photo by: Contributed photo

The Free State High boys wrestling team shows off its trophy and hardware from last weekend's first-place finish at the Sunflower League wrestling meet at Olathe North.

Free State freshman Grayson Hagen and junior Nolan Bradley finished in first place in their weight classes and the Firebirds won the Sunflower League wrestling championship with 211 points at Olathe North on Saturday.

Hagen, who wrestled at 106 pounds, and Bradley, at 113 pounds, were among six FSHS wrestlers who reached the finals of their weight classes. Eric Streeter (132), Zach Shepley (160), Matthew Marcum (195) and Tai Newhouse (285) were the others. D’onte Goodman (126), Ezra Birdashaw (138), and Brian Lane (220) took third.

Lawrence High finished eighth at the 14-team event with 99 points. Jack Elsten finished first at 120 pounds, Kevin Honas was second at 126 pounds, and Andrew Honas was third at 106 pounds.

The teams will compete this weekend at the KSHSAA 6A Western Region Championships in Wichita. The state championships begin Feb. 25.

In girls wrestling, two-time defending state champion Madyson Gray, of Free State High, earned another regional title this past weekend, finishing first in the 138-pound bracket at 5A-6A regionals.

Gray, as the top-seeded wrestler, received a bye to the quarterfinals and then pinned her next three opponents in a combined 5:13.

Gray (32-0) now will try to add to her haul of state titles as the top seed in Park City next Wednesday and Thursday.

Lewis wins his 200th game

Lawrence High boys basketball coach Mike Lewis earned his 200th career victory last Friday night against Olathe East.

To celebrate, several of Lewis’ former players put together a short video and posted it on YouTube and social media. The video included congratulations from 14 former players, many of them from the past several seasons, including 2021 graduate and current South Dakota player Zeke Mayo, who was named Sunflower League Player of the Year last season.

“Congratulations on the 200 wins,” Mayo said. “I’m extremely blessed to say that I’ve been coached by you throughout my high school career. You’ve played an important role in my basketball career.”

Lewis, now in his 13th season leading the program, was hired before the 2009-10 season after serving as an assistant at LHS for four seasons. He was fired in 2014 but was later reinstated by the school board after parents and players voiced their support for him. Under Lewis, LHS has made it to the past seven Class 6A state tournaments. The Lions (16-3) will try to make it eight in a row next month.

State swimming and diving up next

The Lawrence High and Free State boys swimming teams will be in Topeka this week for the Class 6A state championships at Capitol Federal Natatorium.

Lawrence High will have participants in 10 of the 12 events at this year’s state meet; Free State swimmers will compete in nine events.

Neither team is expected to challenge for the 6A state title, but several individuals are hoping to finish near the top in their races.

In particular, two swimmers are entering the meet in the top eight of their events: Free State’s Dawson Bonnell (200 freestyle and 100 butterfly) and LHS junior Giuliano Lule-Paredes (100 backstroke). The Lions also have two relay teams (200 freestyle and 400 freestyle) seeded in the top 10 entering the meet. Free State divers Michael Leonard, Elliot Ahlvers and Isaiah Wilkins are seeded 12th through 14th in the 1-meter diving competition, just behind Lawrence High senior Keyan Crawford, who is seeded 10th.

The meet will take place today, Friday and Saturday.

Basketball roundup

The Lawrence High girls gave top-ranked Olathe North a battle on Tuesday night, but they ultimately lost 49-35 at home.

LHS (8-10) trailed just 24-16 at halftime and outscored the Eagles 12-11 in the fourth quarter. But Olathe North outscored LHS 15-7 in the third, which put enough distance between the two to end LHS’ upset bid.

“Our kids played their butts off and gave the No. 1 team in the state everything they could want,” LHS coach Jeff Dickson said. “We were undersized at every position, but our hearts were as big as anyone’s.”

Dickson credited Layla Harjo and Amaya Marshall for their leadership and said he saw a lot of grit and toughness from Lucy Hardy, Serenity Keo, Cyrenity Hardy, Azura Clark and Brynnae Johnson. Keo led LHS with 11 points while Clark and Cyrenity Hardy each chipped in six. Up next, the Lions will play at Free State at 5:30 p.m. Friday.

The Free State girls lost 53-9 at Shawnee Mission East on Tuesday, and their record sits at 1-16 heading into the City Showdown matchup with LHS.

Also on Tuesday night, both Bishop Seabury teams were in action against Kansas City Christian. The Seabury girls lost, 40-25, and the Seabury boys won, 78-56.

Eudora High’s teams both won against Louisburg. The girls won 36-25, and the boys won 60-42.

The Perry-Lecompton boys basketball team lost at Sabetha, 54-50, after being outscored 20-16 in the final quarter. Gunnar Ball led the Kaws with 21 points.

The Baldwin High boys basketball team beat Prairie View, 66-53

Area wrestling results

Tonganoxie High won the Frontier League boys wrestling championship, which was held at Eudora High on Feb. 9.

Braeden Moore (126), Noah Bailey (132), Grayson Sonntag (138), Colton Brusven (160), Tyler Pankey (170) and Hunter Benedict (220) all won their weight classes for the Chieftains, who scored 197 points.

Jack Harvey was first at 182 pounds and Jake Van Horn was second at 285 pounds for Baldwin High, which finished fourth as a team with 160.5 points. Mason Cox was second at 160 pounds for Eudora High, which was ninth with 66 points.

In girls wrestling action, the following area wrestlers qualified for next week’s 4A-1A state meet in Salina:

• Baldwin: Brianna Mitchell (109 pounds), Allee Darnell (120), Kaitlin Base (170), Elee Pittman (191) and Madi Hargett (235)

• Eudora: Kyleigh Musick (115), Maddy Arnold (126), Phoebe Fletcher (132) and Madison Karten (155)

• Tonganoxie: Madison Daniels (101), Taylor Lux (109), Grace Stean (170) and Ana Tochtrop (191)

Former LHS football coach Freeman to be honored

Former Lawrence High football coach Bill Freeman is scheduled to be enshrined in the Kansas Football Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame at the KFBCA’s annual clinic in Wichita.

Freeman is one of eight members of the Hall of Fame class of 2022. He will be honored on Sunday night.

In 36 years as a head coach, Freeman compiled a 242-81-3 overall record and won eight state football titles. He went 134-38 during his 16 seasons at LHS and led the Lions to state titles in 1979, 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1989. He also won state track titles at LHS in 1989 and 1990, as well as state titles at Osawatomie High and Leroy High.

Freeman is already a member of several other halls of fame. He has been enshrined in the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas State High School Activities Association Hall of Fame, the Emporia State University Hall of Honor and the Jayhawk Chapter of the National Football Foundation College Hall of Fame.