photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State senior Taylor Woods collides with a Maize defender during a 3-0 loss to Maize in the 6A West quarterfinal game at Maize High School on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Maize.

Maize — Free State’s girls soccer season came to an end in the 6A quarterfinal round in a 3-0 loss to Maize on Monday.

The Firebirds reached several school records this year. Their 9-9-1 record is the most wins in the school’s history, and the team set a record for goals scored with 37. The Firebirds were competitive in almost every game and only lost two games by more than two goals, including Monday’s 3-0 loss.

“We had moments all season where we were right there in games, and about two-thirds of the way through the season, we started to figure out how to win those games,” Free State coach Joe Waldron said. “That got us here tonight.”

Slow starts, particularly on offense, had been an issue for the team all year, and the quarterfinal match featured the same problem. The Firebirds had several forwards staying around the midfield, which clogged traffic and made it difficult to stretch the field or put pressure on the Maize defense when they gained possession. Free State had only a few shots on goal in the first half.

“I give credit to Maize. They’ve been here before, they understand how to win these games, and I thought they did well,” Waldron said. “They pretty much bumped us off our game. We never really caught any rhythm — we never really caught any possession.”

Waldron said the team stopped playing together as the game started to get away from the Firebirds, with all 11 players trying to figure it out themselves with little communication. The lack of communication exacerbated the team’s struggles.

“We weren’t playing together as a team,” sophomore forward Siena Schamberger said. “There was no possession.”

Maize took a 2-0 lead in the first half, but the lead could’ve been much bigger if not for senior goalkeeper Merrit Hale. Waldron said Hale kept the team singlehandedly in the game through the first half.

“She made three or four fully outstretched saves where she denied the ball from going in the goal,” Waldron said. “Her improvement over the last four years has just been amazing. She’s so tough, resilient, and she’s been our spiritual leader the whole way.”

In the second half, the Firebirds started putting some offense together, often coming from Schamberger and freshman forward Lauren Woods. Still, the offense was too disjointed to score a goal.

The Eagles scored a third goal with under 12 minutes in the second half, which all but sealed the win for Maize. The Firebirds ended their season in the quarterfinal round for the second year in a row.

“The girls were great, and we’ve come so far,” Waldron said. “Our path ended in the state quarterfinal game, and that’s pretty good. There are only eight of us left playing, so there’s no shame in that. We shouldn’t hang our heads.”

The Firebirds had their best season in school history due to several key improvements, including the team’s strength and athleticism. Young players like Woods, Zoe Prier and Schamberger made immediate impacts along with returning juniors and seniors. Schamberger, along with junior defenseman Cara Jeffries, came back from injuries in 2024 and made immediate impacts. The Firebirds hope those overall attributes and those performances can carry into next season. Free State has a large junior class that will be able to bring some leadership and experience back to the team next year.

“It’s a good way to move forward,” junior defenseman Riley Prier said of how far the Firebirds went in 2025. “We’re just hoping for some incoming freshmen and to keep building up next year.”

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State sophomore forward Siena Schamberger takes possession of the ball during a 3-0 loss to Maize in the 6A West quarterfinal game at Maize High School on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Maize.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State junior midfielder Wittney Boggart dribbles the ball during a 3-0 loss to Maize in the 6A West quarterfinal game at Maize High School on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Maize.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State junior forward Sophia Christie fights for possession during a 3-0 loss to Maize in the 6A West quarterfinal game at Maize High School on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Maize.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State freshman forward Lauren Woods dribbles the ball during a 3-0 loss to Maize in the 6A West quarterfinal game at Maize High School on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Maize.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State senior Taylor Woods watches the ball during a 3-0 loss to Maize in the 6A West quarterfinal game at Maize High School on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Maize.