photo by: Contributed

Free State's wrestling club went 11-0 in duals during an event in Great Bend on Friday and Saturday. The Firebirds had four individuals go undefeated to lead the way.

Free State’s wrestling club went undefeated against more than 10 other teams this past weekend at a two-day event in Great Bend.

The Firebirds, who also went undefeated in the 2020-21 regular season, competed in 11 duals on Friday and Saturday. Their opponents came from all over the state: Silver Lake, Minneapolis, Goddard Eisenhower, Valley Center, McPherson, Campus, Wichita North, Labette County, Rock Creek/Garden City, Great Bend and Salina South.

The Firebirds shut out three of those teams: Campus (67-0), Wichita North (39-0) and Labette County (66-0). The closest matchup was against Great Bend (32-30).

Free State also had four individual wrestlers who went unbeaten: Eric Streeter (11-0), Nolan Bradley (8-0), Tai Newhouse (6-0) and Darius Shields (3-0).

All of Streeter’s wins were by fall, and Newhouse also won by fall over an all-American: Garden City’s Sebastian Lopez.

A few other Firebirds were nearly undefeated: Ezra Birdashaw (10-2), Ben Mellenbruch (10-2) and Matthew Marcum (9-1).

Free State is entering its second season under head coach Randy Streeter. Last season, Free State went 20-0 and sent six wrestlers to the state tourney.

Wrestling results in Great Bend

Individual results: Brayden Wilcox 2-3; Quinton Hice 3-2; Drew Streeter 4-2; Jacee Jump 2-2; Grayson Hagen 6-3; Nolan Bradley 8-0; Eric Streeter 11-0; Ezra Birdashaw 10-2; Darius Shields 3-0; D’onte Goodman 7-3; Jett Barton 3-5; Ben Mellenbruch 10-2; Zach Shepley 6-5; Matthew Marcum 9-1; Gavin Blanchard 7-2; Tai Newhouse 6-0.

Dual results: Silver Lake 60-16; Minneapolis 49-33; Goddard Eisenhower 27-9; Valley Center 73-39; McPherson 45-12; Campus 67-0; Wichita North 39-0; Labette County 66-0; Rock Creek/Garden City 42-6; Great Bend 32-30; Salina South 37-12.

Firebirds compete in KAMO Hoops Shootout

Free State’s boys basketball team won all five games of pool play in the 19th annual KAMO Hoops Shootout, a three-day event this past weekend that featured more than 30 Kansas City-area teams.

The Firebirds’ pool included Blue Valley West, Bolivar, Monroe City, Olathe North and Union. FSHS started off with a 56-37 win over Blue Valley West on Friday — the only time Blue Valley West was beaten in pool play.

In total, Free State scored 271 points over its pool opponents and allowed just 185.

When bracket play began, the Firebirds were the No. 1 seed, but they were eliminated by Blue Valley Southwest in their first game, 48-39. Springfield Catholic won the tournament after defeating Blue Valley West in the championship game.

Tonganoxie LB earns MVP honors at Shrine Bowl

Tonganoxie senior Branden Martin closed out his high school career by earning an MVP award in Saturday’s Kansas Shrine Bowl.

At the state all-star game, which took place at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson, Martin was picked as the MVP of the East team. East lost to West, 14-0, but Martin was all over the field making plays.

Martin will continue his football career at Butler Community College. He made 528 tackles over the course of his career at THS, 133 of which were during his senior season.

Two Perry-Lecompton players, Thad Metcalfe and Hayden Robb, also played for the East team on Saturday.

Area volleyball player moving on from JCCC

After two seasons at Johnson County Community College, former Lawrence High volleyball standout Brooke Wroten will continue her college career at the University of South Carolina Aiken.

Wroten announced her transfer on her Instagram account in early June.

This past spring, Wroten helped JCCC win the National Junior College Athletic Association championship. The fourth-seeded Cavaliers upset top-seeded Illinois Central in the semifinals and then beat second-seeded Parkland College in four sets to take the title.

Wroten had 132 kills this past season, and she earned an honorable mention from the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.

Wroten also was on a tourney-winning team in her high school career. As a senior, she played a big role in LHS’ run to a Class 6A state title in 2018. In her final year with the Lions, she hit .386 and had 166 kills, 67 blocks, 50 digs and 18 aces.

High school teams on break

High school sports teams across the state have a break from workouts, camps and tournaments this week.

Monday was the start of the Kansas State High School Activities Association’s summer moratorium, during which school activities and facilities are closed statewide. The moratorium lasts through Sunday, July 4, and programs can resume their summer activities on July 5.