photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Boston Baker passes the ball to a teammate against Lawrence High Friday, October 25, 2024, in Lawrence.

Rivalries in sports bring out the competitive nature of just about everyone, and on Friday night at the City Showdown, that nature was on display for the Free State football team’s key players as the Firebirds took down Lawrence, 24-14.

In the third quarter of the Firebirds’ week five matchup at Olathe West, quarterback Boston Baker had to exit the game after taking a hit on the sideline. As it turned out, Baker landed funny and was ruled out for the next two weeks with a broken wrist.

Even after sitting out for those two weeks, nothing was going to stop him from competing against crosstown rival Lawrence for the first and only time in his career.

“Ever since he got hurt, his goal was to come back for Lawrence High,” Free State head coach Kevin Stewart said. “And I told him ‘I don’t know.’ I told him I’m not guaranteeing anything. He’s put in the work and he showed us this week that ‘Hey, I can do this, coach,’ and so we felt confident that he could go out there and do it. And it paid off for us.”

Baker’s appearance in Friday night’s game didn’t come without a little trimming to the large cast that covered up nearly his entire left arm for the first two weeks of recovery.

Prior to last week’s battle with Shawnee Mission Northwest, Baker was a participant in pregame warmups, but didn’t compete. This week, with the help of medical professionals, his cast was able to be cut to just under his elbow, allowing for more mobility in order to take snaps.

The issue of taking snaps was apparent, as on the first play of the game, Baker fumbled with the snap, but ultimately completed his handoff. However, the rest of the game was smooth sailing, including a clean pocket for the entirety of the evening.

“I got to give all credit to my O-line,” Baker said. “I didn’t get touched, I didn’t get hit. I got this big, bulky cast, so I’m just glad I didn’t get touched. All credit goes to them.”

This isn’t the first injury for Baker throughout his high school career. In fact, it’s his third, as he tore both his left and right ACL the previous two seasons. Despite the injuries that seem to always pile up for Baker, he knows it’s just another aspect of football.

“I’m a resilient person. I’m always not going to back down from a fight and come back as fast as possible,” Baker said.

Baker put together a quietly impressive first half through the air. With the Firebirds leaning on the run game as much as they could, the impact of Baker as a passer was clear and evident, as he completed 7 of 9 passes for 62 yards, including a 41-yard downfield pass to Bralin Preston that ultimately set up a field goal.

Baker finished the second half with just two completions, but those possibly came on the two biggest plays of the night. Baker found Maddon Brittingham in the third quarter, who came back to the ball to complete a 29-yard gain that eventually set up a Parker Moore touchdown. Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, Baker found Braiden Blanchard in wide open space for a 52-yard touchdown that ultimately put the game out of reach.

Free State had another star waiting to make a comeback, in the form of Noah Simpson. Simpson impressed in the opening game of the season against Shawnee Mission East, running for 86 yards on 14 carries, but suffered a hip injury against Manhattan in September and later a shoulder injury that kept him out for the past three games. Against Lawrence on Friday, Simpson made his presence known right away, ripping off two 30-plus yard runs on the first drive. He finished the first half with 76 yards on just seven carries.

Unfortunately for Simpson, he suffered his third injury of the season after gaining a combined 16 yards on two carries to open the half. Even without his presence in the second half, his impact was certainly felt for the Firebirds’ offense.

“Without him, we probably don’t win that game, because we just don’t have that confidence and energy coming off,” Stewart said. “He really did a great job and I’m super proud of him.”

photo by: Mike Gunnoe/Special to the Journal-World

Lawrence Free State senior Noah Simpson runs for a first down against Lawrence High Friday, October 25, 2024, in Lawrence.

By coming away with the win, Free State finished the regular season with a record of 5-3 and earned the No. 5 seed in the 6A East bracket. The Firebirds have a familiar foe in the first round, hosting No. 12 Olathe West, which they defeated 30-13 on the road in week five. Kickoff for round one is set for 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1, at Free State.