photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence pitcher Hudson Hardesty throws a pitch against Sioux Falls-Roosevelt at Lawrence on Friday, March 28, 2025.

The Lawrence baseball team had its first look at league play on Tuesday with Olathe North at home, and pitcher Hudson Hardesty rose to the occasion.

Hardesty pitched a no-hitter in a 6-0 win in seven innings. He threw 11 strikeouts against three free bases. In 97 total pitches thrown, Hardesty threw 58 strikes. He faced 24 batters total.

Hardesty wasn’t only effective on the mound, as he went 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a walk. The first hit of the game was from Hardesty’s bat in the bottom of the first. His double set up an RBI single by Josh Galbreath in the next at-bat. Hardesty’s double in the bottom of the second drove in Tristan Prier for the fifth run of the game.

The Lions are 4-1 to start the season, and Hardesty has played an integral role in the team’s early success. He leads the team with nine hits on 16 at-bats and is tied for first with five RBIs. Hardesty has thrown a team-high 16 innings on the mound through five games with an ERA of 0.88 and allowing only 0.75 walks or hits per inning.

Lawrence will remain at home on Thursday to host Shawnee Mission Northwest.

Free State, Lawrence start boys golf season with Justin Siler Memorial Invitational

The Free State and Lawrence boys golf teams started their seasons Monday at Lawrence Country Club for the Justin Siler Memorial Invitational.

Free State placed third with a 312-team score behind Manhattan in second and Summit Christian Academy in first.

Cash Nelson, a junior for Free State, had the third-best individual finish, leading his team with a 71 score. Tied for 12th were Free State junior Henry Thompson and Lawrence junior Andrew Kirkwood with a 77 score. Kirkwood had the highest finish among the Lions.

Lawrence sophomore Corbin May-Bryant was second on the team and 23rd overall after shooting an 80. Free State sophomore A.J. Kimzey scored one higher at 81 and tied for 26th. Free State seniors Preston Hosler and Aiden Graff-Hannah tied for 30th, scoring 83.

Lawrence junior Lou Elsten and senior Nate Schworm tied for 33rd, scoring 84. Fellow senior Lion Aidan Wondrack scored a 97, and sophomore Cameron Wycoff finished with a 100.

The Lions will compete at Oakwood Country Club on Monday for the Jaguar Invitational, while the Firebirds will next compete on Thursday, April 10, for an invitational at the Wamego Country Club.

Track and field teams start season with Early Bird Invitational at Free State

Free State, Lawrence and Tonganoxie started their track and field seasons with the Early Bird Invitational on Friday.

The Firebirds’ girls team finished first with 137 points, as the Lions placed sixth at 70.5 points. On the boys side, the Lions placed second with 91.5 points, and the Firebirds finished fourth with 68.5 points. The Chieftains placed ninth in both boys and girls events.

Tonganoxie senior Todd Brown was the runner-up in the 100-meter dash in 10.99 seconds. Free State junior Dane Carlson was fourth at 11.20 seconds, and Lawrence sophomore Ethan Curry placed sixth at 11.27 seconds. Senior Chieftain Kendall Smith finished seventh at 11.30 seconds. Carlson took fifth in the 200-meter dash at 23.35 seconds.

Lawrence freshman Truth Pope placed fifth in the 400-meter dash at 54.95 seconds, with Free State junior Logan Kimbrall taking seventh at 55.32 seconds.

In the 800-meter run, Free State senior Grant Lichauer won with a 2-minute, 3.05-second time. Lawrence sophomore Oliver Schwartz tied for fifth at 2:10.16 with Free State junior Jasper Hansen Terry. Lichauer also won the 1600-meter run at 4:37.12, with Tonganoxie sophomore Parker Welsh as the runner-up in 4:40.22. FSHS junior Jonah Frye placed fourth in the race at 4:42.17.

Senior Lion Leigham Alexander took fifth in the 3200-meter run at 10:59.44, with fellow senior Lion Elliot Paden finishing seventh at 11:20.41. Junior Jake Oldfather was the third Lion in the top-10, finishing in 11:23.24. LHS junior Murphy Nowak finished fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at 17.05 seconds.

In relays, the Lions 4×100-meter relay placed third, with Free State in fourth and Tonganoxie in seventh. In the 4×800-meter relay, Lawrence finished third, and Free State took ninth.

For field events, LHS sophomore Kenyon Doleman placed fourth in the high jump with a five-foot, 10.0-inch jump. Tahj Edwards, an LHS sophomore, placed third in the long jump at 20 feet, 6.5 inches, and Lawrence junior Tyler Dye took fourth at 20 feet, 5.0 inches.

Dye won the triple jump at 42 feet, 3.0 inches. Junior teammate Joseph Lucas was the runner-up at 41 feet, 10.0 inches, and Edwards took third at 41 feet flat. Chee tied for fourth with sophomore teammate Lawson Donley in the pole vault at nine feet. Free State junior Samuel Sengchan placed third in the discus at 125 feet, 10 inches, while Dye won the javelin at 185 feet, 10 inches. Lawrence senior Andrew Nelson was the runner-up in the shot put at 46 feet, 4.5 inches, and Free State freshman James Kahungura took fourth at 41 feet, 10 inches.

For the girls sprints, Free State sophomore Beatrice Essman placed fifth at 13.08 seconds in the 100-meter dash. Lawrence sophomore Sienna Wesley was the runner-up in the 200-meter dash at 26.45 seconds, and LHS junior LaKeyshia Woods finished fifth at 27.02 seconds. Free State seniors Cayman Barnes and Dakota Cronemeyer took second and fourth in the 400-meter dash, respectively.

Free State junior Mady Whitney won the 800-meter run at 2:37.71, with FSHS sophomore Amelia Brewer as the runner-up in 2:38.03. Two Firebirds, sophomore Emery Fry and Aleia Kemp, placed fourth and fifth, respectively. Tonganoxie’s Kara Johnson placed sixth at 2:44.42 in the 800-meter run and took fifth in the 1600-meter run at 6::00.74. Whitney finished as the runner-up in the 1600-meter run at 5:46.85.

Three Firebirds placed in the top five of the 3200-meter run. Junior Julia Velasco placed second at 12:38.14, with Elle Cormaney taking fourth at 12:56.16 and Addyson Tenbrick finishing fifth at 13:07.46.

Lawrence’s 4×100-meter relay won with a 51.56-second time, with Free State taking second at 53.03 seconds. The Firebirds won the 4×400-meter relay at 4:17.62, and the Lions took third at 4:28.63. Free State was the runner-up in the 4×800-meter relay at 11:03.82.

Peyton Moore, a sophomore at Free State, finished fifth in the high jump at four feet, six inches. Lawrence senior Josephine Platt won the triple jump at 35 feet, four inches. Firebirds Jane Cast, a sophomore, and Vivenne Pro, a freshman, placed fourth and fifth in the pole vault.

For the throws, Free State sophomore Sadie Reynolds won the discus throw at 131 feet, 10 inches, and Lawrence senior Aubrie Magnuson won the javelin throw at 116 feet, 8 inches.