photo by: Emma Pravecek, Journal-World Photo

Free State linebacker Gordon Vaeono, second from left, and linebacker Colton Berger (49) celebrate after a tackle during the game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

The Free State football team earned its first home win of the season Friday night, taking down Shawnee Mission South 45-13 at Firebird Stadium.

The Firebirds (2-3), scored 24-unanswered points in the first half and never looked back against the Raiders, who finished the game with 280 total yards.

Free State racked up 526 total yards of total offense, with quarterback Wesley Edison responsible for 285 yards himself, leading the Firebirds to their second victory of 2022.

“I thought the guys handled the adversity well with the early turnovers,” FSHS coach Kevin Stewart said. “It feels really good to get the win. They need to build some confidence and we’re starting to develop.”

Both defenses set the tone early, with each team getting stops on the opening drives after a turnover on downs by Shawnee Mission South and a fumble by the Firebirds.

However, after the Firebirds fumbled the ball on their opening drive, the Raiders (1-4) took advantage and scored quickly, courtesy of a 60-yard touchdown pass from Grant Jennings to Quan Dunbar, giving the road team a 7-0 lead with 7:44 left in the opening quarter.

On Free State’s next drive, the Firebirds ripped off several runs that put them on the plus-side of the field, but another fumble resulted in the second turnover of the first quarter and the Raiders retook possession.

Following a Raiders’ punt forced by the Firebirds defense, FSHS leaned on Edison and Tay Ware on its next drive, running down the field to set up the home team’s first score of the evening.

Ware capped off the drive himself by dodging several tackles and finding his way into the endzone to tie the score at 7-7 near the end of the first quarter.

“We’re turning the ball over a couple times a game and we (did) that the first two drives,” Stewart said. “I’m tired of seeing the mistakes we can control.”

Free State’s defense then forced a bad punt by SM South, giving the ball back to Edison and the Firebirds with decent field position.

Despite the Firebirds having a first-and-goal snap at the Raiders 10-yard line, the Raiders held FSHS out of the endzone and Adam Coup nailed a 25-yard field goal to put Free State ahead for the first time, 10-7.

Free State’s defense found itself in a groove in the second quarter, making the Raiders punt again after a quick series by Shawnee Mission South’s offense.

The FSHS offense delivered on its next drive, as Edison launched a beautiful throw to Devon Hamilton in the corner of the endzone, sending the crowd to their feet and extending the FSHS lead to 17-7 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half.

The Firebirds ended the first half with 24 unanswered points courtesy of a blocked Raiders punt that gave the Free State offense possession deep in SMS territory.

After Free State’s Gordon Vaeono recovered the blocked punt, Edison found Hamilton for his second touchdown of the quarter, this one coming from 14-yards out to give the Firebirds a 24-7 lead with just over a minute left in the opening half.

“The crowd was great tonight,” Stewart said. “There’s a lot of energy with KU (football) doing well right now, and I thought our guys really fed off that energy. We were explosive tonight, which was good for the team.”

On the first drive of the second half, the Firebirds marched 97 yards in just under five minutes and the rout was on. Edison capped off the drive with a 30-yard touchdown run and Free State led 31-7.

Following another punt forced by Free State’s defense, the Firebirds used the ground game to ice the game. Dylan Farrel scored on a 10-yard touchdown run, and the Firebirds went up 38-7 just five seconds into the fourth quarter. Farrel added another touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

From there, the Firebirds ran out the clock to seal the deal on the home victory, ending the month of September strong with a week five home win in front of a loud Free State crowd.

Free State next will take on Shawnee Mission North at Firebird Stadium on Oct. 7.

“We’ve got to bring our A-game the rest of the year,” Stewart said after Friday’s win.

GAME STATS

Free State 45, Shawnee Mission South 13

FS | SMS

First downs 19 | 6

Rushes-yards 42-329 | 17-65

Passing yards 197 | 215

Total offense 526 | 280

Fumbles-lost 2-2 | 0-0

Interceptions 0 | 0

Penalties-yards 9-73 | 8-65

Score by quarters

Shawnee Mission South 7 0 0 6 – 13

Free State 7 17 7 14 – 45

HOW THEY SCORED

1st Quarter:

07:44 – Grant Jennings 60 yard pass to Quan Dunbar. Casen Brennan kick good. (SMS 7 FS 0)

02:07 – Tay Ware 22 yard run. Adam Coup kick good. (FS 7 SMS 7)

2nd Quarter:

06:36 – Coup 25 yard field goal. (FS 10 SMS 7)

02:50 – Wesley Edison 35 yard pass to Devon Hamilton. Coup kick good. (FS 17 SMS 7)

01:05 – Edison 14 yard pass to Hamilton. Coup kick good. (FS 24 SMS 7)

3rd Quarter:

07:04 – Edison 30 yard run. Coup kick good. (FS 31 SMS 7)

4th Quarter:

11:55 – Dylan Farrel 10 yard run. Coup kick good. (FS 38 SMS 7)

10:43 – Merax Morgan 68 yard pass to Dunbar. Brennan kick no good. (FS 38 SMS 13)

04:46 – Farrel 4 yard run. Coup kick good. (FS 45 SMS 13)

Individual statistics

Rushing:

FS: Wesley Edison 17-105; Tay Ware 12-108; Dylan Farrel 6-52; Devon Hamilton 3-47; Ryan Weishaar 4-17

SMS: Ben Johnson 12-54; Quan Dunbar 3-11; Grant Jennings 2-0

Passing

FS: Wesley Edison 11-14-180; Boston Baker 2-2-17

SMS: Grant Jennings 6-10-93; Merax Morgan; 8-14-122

Receiving

FS: Tay Ware 1-0; Devon Hamilton 3-47; Bralin Preston 1-16; Cortez Overstreet 3-87; Grant Lincoln 1-6; Colton Berger 2-24; Landon Leipold 1-12; Aaron Humphries 1-5

SMS: Quan Dunbar 10-82; Isaiah James 1-8; Nick Breckenridge 1-5; Carson Long 1-10; Grant Jennings 1-10

photo by: Mike Shaw, Special to the Journal-World

Free State defensive lineman Matthew Marcum roars in celebration during the Firebirds’ rout of Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Mike Shaw, Special to the Journal-World

Free State’s Gordon Vaeono prepares for the snap during the Firebirds’ win over Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Mike Shaw, Special to the Journal-World

Free State coach Kevin Stewart celebrates a play with linebacker Parker Moore during the Firebirds’ win over Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Mike Shaw, Special to the Journal-World

Free State QB Wesley Edison launches a pass downfield during the Firebirds’ win over Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Emma Pravecek, Journal-World Photo

Free State defensive back EJ McKnight shows emotion on the sideline during the game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Emma Pravecek, Journal-World Photo

Free State lineman Calvin Clements (77) lifts running back Tay Ware (5) into the air after a touchdown during the game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Emma Pravecek, Journal-World Photo

Free State linebacker Colton Berger guards his opponent during the game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Emma Pravecek, Journal-World Photo

Free State quarterback Wesley Edison throws the ball during the game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

photo by: Emma Pravecek, Journal-World Photo

Free State linebacker Gordon Vaeono (19) and linebacker Colton Berger (49) celebrate after a tackle during the game against Shawnee Mission South on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.