photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State's Faith Hansen swings the racket during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

GARDNER — Free State’s girls tennis team withstood a scorching sun and competed in the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, where the Firebirds faced eight Sunflower League schools.

“We’ve got a lot of new players, but the way they played considering the heat and the conditions… they did well,” Free State coach Aaron Clark said. “Nobody gave in. Nobody offered excuses, which, as a coach, is what I’m looking for.”

Clark said this year was unique for the Firebirds in having five new varsity players. It’s a big jump to get ready for Sunflower League competition, and the Firebirds saw a lot of opponents on Tuesday that they will face again as league play turns into postseason tournament action.

“It’s nice to have team members that have gone through it and lead some of the younger players, but I feel like they’ve taken the reins,” Clark said of the incoming group. “They’ve never felt like they stepped out there and were afraid to lose. They compete to the best of their ability, and they’ve picked up good wins.”

With sophomore defending singles state champion Eli Ward not with the team for the Blazer Invitational, Faith Hansen was moved up to the No. 1 singles spot, where she went 2-2 on the day. Hansen started with an 8-0 win over Shawnee Mission West’s Asavari Jammu but lost 8-0 to Shawnee Mission East’s Victoria Easton.

Hansen finished pool play with an 8-1 win over Gardner Edgerton’s Adi Schroeder, setting Hansen up for the third-place match. There, she fell 8-4 to Mill Valley’s Zavie Bierl.

When postseason tournaments roll around, Hansen will have to face other teams’ No. 1 singles players, so getting the experience in invitationals early in the year is an opportunity.

“It gives you a chance to know what you need to do if you want to win at league or have an opportunity to compete at regionals,” Clark said.

Hansen’s move up to the 1s also put Alina Jones with the 2s, and she finished 0-3 in pool play. Jones lost 8-0 in her first match to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s Nia Nightingale and lost 8-3 to Gardner Edgerton’s Carol Lemos in the second round.

Jones had her best match in the third round against Olathe West’s Reese Hearshman but ultimately fell short in an 8-7 (2) loss.

Despite a short amount of time together for the Free State doubles teams, Clark said both teams have shown development in chemistry and teamwork, saying that they’ve done “a great job of picking each other up, even at times where they feel they aren’t playing to their abilities.”

Free State’s Hina Tamura and Maya Friedman made up the top doubles team for the Firebirds, and they finished 0-3 in pool play.

The Firebirds lost to Shawnee Mission East’s doubles team 8-6 in the first round and lost 8-5 in the second round to Mill Valley’s doubles team. The Firebirds ended with an 8-5 loss to Shawnee Mission South’s team in the third round.

Free State’s No. 2 doubles team of Hope Hansen and Caroline Davis went 1-2 in pool play. The Firebirds started with an 8-0 loss to Olathe West’s doubles team but bounced back to beat Shawnee Mission West’s doubles team 8-0. An 8-6 loss to Shawnee Mission Northwest’s doubles team that ended up as the runners-up ended the day for the Firebirds.

“Consistency is what we’re looking to kind of start developing more,” Clark said. “We’ve got it at points in time, it’s just a matter of putting it all together.”

Free State’s season continues next Tuesday with the Kansas City Invitational at Harmon Park, where 15 schools from Kansas and Missouri will compete.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Alina Jones makes contact with the tennis ball during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish./Journal-World

Free State’s Hina Tamura and Maya Friedman celebrate during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Maya Friedman eyes the tennis ball during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Hina Tamura watches her doubles partner during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Faith Hansen swings her racket during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Hope Hansen watches the serve during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.

photo by: David Rodish/Journal-World

Free State’s Caroline Davis watches the tennis ball during the Gardner Edgerton Blazer Invitational on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, in Gardner.