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

Free State senior Korbin Dowdell loses control of the ball at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

Overland Park — The Free State boys and girls basketball teams both suffered cold shooting performances, falling in convincing fashion at Shawnee Mission South on Friday night.

Free State girls can’t keep pace in 36-point loss

The Free State girls kept things close through the first quarter, but a burst in the second quarter by Shawnee Mission South opened the game up for good as the Firebirds fell, 61-25.

“I was really proud how we battled — I thought we had good moments,” Firebird head coach Summer Frantz said. “We started the game really well, then the press got to us a little bit. I was just proud of the girls for having battled the whole game against a good team.”

The Raiders kept pace at the top of the Sunflower League standings, improving to 8-1, and did so by making 24 field goals and nine 3-pointers while forcing 30 turnovers.

Free State was led by sophomore Sarai Preston who scored 10 points on 3-for-3 shooting and 4-for-6 on free throws.

Both teams got off to slow starts as Free State got out to an early 2-1 lead with a layup by freshman Marlea Copeland. The score held up for two minutes before Shawnee Mission South hit two consecutive 3s.

Shawnee Mission South extended its lead on a 7-2 run before Firebird senior Chloe Clossen hit a 3-pointer with four seconds left in the quarter to cut the deficit at the end of the first quarter to 15-7.

The Firebirds were able to keep pace in the first quarter thanks to a consistent defensive effort, as Frantz added she was proud of her group’s effort, especially when in zone defense looks, forcing the Raiders to take shots they didn’t necessarily want to take.

After forcing nine Free State turnovers in the first quarter, Shawnee Mission South began to tire out the Firebird offense with its relentless full-court press, once again causing nine turnovers in the period. The Raiders weren’t as successful from distance, only making one 3-pointer, but got a lot of their points in transition or on drives to the paint.

Free State kept it close in the early portions of the second quarter with two free throws by Preston to cut the Shawnee Mission South lead back to eight, but struggled to put together any more consistent offense. Preston added another free throw before a 13-0 run gave Shawnee Mission South a commanding 34-10 halftime advantage.

An encouraging sign for the Firebirds came at the beginning of the second half when Clossen kicked the scoring off with a 3-pointer on the first possession. However, the Raiders continued to limit the Firebirds to tough shots and to make 3-pointers at ease. Free State got a layup from Sarai Preston to make the score 50-17 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter went back and forth with the Raiders outscoring the Firebirds, 11-8. Preston and junior Addie Fulscher sparked the offense with a quick five points before a cold spell. Preston added one more at the free-throw line and a putback from freshman Addison Hothan concluded the scoring for Free State as Shawnee Mission South closed out the win.

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

Free State sophomore Sarai Preston shoots a free throw at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Addie Fulscher looks for a teammate to make a pass at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State sophomore Sarai Preston is fouled while going up for a layup at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State sophomore Aedri Grooms receives a pass from a teammate at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Addie Fulscher calls out a play at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State senior Kelsey Johnson goes up for a layup at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

Free State boys endure difficult shooting night in convincing loss

The Firebirds’ boys fell behind early in their contest as well, and ultimately lost to the Raiders, 57-30.

“South is a team that you’re gonna feel it after every game, it doesn’t matter who they’re playing,” Free State head coach Dwayne Paul said. “They’re tough, they’re big, they’re strong, they’re athletic. I told our guys, ‘That’s what playing one of the best teams in the state looks like.'”

Shawnee Mission South, the No. 3 team in the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Class 6A poll, committed to playing pressure defense and shot an efficient 20-for-38 to take down the Firebirds.

The Firebirds did not have the same fortune, shooting 10-for-39 from the field and 5-for-20 on 3-pointers.

“I mean, it’s frustrating,” Paul said. “In order to beat them, you’re going to have to play well and make some shots. And, you know, that’s been proven with everyone we’ve played.”

Free State senior Korbin Dowdell got the first two points for the Firebirds, but not before Shawnee Mission had opened the game on a 7-0 run. The Raiders continued to put on the gas, using another stretch of eight straight to build a 15-2 lead.

The Raiders built the opening lead thanks to their full-court press, which stifled the Firebirds and sped them up in the half court.

Paul said the physicality of the Raiders is tough to handle, and made his team play faster, which is what the Raiders hope to do defensively.

After an early timeout, Free State used baskets from Bennett Nagel, Brendan Barrett and Ethan Prescott to cut the deficit to seven. Shawnee Mission got the final three points of the quarter at the free throw line to lead 20-10.

In the blink of an eye, the Raiders had extended their lead to 21 with 11 more points to begin the second quarter. The Firebirds got six points in the quarter, all from Dowdell, but the Raiders matched both scoring trips and finished the half with a buzzer-beating mid-range shot to lead 38-16 at halftime.

The runs all game by Shawnee Mission South were a key factor in the result, as it forced Free State to have to play from behind. Even when the Firebirds built momentum of their own, the Raiders just kept on responding.

Free State came out of the locker room and found some early momentum behind two 3s by AJ Eason. A few minutes later, Eason would add his third 3-pointer of the quarter, but for each basket, Shawnee Mission South continued to have an answer and remained efficient on offense. The Raiders led 55-25 after three quarters and closed out the game in the fourth.

Dowdell led the Firebirds in scoring with 11 points, and Eason added nine, all in the third quarter.

Both Free State teams will return home on Monday, taking on Shawnee Mission East. The girls’ game will begin at 5:30 p.m., with the boys’ to follow.

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

Free State junior Braden Wilmes passes the ball to a teammate at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State senior AJ Eason has his shot blocked at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Bennett Nagel makes a layup at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Lawrence Free State senior Korbin Dowdell makes a layup at Shawnee Mission South Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Overland Park.