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

Lawrence Free State head coach Kevin Stewart talks with junior Finn Moore during a timeout against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

Free State football led by seven points at halftime, but let the lead slip late in the third quarter and couldn’t recover, ending its season with a 38-31 loss to Shawnee Mission Northwest on Friday night at Shawnee Mission North’s stadium.

“I thought our guys really did a great job,” head coach Kevin Stewart said. “This is kind of tough, maybe it just wasn’t meant to be, but we had a good year.”

Much like he has all year, junior quarterback Finn Moore led the offense throughout the game, rushing for 198 yards and three touchdowns, while throwing for 147 yards and another touchdown, all while playing on the defensive side of the ball, as well.

“He just fought his butt off all night,” Stewart said. “I just don’t think there’s a tougher kid in the state. I mean, how hard he played all year, the number of times he carried the ball, the amount of snaps on defense, he never came out, never got hurt. (He’s) just a warrior out there.”

The Firebirds’ offense accounted for nearly 400 yards of offense, but the Cougars’ offense racked up 437 yards of its own.

Free State’s balanced attack allowed the offense to move the ball with ease on its first drive, as a 16-yard completion by Packson McDaniel moved the Firebirds into Cougar territory. Moore set up first-and-goal at the 1-yard line with a 25-yard scamper before punching it on the next play.

After forcing the Cougars to punt, Free State had its second drive started slowly after a holding penalty. Moore made the third-down try manageable with a 12-yard carry before throwing a screen pass under pressure to Brittingham, who made a one-handed catch and got loose for a 72-yard score.

“That was Free State football,” Stewart said. “At the time it was awesome and a good play.”

The Cougars’ rushing attack gained some steam on their third drive, as quarterback Trai Woodruff picked up gains of 28 and 15 yards before later scoring from six yards away.

The Firebirds were forced to punt for the first time after a holding penalty took away a long run by Moore, but the defense limited Shawnee Mission Northwest to a field goal after getting a third-and-6 stop inside the 10-yard line.

A 23-yard run and a defensive pass interference allowed Free State’s Micah Jones to make a 36-yard field goal, making the score 17-10 at halftime.

It took one play for the Cougars to tie the score, as Woodruff kept it for himself on a 73-yard score.

Moore moved the Firebirds into enemy territory with a 14-yard run, but the Cougar defense held strong and forced a turnover on downs after a fourth-and-4 bubble screen went for no gain.

The drive was a negative in more ways than one, as Brittingham went down with an injury following the third-down attempt and did not return to action.

“When Maddon went down, it really turned into a one-man show with Finn,” Stewart said.

Woodruff handed Shawnee Mission Northwest its first lead of the contest with over three and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter on a 16-yard scoring run.

That lead didn’t last long, as Moore ran steadily behind the Firebirds’ offensive line, picking up consecutive first downs before scoring on a 34-yard carry.

The Cougars continued to have success in the quarterback run game, retaking the lead on a short run by Woodruff just under four minutes into the fourth quarter.

After forcing a Free State punt, Woodruff scored from 47 yards out to put the game out of reach.

Free State scored one last time with 11.5 seconds left on a Moore 2-yard scramble, but couldn’t recover the onside kick as the Cougars held on to the win and advanced to the sectionals round.

The Firebirds end their season with a 6-4 loss, but Stewart said the result in no way defines the year the team had.

“I thought our guys had a great season,” Stewart said. “Everything we did all year showed how good these guys were. All the guys that were out here battled and they did great and gave us an opportunity.”

Box score

SMNW 7 3 14 14 – 38

FS 14 3 7 7 – 31

How they scored

First quarter

8:33 – Finn Moore 1-yard run. Micah Jones PAT good. FS 7, SMNW 0.

3:56 – Maddon Brittingham 72-yard pass from Moore. Jones PAT good. FS 14, SMNW 0.

1:01 – Trai Woodruff 6-yard run. Jack Wilson PAT good. FS 14, SMNW 0.

Second quarter

2:25 – Jack Wilson 27-yard field goal. FS 14, SMNW 10.

0:17 – Jones 36-yard field goal. FS 17, SMNW 10.

Third quarter

11:41 – Woodruff 73-yard run. Wilson PAT good. FS 17, SMNW 17.

3:42 – Woodruff 16-yard run. Wilson PAT good. SMNW 24, FS 17.

0:21 – Moore 34-yard run. Jones PAT good. FS 24, SMNW 24.

Fourth quarter

8:22 – Woodruff 3-yard run. Wilson PAT good. SMNW 31, FS 24.

2:44 – Woodruff 47-yard run. Wilson PAT good. SMNW 38, FS 24.

0:11 – Moore 2-yard rush. Jones PAT good. SMNW 38, FS 31.

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

Free State junior Finn Moore crosses the end zone for a touchdown against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Finn Moore breaks free for a touchdown against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Maddon Brittingham scores a touchdown against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State senior Ethan Prescott just misses a catch for a touchdown against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Lawrence Free State junior Finn Moore just misses the end zone against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Maddon Brittingham is tackled for a loss against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Shawnee Mission Northwest senior Trai Woodruff breaks free from a tackle for a touchdown against Free State at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Finn Moore is tackled for a loss against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Finn Moore releases a pass against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State head coach Kevin Stewart yells out instructions during the game against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.

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

Free State junior Finn Moore awaits a snap against Shawnee Mission Northwest at Shawnee Mission District Stadium, North Location, on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 in Overland Park.