photo by: Chance Parker/Journal-World photo

Free State junior defender Kaleb Stewart (14) jumps up for a header against Lawrence. Free State won at home 4-0 Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021.

The Free State and Lawrence High boys soccer teams both will open postseason play seeded 12th on their respective sides of the Class 6A playoff bracket on Tuesday night.

Free State, which knocked off LHS, 4-0, in the city showdown last week, will open play in the west bracket of regionals against No. 5 seed Garden City at 6 p.m. Tuesday at GCHS.

The Firebirds enter the postseason with a 7-7-2 record, while Garden City comes in at 12-4. The winner of that game will take on the winner of the 4-13 matchup between Derby (13-1) and Junction City (7-8) at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Derby Soccer Complex.

On the east side of the bracket, LHS (6-10) will open against fifth-seeded Shawnee Mission East (10-3-3) at 6 p.m. at the Shawnee Mission Athletic Complex on Field No. 2.

The winner of that game will take on the winner of the 4-13 matchup on the east side of the bracket between Olathe South (10-3-3) and Blue Valley Northwest (5-10-1) at 6 p.m. Thursday.

The Lions lost to SM East, 4-1, on Sept. 30.

Area soccer slate

In the Class 1A-4A state soccer playoffs, Baldwin, Eudora and Tonganoxie are all slated to host Round 1 games this week, with Lawrence’s Bishop Seabury Academy hitting the road for its first regional match.

Baldwin is the highest seed among the area teams, at No. 2 in the east, and the Bulldogs will play host to Maranatha Christian Academy at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

The Bulldogs entered the postseason at 11-4-1 overall, and they will take on the winner of Monday’s 7-10 matchup between Tonganoxie (9-6-1) and Chanute (6-8-2) on Thursday.

Eudora is seeded fourth in the east and the Cardinals will play host to No. 13 Atchison at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

EHS entered the postseason at 11-4-1 and will take on the winner of the 5-12 matchup between Olathe-Heritage Christian (10-5-1) and Ottawa (5-10) on Thursday.

Bishop Seabury opened postseason play on the road on Monday night, with a matchup at sixth-seeded Bishop Ward (9-6-1).

The Seahawks entered postseason play with a 4-8-2 record.