photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State senior Kael Robinson puts Shawnee Mission East's Henry Nelson in the third-place match of the 175-pound weight class in the Sunflower League wrestling meet at Shawnee Mission West on Saturday, February 8, 2025.

The Free State wrestling team won the Sunflower League meet at Shawnee Mission West on Saturday with 220.5 points, 52.5 points ahead of second-place Gardner Edgerton.

“It’s awesome to win the league,” Free State coach Randy Streeter said. “We’ve only won the league twice in the last 10 years. Olathe North, Mill Valley, Gardner Edgerton… those guys are always tough. It’s good to put some space between us and them.”

Lawrence placed ninth with 78.0 points. Junior Lou Elsten won the 126-pound weight class and was the only wrestler from either team to win his bracket. After a bye in the first round, Elsten pinned his next two opponents early in the match. He won with a technical fall in the championship bout after leading 16-0.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Lawrence junior Lou Elsten works to pin Olathe East’s Cohen McGill in the championship match of the 120-pound weight class during the Sunflower League wrestling meet at Shawnee Mission West on Saturday, February 8, 2025.

The Firebirds placed 12 of 14 wrestlers on the podium, and the Lions placed three. Of the 12 Firebirds who placed, seven finished second.

“I thought we were great until the medal round,” Streeter said. “We have a lot to fix before we get to Garden City for regionals. We can’t have a round like that.”

Free State senior Quinton Hice was the runner-up in the 106-pound weight class with two wins before a 7-6 decision loss in the championship. Lawrence freshman Logan Druen finished 2-2 and took fourth in the 106-pound bracket. Senior Michael Hernandez from Free State won the third-place match in the 113-pound weight class. To reach the consolation final, Hernandez had two pins and a technical fall win.

Senior Firebird Drew Streeter reached the championship bout of the 132-pound bracket with two pins in the first two rounds and a win via a medical forfeit in the semifinals. He lost in a 12-4 major decision to earn second. Senior Otto Reese reached the championship in the 144-pound weight class and lost in an 11-4 decision after three wins to reach the final match.

Free State sophomore Coghlan Odom reached the podium with a technical fall win in the fifth-place match of the 138-pound weight class. Fellow Firebird sophomore Hudson Andrew won two bouts on the consolation side of the 150-pound bracket to reach the fifth place match. He lost in an 8-3 decision to finish sixth.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State sophomore Coghlan Odom wins in a technical fall over Shawnee Mission South’s Uriah Whitlow in the fifth-place match of the 138-pound weight class at the Sunflower League wrestling meet at Shawnee Mission West on Saturday, February 8, 2025.

In the 157-pound bracket, Free State senior Gabe Swoyer was the runner-up with three pins to reach the championship, where he lost after being pinned. Lawrence senior Isaiah Shorter won twice on the consolation side to get to the fifth-place match of the 157-pound bracket, where he won by a 6-0 decision. Free State senior Grayson Hagen placed fourth in the 165-pound bracket after losing in the consolation final with a technical fall.

Kael Robinson, a senior for Free State, won four matches to reach the consolation championship, where he lost in a 4-3 decision.

Junior Zane Shaw placed as the runner-up in the 190-pound weight class. He won a close 2-1 decision in the semifinal before losing in a 10-2 major decision. Senior Blaine Larkin lost in the championship of the 215-pound weight class after two wins and a bye. Sophomore Xander Swoyer was the final Firebird to finish as the runner-up in a 4-1 decision loss.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State junior Zane Shaw shoots low against Olathe North’s Brayden Jokerst in the semifinal match of the 190-pound weight class in the Sunflower League wrestling meet at Shawnee Mission West on Saturday, February 8, 2025.

Both schools will have a week off before the regional tournament begins. Lawrence will be at the East regional at Olathe Northwest and Free State at the West regional at Garden City. Both tournaments will take place from Feb. 21-22.

“We’ll go swimming on Monday. We will do some stuff in the off-week, some fun stuff,” Streeter said. “We’ve got a movie night. We just need to regroup. We have to get our emotions intact to figure out how to finish better for regionals.”