Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Free State’s Jessica Berg pins Lawrence High’s NeFehna Farve during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

With so many of the competitors being practice partners in recent years, the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown this year provided a slightly different atmosphere than that displayed by some of the Lawrence High vs. Free State clashes in other sports.

“I’m not as anti-Free State as most of my school because we were teammates for my first three years,” said Goldy Stephens, a senior standout for Lawrence High. “I know most of those girls personally and was just excited to see them.”

Lawrence High and Free State spent the previous three seasons as a combined unit, with the 2025-26 campaign marking a return to separate squads.

Both squads also have their own head coaches for the first time, with the programs being run by each school’s boys wrestling coach over the first few years of girls wrestling being a sanctioned sport in Kansas.

While Stephens quickly pinned AJ Collins in the 235-pound match to improve to 18-4 individually, the Firebirds ultimately prevailed 42-24 after notching five total wins in contested matches during Wednesday’s rivalry dual at Lawrence High School.

“We responded well after a tough week in Wichita,” Free State coach Jamelle Dye said, alluding to a ninth-place finish at the Best of the West tournament on Jan. 16-17 at Wichita West High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

The Free State girls wrestling team huddles up before the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown against Lawrence High on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Dye, who was previously part of the combined team’s coaching staff, said he was heartened after a few Firebirds grapplers either avenged a loss or improved on previous showings against their Lawrence counterparts.

“We had some girls step up big time,” he said.

At 155 pounds, freshman Ellie Earl secured a pin over Elizabeth Mock.

“She lost earlier in the year against (Mock), but got that win back,” Dye said, adding that he was also pleased with Presley White’s performance at 135 pounds against Juliana Hout in the all-sophomore bout, despite White absorbing the pin.

“Presley lost earlier in the year to Juliana, but I feel like she is closing the gap and getting a lot better,” Dye said, noting that White and Hout already squared off twice before this season.

Added Hout of the budding rivalry, “I went into the match confident and knew in the first period I could finish her.”

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Free State’s Delaney Earl battles for wrist control against Lawrence High’s Ivy Ford during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

The Firebirds notched a trio of convincing victories in the early going, all coming via pin. At 120 pounds, freshman Jessica Berg needed just 25 seconds to dispatch NeFehna Farve. Senior Delaney Earl achieved victory over Ivy Ford in the 125-pound weight class, needing just under a minute to do so.

“The best defense is a good offense, so I always try to come out strong and get to my attacks,” Earl said.

Free State sophomore Miley Ellis upended Annabelle Ackerman at 115 pounds. Locking up at 190 pounds, Mars Pierson achieved a pin over Miriam Zimmerman 28 seconds into the match.

“I’m always humble going into matches,” Pierson said, adding that “over-confidence” is strategically counter-productive.

In addition to the team’s 5-3 advantage in contested matches, the Firebirds also had a 2-1 advantage in forfeit victories with Ester Bigirimana at 130 pounds and Brooklyn Parish at 140 pounds going unopposed in their weight classes.

Dye attributed the solid showing to what he phrased as a newfound determination.

“I think it’s just our grittiness,” he said. “I don’t want to use the word ‘soft,’ but earlier in the year, when matches got tough, some of us just turned over.

“Earlier in the week, I emphasized showing toughness. And we’re getting to that point in the season where we are going to run into tough matches with every girl we wrestle.”

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Lawrence High’s Goldy Stephens gives a low five to Lions assistant coach Jordan Dempsey during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown against Free State on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

In addition to Stephens’ win and Hout’s pin of White for Lawrence High, Imogen Matter cruised to a 31-second victory at 145 pounds as she pinned freshman Makenzie Browning.

“I think I did pretty well, but didn’t quite hit the move I was hoping for,” Matter said of the vaunted crunch-cradle. “So I settled for a half-nelson.”

Dorcas Fakunmoju rounded out the scoring for the Lions with her forfeit victory at 100 pounds.

Lawrence High head coach Carl Springer said he couldn’t be more proud of his team’s showing, specifically mentioning how both Zimmerman and Ford bumped up in weight class to avoid the team having more empty spots in the line-up. Zimmerman, a freshman, moved up a weight class to 190, where she suffered a defeat at the hands of Pierson.

“We’re not the most technical team on the planet, but I’d take our girls into a fight any day,” Springer said. “Our mental toughness this year has really picked up.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Lawrence High’s Juliana Hout goes for a takedown attempt against Free State’s Presley White during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Springer added that the no-contest losses have been detrimental from a mental perspective. Springer noted that attrition has whittled his roster from roughly 25 team members to 11.

“It’s tough to start a dual 24 points in the hole, but we still have to show up and do our job,” he said.

In this rivalry clash, Lawrence was able to minimize their normally automatic double-digit deficit and cut that starting gap to just six points.

Springer said he has found ways to address the adversity that comes with a depleted roster.

“At the end of every single practice we ‘journal,’ do a mental health check-in and talk about goals — what we want to accomplish,” he said.

Lawrence High and Free State are both slated to compete at the Dean Sheets Classic girls tournament on Jan. 23-24 at De Soto High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Lawrence High wrestlers cheer on their teammate during a match at the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown against Free State on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Free State’s Jessica Berg celebrates a victory with a hug during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown against Lawrence High on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Lawrence High’s Imogen Matter secures a pin over Makenzie Browning during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Free State’s Ester Bigirimana during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown against Lawrence High on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Lawrence High’s Miriam Zimmerman locks up with Free State’s Mars Pierson during the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.

Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports

Free State assistant coach Alaina Johnston and head coach Melle Dye communicate with one of their wrestlers during a match at the girls wrestling edition of the City Showdown against Lawrence High on Jan. 21 at Lawrence High School.