photo by: Sarah Buchanan/Special to the Journal-World

Free State senior quarterback Boston Baker winds up before throwing against Manhattan on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Manhattan.

The loaded early slate for Free State football doesn’t stop in week three, as the Firebirds hit the road for a second straight week, visiting 5A powerhouse Mill Valley for a Sunflower League contest in Shawnee at 7 p.m. Friday night.

Coming off of a 38-28 loss at Manhattan last Thursday night, the Firebirds (1-1) are looking to get back in the win column. The big emphasis from head coach Kevin Stewart this week is “preparation,” something he feels the Firebirds have improved at following the loss.

“So far we’ve had a lot better week, guys have been a little more focused, we had a really good practice (Tuesday),” Stewart said. “I thought the guys, you know, were ready to watch the film and learn from our mistakes and get ready to go.”

When facing stiff competition, Stewart knows that preparation is the key to coming out on top against high-level football teams. The message to his Free State squad? Win during the week.

“When you play high-level football, you’ve got to win during the week,” Stewart said. “When you’re playing good teams, you’ve got to beat them on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in order to do so on Friday.”

Offensively, the Firebirds found a bit of footing in the second half against Manhattan, scoring all 28 points in the final 24 minutes, thanks to a plethora of big plays, along with improved play from senior quarterback Boston Baker.

Baker accounted for 262 yards and four touchdowns against Manhattan, finding sophomore wide receiver Maddon Brttingham and senior wide receiver Landon Leipold for two touchdowns apiece. The evolving play of Baker has allowed him to get a feel for the game more as Free State starts to hit the middle stretch of the season.

“Last week, we had to lean on the offense a little bit to try and get back in the game, so that really gave him an opportunity to feel what it’s like to play on the varsity level against a really good team,” Stewart said. “He adjusted within the game and then made some good plays at the end (of the game), and he’s maybe starting to pick up the game speed a little bit. The hope is that that carries over and every game he gets a little bit better.”

As for Mill Valley, the Jaguars (1-1) are coming off a loss to Missouri foe Lee’s Summit North, 26-13. Despite the loss, the Jaguars remain as the No. 1 team in 5A, having won five straight 5A state championships.

“They might be the best team in the state, them or Blue Valley High School,” Stewart said. “(Mill Valley) is coached really well, they are able to have a culture and a program that has high expectations … They get the support from the community and they get the support from the school district, and there’s a lot of good things they’re doing at Mill Valley.”

The Jaguars’ offense is led by junior running back Reggie Reece, who has recorded 470 yards and four rushing touchdowns through two games. In the season opener at Olathe South, Reece rushed for 269 yards and all four of his touchdowns on the season, leading the Jaguars to a 42-35 victory.

“(Reece) runs hard, he’s a big kid, he’s a load, and he really works hard,” Stewart said.

Defensively for the Jaguars, they feature a physical front headlined by senior edge rusher Jayden Woods. According to 247Sports, Woods, a Penn State commit, is listed as a four-star prospect, as well as the No. 19 edge rusher in the country and the No. 5 prospect in the state of Kansas. On the season, Woods has made 19 total tackles, three sacks and one interception.

The key for Free State to slow down Woods will be to rely on the strength of its offensive line, which also has prospects like junior tackle Braden Wilmes, who holds offers from Arkansas, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State, among others.

“(The offensive line) has to know where (Woods) is at, we’ve been working on that a little bit,” Stewart said. “But, we’ve got a good offensive line. We got, you know, Braden Wilmes, he’s a kid that’s got some Division I offers, too, and we’ve got some guys up there who are capable, they just have to execute, get the job done.”

Through two weeks, Free State has shown potential on both sides of the ball, but a complete performance will be needed in order for Free State to take down Mill Valley in a battle of two high-level programs looking to get back into the win column.