Free State senior Malachi Starr is not a fan of losing. So it was business as usual when the FSHS sprinter took home the gold in the 400-meter run with a time of 50.43 at Free State’s regional meet last week. It earned him a trip to the state track meet in an individual event, though he will ...
The deja vu ran wild on Thursday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark, where the Free State softball team advanced to the Class 6A state semifinals for the second year in a row with a dominant 6-0 victory over Olathe Northwest in Round 1. Same field. Same team. Same result. Even the magic bush ...
The only thing that could have pulled Free State senior Ethan Bradford from the mound was his pitch count. In the final inning, junior Camden Karlin started warming up in the bullpen at Hoglund Ballpark. The Firebirds wouldn’t need him. On the 103rd pitch of the contest, Bradford induced a ...
There will be no surprises when Free State and Olathe East square off in the opening round of the Class 6A state baseball tournament. Both teams know what to expect when they take the field Thursday afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark. The clash between a pair of Sunflower League foes figures to be ...
Sure, some of them already own Class 6A state championship rings. But members of Free State High’s softball team know that jewelry they earned in 2018 guarantees them nothing as they try to defend their title this week. The Firebirds enter their very short trip to Arrocha Ballpark at Rock ...
Free State junior Camden Karlin has never wasted an opportunity to get better as a baseball player. When he was in elementary school, Karlin used to bring his glove and a baseball to the bus stop. He would throw about 20 pitches to his dad, who made Karlin play both pitcher and catcher as ...
This time last year, Free State slugger Kay Lee Richardson was watching from the crowd. Richardson, who was in the eighth grade a year ago, watched from the seats in Arrocha Ballpark as FSHS softball made history by claiming its first-ever state title. The Firebirds stormed through the Class ...
Both city programs garnered plenty of All-Sunflower honors, which was released Monday afternoon. Free State senior Ethan Bradford, a Nebraska signee, was named the Pitcher of the Year for his prolific play this year. Lawrence’s Brad Stoll was named Coach of the Year after leading his team to ...
Due to weather, play was suspended in state golf tournaments featuring area athletes Monday afternoon. In Class 6A, a trio of Free State golfers were in the top-31 on the individual leaderboard before the delay at the Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton. Play was supposed to be resumed ...
It will be an unfamiliar feeling for Free State senior Landon Berquist. Berquist has plenty of experience with postseason golf, as Monday marks his fourth trip to the state tournament in as many years. But it will be his last action as a Firebird, capping a stellar high school career. “It ...
TOPEKA — It wasn’t until Lawrence High senior Emily Guo raised her head above water that she realized what had just happened. Guo, who was the final leg of the 400 freestyle relay, looked toward her teammates after touching the wall on the final race of the 6A state meet Saturday afternoon ...
Before she even competed in Friday’s regional meet, Lawrence High senior Josie Hickerson knew she was going to qualify for the state track meet in triple jump. After all, history was on her side. In last year’s regional meet, Hickerson placed fifth in triple jump to just miss out on ...
Four area baseball and softball teams will be in action in the final week of the season, two of which will compete right here in Lawrence. Both Free State baseball and softball squads are the No. 2 seed in their respective 6A state tournament. Both teams are in the state tournament for the ...
In the heat of a scoreless Class 6A regional championship game Thursday evening, Free State High’s softball players proved it’s a bad idea to anger them. The Firebirds were not at all pleased when the bottom of the fifth inning concluded on their home field with a double play on a would-be ...
Once junior Colter Maldonado reached first base safely, Free State’s baseball team rushed the field. A brief dogpile took place just beyond first base, as Free State finished off a crucial sweep Thursday night with a 10-0 run-rule victory over Wichita West in the regional championship game. ...
Nobody wants to kick off the postseason by facing the defending champions. After a 3-17 campaign, though, the Lawrence High softball team knew it was going to get a tough test in the regional opener. At the very least, the Lions will be all-too familiar with their first-round opponent when ...