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

Free State sophomore Brayden DeBruin is fouled while driving to the basket at Mill Valley on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 in Shawnee.

SHAWNEE — The Free State girls and boys basketball teams finished the regular season with losses at Mill Valley on Friday.

In the girls game, Free State limited Mill Valley to just eight first-quarter points before an offensive outburst from the Jaguars led to a 65-29 defeat for the Firebirds.

“Their transition game just kind of got going, and we let it get going, we let it turn into a little bit of a track meet,” Free State girls head coach Summer Frantz said. “We just have to be better at limiting those easy points in transition for teams.”

It was a slow start on offense for both teams, as a layup by freshman Quinlynn Vail got the Firebirds (7-16) on the board nearly three minutes in to tie the game at two.

While the Free State defense remained steady throughout the first quarter, the team allowed multiple offensive rebounds that turned into second-chance points for Mill Valley, including a 3-pointer to make the score 8-2.

“That was (a) little bit frustrating because we have gotten a lot better at rebounding,” Frantz said. “We talked about we are so proud of them on Tuesday night (against Shawnee Mission Northwest) for only giving up two offensive rebounds… We talked before the game about (how) they shoot a lot of 3s, so it’s going to be a lot of long rebounds – it’s not just on our bigs, it’s on our guards to rebound.”

The Firebirds cut the deficit to four at the buzzer on a transition layup by freshman Morgan McClorey.

Over the first four minutes of the second quarter, the Jaguars scored 12 straight points, using their size as an advantage to take a 20-4 lead.

The size disadvantage continued to hurt Free State on the defensive end, as the Jaguars scored multiple buckets in the post, while freshman Taylor Hulcher provided a spark by scoring all six Free State points in the quarter as Mill Valley took a 31-10 lead into the locker room.

“Taylor was really good,” Frantz said. “I was really proud of her. She used her speed, I thought her change of speed was really good… Her first step’s really quick, so when she’s in attack mode, it’s good to see.”

To start the second half, the Firebirds started to build momentum offensively thanks to buckets by Hulcher and Vail. However, the Jaguars’ defense quickly settled in and created instant offense with its pressure, scoring 15 consecutive points.

The teams traded points the rest of the quarter, with Free State getting four points from junior Aedri Grooms and a 3-pointer from Vail while Mill Valley continued to lead, 56-21.

The fourth quarter was another defensive struggle as the Firebirds got scoring contributions from Vail, senior Libby Easter, Grooms and junior Mallary Hice while the Jaguars closed out the game to advance to 14-9.

The Free State girls will open up sub-state play on Tuesday, with an opponent, location and time that will be announced on Saturday.

SECOND-HALF SURGE DOOMS BOYS

The Free State boys faced one of the top teams in class 6A and held their own throughout the first three quarters, but the No. 3 Jaguars were too much to handle in the second half as they took down the Firebirds 71-47.

“I thought we played pretty hard, and (went) blow for blow with them for three quarters,” Free State boys head coach Dwayne Paul said. “When it comes down to (being) the more disciplined, we lack that consistently.”

The Jaguars scored the first points of the game before sophomore Jayden Williams responded with a bucket of his own to tie the score at two. The teams continued to trade baskets throughout the quarter as a shot by sophomore Brayden DeBruin tied the game at eight.

Mill Valley used an 8-2 run the remainder of the quarter, including a buzzer-beating layup in transition, to take a 16-10 lead.

After a score by the Jaguars to start the second quarter, senior Ethan Prescott responded with a 3-pointer and sophomore Brendan Barrett scored his first two points of the game to pull within three. The Firebirds couldn’t inch any closer, however, as four straight points by the Jaguars pushed the deficit back to seven.

Three straight points, all at the free-throw line, by Free State made it a four-point game, and the teams traded buckets to end the half, including a 3-pointer by Barrett to end the opening 16 minutes with Mill Valley leading 27-23.

A pair of 3-pointers by Nagel and DeBruin, along with a free throw from Prescott, helped the Firebirds cut the deficit to two in the early stages of the third quarter. That was the closest the team would get the remainder of the game, as the Jaguars immediately scored six consecutive points. A pair of and-1s and timely stops helped Mill Valley to extend the lead to end the quarter, 49-39.

The Jaguars scored nine straight points to start the fourth quarter, with seven coming from Jakhi Carter, to seemingly put the game to rest.

“We went back to being everything we predicated on us making shots,” Paul said. “When you’re taking the ball out (of) the basket, you allow the defense to set up, and you’re not playing with flow and rhythm in transition.”

Free State got scores from Prescott, Barrett, DeBruin and sophomore Reece Wilmes the rest of the way, but it wasn’t enough as Mill Valley was able to cruise to the finish, winning the Sunflower League title in the process.

The Firebird boys finish the regular season 7-16 and will begin postseason play on Wednesday with an opponent that is set to be announced on Saturday.

“There’s no secret sauce in March,” Paul said. “The tougher team wins, the more disciplined team wins. Those two things will carry you a long way in March (and) those two things will get you an early exit in March.”