:50)

145: Josh Broyles (BALD) over Harrison Kirkwood (LAWR) (Fall 1:17)

152: Trey Medina (LAWR) over Jaiden Michael (BALD) (Fall 0:21)

160: Conner Murry (BALD) over Arlo Collier (LAWR) (Fall 4:00)

170: Jack Harvey (BALD) over Anthony Morales (LAWR) (Fall 4:46)

182: Wesley Martin (BALD) over Tucker Corbin (LAWR) (Fall 2:13)

195: Zane Nowak (BALD) over Ralph Saldana (LAWR) (Fall 6:40)

220: Toby Thomas (BALD) over (LAWR) (For.)

285: Kaden Coons (BALD) over (LAWR) (For.)

Free State boys swim wins home meet

Free State’s boys swim and dive team won five of the 12 events en route to a first-place finish at its home meet on Thursday at the Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center.

While there were five teams competing on Thursday, it really turned into a two-team race between Free State and Washburn Rural in the end. FSHS scored 239 points as a team to win the event, while Washburn Rural finished as a runner-up with 233 points.

No other team scored more than 77 points on the day.

The Firebirds started the day off with a win in the 200-yard medley relay. Alexander Moore, Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Dawson Bonnell and Finn VanDyke clocked a winning time of 1:46.48 in the very first event of the meet.

The other four wins for FSHS came during individual events. VanDyke won the 200 free with a time of 1:56.47. Sirimongkhon-Dyck netted first in the 100 fly with a mark of 54.95. Moore posted a time of 1:01.18 to win the 100 backstroke.

Free State’s Elliot Ahlvers also won the diving competition with a score of 253.20.

Bishop Seabury’s Ian Blake earned a win in one of the two events that he competed in on the day. He finished first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.62. He also came in second in the 50 free with a mark of 22.94.

Free State will return to the pool next Wednesday at Lawrence High.

Free State swim and dive meet

Thursday at Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center

Team scores: 1. Free State 239; 2. Washburn Rural 233; 3. Bonner Springs 77; 4. Turner 73; 5. Bishop Seabury 18.

200-yard medley relay: 1. Free State (Alexander Moore, Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck, Dawson Bonnell, Finn VanDyke) 1:46.48.

200 free: 1. Finn VanDyke 1:56.47; 3. Jackson Rea 2:21.78; 5. Jamie King 2:27.40.

200 IM: 2. Dawson Bonnell 2:14.13; 3. Max Bates 2:26.17; 4. Noah Mast 2:27.90.

50 free: 6. Alexander Moore 24.93; 8. Jackson Waggoner 26.87; 12. Owen Polson 28.00; 14. Cole Grassy 28.43; 15. Jackson Rea 28.65.

Diving: 1. Elliot Ahlvers 253.20; 3. Michael Leonard 204.10; 5. Jack Keathley-Helms 139.40.

100 fly: 1. Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck 54.95; 4. Jacob Heinz 1:01.69; 8. Gabe Clark 1:13.62.

100 free: 3. Finn VanDyke 52.01; 5. Jackson Waggoner 1:01.02; 8. Owen Polson 1:04.07.

500 free: 2. Dawson Bonnell 5:29.81; 4. Jacob Heinz 5:45.86; 5. Levi Bates 6:58.71.

200 free relay: 3. Free State (Alexander Moore, Noah Mast, Jackson Waggoner, Jacob Heinz) 1:44.79.

100 backstroke: 1. Alexander Moore 1:01.18; 2. Max Bates 1:01.73; 4. Noah Mast 1:06.32.

100 breaststroke: 2. Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck 1:01.76; 8. Cole Grassy 1:21.46; 9. Levi Bates 1:21.82.

400 free relay: 2. Free State (Finn VanDyke, Max Bates, Dawson Bonnell, Riley Sirimongkhon-Dyck) 3:37.63.

BSA results

50 free: 2. Ian Blake 22.94

100 breaststroke: 1. Ian Blake 1:01.62.