Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State volleyball players celebrate winning a set against Olathe West during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
SALINA — After already getting swept in their first two matches of pool play Friday at the Class 6A state volleyball tournament, the Free State Firebirds headed back out to the courts ready for one final match this season.
Instead of hanging their heads, all the players walked back onto the court with smiles on their faces. They kept an upbeat attitude while chanting in unison the team’s own version of a song from a popular children’s circle game.
“Little Sally Walker, walking down the street,” junior Anniston Clark sang when recreating the musical performance in her postgame interview. “She don’t know what to do, so she stopped in front of me. Said ‘Hey girl, do your dance, do your dance, stop.’”
Senior Annika Lintecum credited the song with keeping the Firebirds psyched despite how their day started.
“Even though we already lost the first two (matches), it kind of reset everyone’s minds and helped us get back hype,” Lintecum said. “Little things like that have helped us throughout the season, especially that chant.”
But their positivity would be tested in their final match of the day.
Olathe West opened the day by sweeping their first two matches, including a 27-25, 25-19 win over two-time defending champ Mill Valley in the match preceding the team’s bout with the Firebirds.
The Owls continued their hot start with a dominant 25-7 win in the opening set against Free State.
Ever closer to their state run ending without winning a single set, the Firebirds refused to let their positivity wane. The team could have taken the easy route and mailed it in. Instead the Firebirds put together one of their best performances of the season to force a decisive third set.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Annika Lintecum saves the ball as it headed over toward the Firebirds’ bench on a point during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Clark also credited the “Little Sally Walker” chant with setting a positive tone and loosening the team up to play more freely against Olathe West.
“We wanted to come out of that game (knowing) that we tried our best and had the most fun we could, and we did,” Clark said. “So I think that’s why we came back in the second set, we were playing more loose and fun.”
Although Free State’s season came to a close after dropping the third set to Olathe West, the Firebirds performed admirably at the showcase event.
“We did some good things, but unfortunately just fell a little short today,” said Free State head coach Savage after dropping six of seven sets over three matches in pool play. “Everyone went out there and gave it their all.”
Free State (20-15) showed what the Firebirds’ level of determination displayed this season can do in the postseason. A week prior to state, the team traveled 340 miles for sub-state competition at Garden City High School. The Firebirds flourished on the long trip to western Kansas, emerging from the bracket as the only 6A road team to punch its ticket to the state tournament.
“We had girls that were hungry for it, they knew what we were capable of, and they were focused until the very end,” Savage said. “We had the mindset of knowing what our goals were and we had a good game-plan and we executed it to get here.
“We belonged here and I’m very proud of that journey.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State head coach Jayme Savage cheers on her team after the Firebirds scored a point against Olathe West during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
In its first set of the day, the eighth-seeded Firebirds went toe-to-toe with top-seeded reigning state champion Mill Valley Jaguars (31-4, 15-1 Sunflower League).
Clark, Free State’s middle blocker, notched her 80th block of the season to trim an early deficit to 6-4. Free State kept it close, trailing 13-11, but ultimately struggled to contain Olivia Nzioki and Riley Riggs, as the powerful front row hitters collected a barrage of kills to help the Jaguars pull away for the 25-20 first-set victory.
The Firebirds (20-15, 8-5 Sunflower League) came out flat in the second set, as the Jaguars opened on a 12-1 blitz en route to a convincing 25-7 victory — and two-set sweep.
Free State quickly turned around for a matchup with the fourth-seeded Washburn Rural Junior Blues (30-7). In a seesaw opening set, an Ella Roberts’ kill handed the Firebirds a 7-6 advantage. Free State held a 14-11 lead, courtesy of an ace followed by a kill from senior defensive specialist Taylor Stucker.
But the lead evaporated via an extended 14-2 run to hand the Junior Blues a 25-16 first-set victory.
As was the case in its opening matchup with Mill Valley, the Firebirds came out sluggish in the second set, quickly falling into an 11-3 hole as Washburn Rural freshman Brynn Anderson caught fire while dropping in several spikes. A kill by Clark capped off a small run by the Firebirds, whittling down the deficit to 22-14. But the Junior Blues regrouped for a 25-16 win and two-set sweep.
In its third pool play matchup, the Firebirds squared off with fifth-seeded Olathe West (28-7), as the Sunflower co-champions entered the match having just dispatched No. 1 Mill Valley in straight sets.
Olathe West carried its momentum over, surging to a 17-3 advantage, while coasting to an emphatic 25-7 first-set win.
Then on the brink of suffering a third consecutive sweep in pool play, the Firebirds showed the resiliency that helped them advance to the state tournament — opening the second set on a 9-4 spurt.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Anniston Clark attempts to tip the ball past an Olathe West blocker on a point during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
With strong play by the backline as players like Stucker and senior libero Ava Corbin got controlled digs, junior setter Tessa Nover-Estes was able to find a rhythm conducting the team’s offensive attack. Nover-Estes racked up assists by setting the ball perfectly for net players like Lintecum, Clark and senior outside hitter Meredith Claasen-Wilson to produce enough kills as the Firebirds’ lead swelled to 19-10.
Free State ultimately cruised to a 25-15 second-set victory.
“When we’re super hype and up and hyping each other up, (being) super positive, we’re a super hard team to beat,” Lintecum said. “That’s how we’ve been throughout the whole season. When we’re just all in a good mood, swinging away, we’re not afraid of the ball or making mistakes, then we just can’t be beat.”
Savage added: “Olathe West has a lot of offensive weapons. But when we’re firing on all cylinders, front row and back row, we’re pretty tough to beat.”
The Firebirds came out strong in the third set, trailing 10-8 early. But Olathe West proved to be a buzzsaw, ending the match on a 15-5 run for the three-set victory. The Owls would eventually leave Salina with a state runner-up finish.
Free State had quite a few high points during this season, including when the Firebirds took third place at a talent-packed De Soto Spikefest tournament and when they picked up a win at the Olathe South Invitational over Mill Valley, which has been the top-ranked 6A team for most of this season and most of the last two years. The Firebirds also opened the season strong, winning 10 of its first 13 matches.
Free State will graduate half of the varsity roster, including Lintecum, Roberts, Stucker, Corbin, Claassen-Wilson and Kennedy Flachsbarth.
Savage lauded the senior class for leading the program to the state tournament for the first time since 2022, adding that their departures will be a tough “void” to fill. Savage also expressed confidence that the future of the program remains bright.
“It’s pretty tough to lose this group of seniors and they’re going to be greatly missed,” she said.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Tessa Nover-Estes sets the ball high into the air during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Savage specifically mentioned that Lintecum has gone “above and beyond” to help elevate the program. As a four-year varsity starter, Lintecum has consistently been among the team’s leaders in aces and kills.
“Annika embodies what it means to be a part of this program,” Savage said. “She shows up each and every day with a positive attitude — trying to better not just herself, but everybody else around here.”
Lintecum recalls the experience of reaching state in 2022. She and Roberts were the only freshmen on the varsity squad that finished 26-14. The Firebirds opened that state tournament with a sweep of Wichita Northwest, but were then swept by Mill Valley and Blue Valley North. They lost three of those four sets by three points or less.
Lintecum said being able to finish her career together with Roberts at state was “super sweet” for both players.
“It meant a lot and I’m honestly so happy, even if state didn’t turn out exactly how we wanted,” Lintecum said. “I wouldn’t have rather ended it any other way. I’m so happy we made it here and the fight was worth it.
Lintecum added that she will be “forever proud” of her squad.
Although the team will have a lot of spots to fill in its rotation, the Firebirds do have some reasons to be optimistic about next year’s squad. In addition to retaining “the dynamic duo” of Clark and Nover-Estes, Clark’s youngest sister will lead a strong crop of players from the Class of 2030 joining the Free State program next year.
“We have a couple kids coming from some of the middle schools (who) I think are going to be really game changers, honestly,” Clark said. “Me and Tessa, that dynamic duo coming back too, I’m really excited for that and I have really high expectations.
“I think, honestly, we can make it back here a year from now.”
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State players celebrate scoring a point during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Taylor Stucker makes a tough dig during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Brinley Whitney lets out a shout to celebrate after the team scored a point during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State’s Anniston Clark goes up for a spike during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Free State players celebrate after scoring a point against Olathe West during pool play of the 6A state tournament at Tony’s Pizza Events Center in Salina.
