Des Moines, Iowa ? Free State High sophomore Avin Lane finished 10th in the 100-meter dash among 15- and 16-year-olds at the AAU Junior Olympics on Wednesday at Drake University. After running a time of 11.02 in prelims, Lane missed qualifying for the finals by a tenth of a second when he ...
Free State High senior Gabbi Dabney took 18th place, and senior Kiara Clark finished 27th in the girls’ 17-18-year-old heptathlon at the AAU Track and Field Junior Olympics at Drake University last weekend. Dabney had three top-15 finishes in the seven events, taking 11th in the 100-meter ...
Pittsburg ? Former Free State High linebacker Keith Loneker has earned plenty of accolades over his prep career, but this time he was stunned.Loneker knew he was playing well in the Shrine Bowl on Saturday at Pittsburg State University, but he was left near speechless when he was named the Most ...
For the first time in five years, Free State High linebacker Keith Loneker and Lawrence High center Kyle Wittman are teammates once again. The two will play together — for the first time since playing on an all-star team in the seventh grade — on the East squad in the Kansas Shrine Bowl. ...
Clark Campbell is only half joking when he suggests more than blood flows through his family’s veins.“I kid with my wife sometimes that we spend far too much time at the pool, whether it’s professionally or with the family, that I think our bloodstream has chlorine in it,” Clark said. ...
Several city swimmers and divers earned All-Sunflower League recognition for their performances this spring. Free State High junior Eliza Anderson, junior Courtney Caldwell, sophomore Cierra Campbell, junior Haley Johnson and senior Sydney Sirimongkhon-Dyck earned first-team honors. Firebirds ...
Two Free State High girls soccer players earned first-team All-Sunflower League recognition. Midfielder Maddie Dieker and defenseman Olivia Hodison were placed on the first team. It’s the third straight year Dieker has picked up first team honors and the second consecutive year for ...
For a group of players who don’t have much varsity experience and haven’t played in many games together, Free State’s boys basketball team has to be pleased so far this summer. The Firebirds went 5-3 in the KAMO boys’ team shootout a few weeks ago and also played well against opponents ...
Free State High sophomore Avin Lane qualified for the AAU Junior Olympic Games after finishing second in the 15-16 year-old 100- and 200-meter dashes at a qualifier last weekend in Joplin, Missouri. Lane ran the fastest time in the 100 prelims, but took second place with a time of 11.32. In the ...
Player of the YearHaidyn Bassett, OskaloosaBassett dominated the Northeast Kansas League this spring, earning a 12-1 record in the pitcher’s circle with a 0.35 ERA. The Bears sophomore also hit .569 with 41 hits, 36 runs, 30 RBIs and 9 home runs. Coach of the YearLisa Braun, OskaloosaBraun ...
Player of the YearZach Linquist, Perry-LecomptonLinquist was a major part of the Kaws’ run to the Class 4A-DII state championship game. He had a .493 batting average with 37 hits and 29 RBIs, and also was dominant on the mound, striking out 54 in 31 innings with a 2.56 ERA. Coach of the ...
When most of their classmates are sleeping, Free State High’s cross country runners are out preparing for next season. The Firebirds run each weekday, starting at 7 a.m. outside of Munchers Bakery, and more than 25 boys and girls showed up Wednesday morning. That number will fluctuate between ...
Many city track and field athletes picked up All-Sunflower League recognition for their performances this spring. Bailey Sullivan (1,600), Alexa Harmon-Thomas (100 hurdles), Claire Sanner (3,200), Kiara Clark (300 hurdles) and Scout Wiebe (javelin) picked up first team honors in those events ...
Don’t blame Free State High girls soccer coach Kelly Barah if he forgets that some of his former players aren’t on the team anymore. After losing 17 players to graduation, the Firebirds will look drastically different than they did this past spring. “I turn around and I’m like, ‘Hey ...
Player of the YearKord Ferguson, OttawaOne of the top throwers in the nation, Ferguson nearly took down Kansas state records in the shot put and in the discus. He set Class 4A state meet records with a throw of 64-7.5 in the shot put and 206-2 in the discus, capping one of the best throwing ...
If Monday’s team camp was any indication, Free State High volleyball players are excited for the upcoming fall season. More than 40 high schoolers showed up for first day of team camp at South Middle School, as the Firebirds jumped back into action with a four-hour workout. The camp will ...
Player of the YearMaddie Dieker, Free StateA playmaker and the focal point for the Firebirds’ offense, Dieker helped Free State to an 11-7 record this season, scoring eight goals and adding a team-high 12 assists. Her impressive footwork, ball skills and touch caused plenty of problems for ...
Free State High senior Scott Frantz sat down with his parents on Friday to tell them his plan. He was ready to commit to a college. On Monday, the Firebirds’ offensive tackle was ready to announce his plans to everyone else. Frantz orally committed to Kansas State University at the end of his ...
Free State High senior Natalie Rainbolt always had a goal of competing at the Div. I level in gymnastics and earning a full scholarship. She made that a reality at the end of March, orally committing to Utah State University. “I took a visit out there in February, and the teammates and the ...
Seven city softball players picked up all-state honors from the Kansas Softball Coaches Association. Free State High sophomore Emily Byers and junior Emily Bermel, along with Lawrence High junior Morgan Byrn, earned first-team recognition in Class 6A. LHS placed four players on the second team: ...