photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State freshman Tessa Nover-Estes (14) tries to lift past a block by Mill Valley's Saida Jones (5) on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village.

Nearly halfway through the regular season, Free State volleyball has gone 0-10 — but the Firebirds aren’t ready to write this season off just yet.

FSHS is dealing with a lot of turnover this year, and head coach Jayme Savage said the Firebirds knew from the start that it would be a challenging season. But she also said that they believed a comeback was possible — and senior Ryan Morgan said that showed in FSHS’ most recent losses against Shawnee Mission East and Shawnee-Mill Valley on Tuesday. The 25-21 loss to Mill Valley could have easily gone the other way, because Free State led for most of the game.

“We’re going to need some adversity,” Morgan said. “When tough matches come and we’re getting into a hole, we’re just going to have a better mentality about it.” (In the second game) we definitely worked as a team and changed our minds to play aggressive.”

While this year’s senior class is large, FSHS still has several underclassmen on its varsity rotation, and to end the slump it will need continued growth from freshmen Tessa Nover-Estes and Anniston Clark and sophomores Ella Roberts and Annika Lintecum.

A big part of that is learning to communicate more effectively on the court, said Fiona VanDyke, one of the Firebirds’ other senior leaders.

“I think volleyball is 70% mentality, attitude and communication,” VanDyke said. “The rest is physical.”

Next up, FSHS hosts Gardner Edgerton on Thursday at 6 p.m. Across town, Lawrence High (3-5) hosts Olathe East and Shawnee Mission East on Thursday at 5 p.m.

LHS, FSHS soccer heating up

The Lawrence High boys soccer team continued its hot start to the regular season with a gritty 2-1 win on Tuesday night at Gardner Edgerton.

LHS (5-0) trailed 1-0 at halftime but rebounded in the second half with two goals by senior Colin Sandefur, assisted by senior Ocean Comfort and sophomore Patrick Sandefur.

Across town, the Free State boys soccer team defeated Shawnee Mission North 2-1 at home on Tuesday night. Senior Utah Hester and junior Jeremiah Jones came up with the two scores for FSHS (3-1).

Both teams will play on Thursday: LHS travels to Shawnee-Mill Valley at 7:30 p.m., and FSHS heads to Olathe West at 7 p.m.

Eudora football could improve to 3-0

After opening the season with high-scoring wins over rival Baldwin City (48-7) and Bonner Springs (55-8), Eudora football hopes to make it 3-0 when Spring Hill comes to town on Friday night.

Senior quarterback Kole Manley has orchestrated the offense, making 11 completions for 376 yards and four touchdowns. His favorite target is senior receiver/cornerback Adrion Seals, who’s provided 280 yards and four TDs on just eight catches. Junior running back Errol Siemon has provided four more TDs and 205 yards of work on the ground.

On defense, senior tackle Leland Bradshaw leads the unit with 17 total tackles so far. Seals provided twelve more tackles, and senior right guard Thomas Cromer has had 11.

Spring Hill might be Eudora’s first real test this season. The Broncos (2-0) have beaten Bonner Springs (57-14) and Tonganoxie (36-29) so far. Kickoff is at 7 p.m Friday at Eudora Football Stadium.

School board honors Free State swimming

The Free State girls swim and dive team, which successfully defended its Class 6A state title at last spring’s state championship in Topeka, was honored by the Lawrence school board on Monday.

In addition to their victory at state, the Firebirds finished first in nine of their 10 varsity meets last season, which was also longtime head coach Annette McDonald’s final year with the program. McDonald and FSHS assistants Janna Skinner and Brandy Brandt were recognized on Monday, along with all 13 state qualifiers: Liza Engelbrecht (first team all-state), Gayla Gao (second team all-state), Aidyn Guy, Lolly Hindman, Silvio Liu, Sarah Masterson, Halle McCullough (first team all-state), Molly Nuckolls (second team all-state), Samantha Packard (first team all-state), Amelia Rockhold, Olivia Romero, Bradie Ward (first team all-state) and Jocelyn Wilson (second team all-state).

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State freshman Tessa Nover-Estes (14) tries to lift past a block by Mill Valley’s Saida Jones (5) on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State senior Fiona VanDyke (center) celebrates after scoring a point against Mill Valley on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village, Kansas, U.S.A.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State senior Fiona VanDyke (center) yells after scoring a point against Mill Valley on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State senior Fiona VanDyke (11) hits the ball past two Mill Valley defenders on Sept. 12, 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School, in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State head volleyball coach Jayme Savage calls out to her team during a match against Mill Valley on Tuesday, Sept. 12,m 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State junior Karsen Chapman (right) shares a laugh with freshman Tessa Nover-Estes before a match against Mill Valley on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, at Shawnee Mission East High School in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State freshman Anniston Clark fires the ball past Shawnee Mission East’s Lainey Barrett on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State senior Ryan Morgan high-fives freshman Tessa Nover-Estes after scoring a point against Shawnee Mission East on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023, in Prairie Village.

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Free State assistant coach Joel Grillot (center) pumps up his team before a road match at Shawnee Mission East on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, in Prairie Village.