photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
The Free State boys basketball team huddles before taking the court for their game against Junction City on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025, at Free State High School in Lawrence.
Free State’s boys and girls basketball teams went across the state for an end-of-week tournament in Garden City.
The boys went 2-1, starting the tournament with two wins before a loss in the final game. The girls went 1-2, starting with its two losses before ending on a high note with a win.
Free State’s boys team started with a 52-41 win over Garden City, followed by a 62-42 win over Scott Community on Friday. The Firebirds’ final game was a blowout loss to Hugoton, 60-31.
For the Free State girls, the Firebirds started with a 60-42 loss to Garden City before a narrow 56-52 loss to Scott Community on Friday. Free State finished with a win after beating Colorado-Coronado Springs 59-22 on the final day.
Both Free State teams concluded the weekend with a 2-2 record. On Tuesday, the Firebirds will be on the road at Shawnee Mission North, with the girls game starting at 5:30 p.m. and the boys at 7 p.m.
Lawrence boys wrestling places 10th in Baltzley Invitational in Iowa
The Lawrence wrestling team went on a road trip to Iowa over the weekend and competed in the Baltzley Invitational in Johnston, Iowa, placing 10th out of 14 teams.
Lou Elsten had the highest finish for the Lions after coming up as the runner-up in the 126-pound weight class. Elsten started with a technical fall after taking a 17-0 lead in his first match. He continued with a pin in the semifinal round but lost in a 10-3 decision.
Jacek Aber placed fourth in the 113-pound weight class. After starting with a loss, Aber won his next two matches with a pin and a medical forfeit. Aber made it to the third-place match and was pinned.
Logan Druen finished seventh in the 106-pound bracket, finishing with two wins. Druen started with a first-round bye and lost his first two matches. He bounced back with a pin in the third consolation round and a pin in the seventh-place match.
In the 165-pound weight class, Hunter Lown took eighth. After starting with a loss, Lown had two byes and a win by a technical fall 16-1. Lown finished with a loss in the seventh-place match from a pin.
Eudora, Tonganoxie girls basketball teams off to fast starts
The Eudora girls basketball team is off to another strong start to the 2025 season, as the Cardinals have won their first two games in blowouts.
Eudora is coming off a 4A state tournament appearance after finishing the 2024-25 season as one of the top teams in the state with only two regular season losses. The Cardinals went 19-3 during the year and entered the state tournament as the No. 3 seed. Eudora lost its first game to Bishop Miege, the eventual runner-up.
This year, the Cardinals are off to another fast start with two double-digit wins. Eudora started the season with a 64-45 win over Spring Hill and followed that up with a 75-24 win over Atchison.
Eudora will play one final game in 2025 on Thursday against Goodland before taking a break into the new year.
Tonganoxie finished last year with a losing record, but the Chieftains are off to a 3-1 start this season.
After winning their season-opener 47-14 over Louisburg, the Chieftains went 2-1 at the Garden City basketball tournament over the weekend. The Chieftains started with a 56-45 win over Scott Community before beating Garden City in a 54-51 overtime game on Friday. Tonganoxie lost its first game of the season in the tournament championship, with a 60-55 loss to Ottawa.
Tonganoxie will take on Spring Hill on the road on Tuesday before taking a break through the new year.
Bishop Seabury starts the season strong with new and returning contributors
Bishop Seabury’s boys basketball team is continuing its recent streak of dominance as the Seahawks are looking to win their third conference title in a row.
The Seahawks started with a 63-43 win over St. Mary’s Academy and followed that with a 65-53 win over Wyandotte. Bishop Seabury got its biggest win so far with a 98-34 win over Veritas Christian before beating Burlingame 63-61 on Friday.
Bishop Seabury lost a few longtime contributors from last year, with Jace Smith and Chase Honarvar graduating. Through four games this season, the Seahawks have gotten big contributions from new and returning players.
Senior Jace Hoffman, however, was one of the team’s top returners from last year. Hoffman was the team’s second leading scorer, and through four games this season, he’s elevated into the role of the team’s go-to scorer. Senior Marion Stubbs is the team’s top big man, and he consistently has been the team’s top rebounder and the team’s second-best scorer.
As for newcomers, freshman Quintin Cruz has carved out a crucial role immediately with the team. He scored his first 20-point game in the Seahawks’ win over Veritas Christian, and he finished with six steals and six assists in the game.
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