Lawrence High track and field coach Jerry Skakal has a simple philosophy when it comes to the Sunflower League meet.

“Whatever they’re gonna do at regionals, they’re gonna do at this meet,” he said. “What’s important is next week.”

That means the Lions won’t alter any entries when the event kicks off at 3:30 p.m. today at Olathe District Activities Center; and neither will Free State.

Both Skakal and FSHS coach Steve Heffernan take the same approach to league: because it’s one week before Class 6A regionals, which determines state qualifiers, they don’t mess with much. The only changes either coach will make is with relays.

“We do a little bit in some of the distance areas,” Heffernan said. “Some of the kids will get a chance to run things they normally wouldn’t get to run. This would be the last opportunity to run an open mile or an open eight.”

That leaves FSHS seniors Adrian Ludwig and Hiral Bhakta to focus on open races, and gives sophomores Alex Rock and Dan Schneider, junior Kyle Carter and senior Joe Sicilian to compete for the remaining spots on the 4×800-meter relay team, which has been one of the state’s best the last four years. Rock and Schneider have run about a second faster than Carter and Sicilian.

Make no mistake, it’s a tough spot to grab.

“Where it can help you is it lets kids compete for the two other spots,” Heffernan said. “It gives them another opportunity to compare head to head instead of comparing mile or 800 times.”

Ludwig, the 4×800 relay and junior Sam Frisbie (high jump) are the Firebirds’ defending league champs; the Lions sport six returning league champs in nine events. Those include junior Sylvester Birdsong (long jump), and seniors Scott Bellinger (high jump), Dylan McClain (1,600 and 3,200), Chris Fulton (100 and 200), Magdalen Obiefule (shot put and discus) and Audrey Pope (300 hurdles).

Despite the heavy hitters, Skakal expects the Lions to finish somewhere in the middle, while Shawnee Mission Northwest, Olathe North, Olathe East and Shawnee Mission East should compete for the title.

Most of Free State’s squad is healthy. The Lions probably will be without junior Erin Knight, who has a knee injury, and senior Twynnin Brown, who has a sprained ankle.

Skakal, though, has high expectations.

“I want to see improvement,” he said.

“I always tell the kids, ‘If you’re first, then I can’t ask any more. If you’re not first, then place in the top four, because the top at regionals go to state. If you’re not in the top four, then place in the top eight because that’s what scores points at league. If you’re not in the top eight, then what have you been doing the past three months?'”