Shon Plack
Kansas Scouting  Director

As the 2016 calendar year winds down, we will countdown the top twenty stories read in Kansas in 2016.  Our team previews are some of the most read articles on PBR Kansas.  The 2016 Team Preview of the Lawrence Free State Firebirds came in at the eighteenth spot in our countdown.

The Firebirds fell short repeating as the Kansas 6A State Champion in a 4-3 extra inning loss to Shawnee Mission East in the championship game.  Free State placed pitchers Hunter Gudde, Aaron Funk and Trevor Munsch on the all state team.  Junior 3B Zion Bowlin, junior OF Jacob Pavlyak and and junior 2B Mikey Corbett also were named on the All-State Team.

Here is the re-post of the team preview from February 25.

 

#18 2016 Team Preview: Lawrence Free State Firebirds

Thu February 25, 2016

Shon Plack
Kansas Scouting Director

As  we  prepare  for  the  upcoming  2016  high  school  season,  we  will  be  taking  a
preseason glimpse at programs from around the state.

Team: Lawrence Free State
Nickname: Firebirds
Class: Class 6A
Conference: Sunflower
Head Coach: Mike Hill
Years as head coach at school: 19
Twitter Handle: @LFSHSBaseball
Team Website: freestatebaseball.com
2015 Overall Record:  21­-4
2015 Conference Finish: 8-­3 (3rd Place)
2015 Post­ Season Finish: State Champions

Number of Returning Starters/Pitchers: 3
Number of Returning Starters/Position Players: 3

PLAYERS WITH 2015 POST SEASON HONORS
Hunter Gudde, RHP, 2016, 1st Team All­-State, 1st Team All­-Sunflower League

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Dale Miller, 1B, 2017
Mikey Corbett, SS, 2016
Trevor Munsch, LHP, 2016 (Oklahoma)
Jacob Pavlyak, LF, 2017
Zion Bowlin, 3B, 2017
Aaron Funk, RHP, 2017
Jackson Flynn, RHP, 2017

Season Outlook
Lawrence Free State will look to repeat as 6A State Champions in 2016.  They will return three pitchers and three position players from last years team.  Senior LHP and Oklahoma commit, Trevor Munch and senior RHP Hunter Gudde, a 2015 1st Team All-State selection, will lead the Firebirds as top of the rotation starters.  Senior SS Mikey Corbett will provide stability on the middle infield, while Gudde, Jacob Paylyak and Zion Bowlin look to provide offense learned by last year's post-season run.  Junior 1B Dale Miller will compete for a starting position at 1B.  Junior RHPs Jackson Flynn and Aarron Funk will round out the pitching staff, making the Firebirds a contender for the 6A state title again in 2016.


CLICK HERE, to see a complete list of 2016 Team Previews

For More Top Stories of 2016