It was amazing how fast Lacey Baxter compiled 34.1 all-around points.

The Free State High senior took second place in all-around at the five-team FSHS gymnastics meet Wednesday, but the kicker was how quickly she did it.

Baxter, who’s also a cheerleader for the Firebirds, had a homecoming bonfire to attend Wednesday. Her promptness took priority, so she breezed through the vault, beams and bars and snuck in a floor exercise when nobody was on the mats, and was out the door before most participants had half their events completed.

No word yet on if Baxter knows where she placed, but only Olathe North’s Brianna Willard, with 34.45 all-around points, beat her.

“It was crazy,” city coach Kathy Johnson said. “She told me, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever done it that fast.'”

As a team, Free State took first with 96.35 points, barely ahead of Lawrence High, which showed remarkable depth for a four-person squad with a 95.95.

Both city schools finished ahead of Olathe North, Olathe South and Olathe Northwest.

Free State High sophomore Karen Kroge leaps onto the balance beam at the start of her routine. The Firebirds played host to a five-team meet Wednesday. Free State finished first in the team standings; Lawrence High was a close second.

More importantly, though, it was a successful showing before Saturday’s big Shawnee Mission East Invitational. Most 6A schools will compete, giving the girls a great chance to gauge their progress.

“All the teams in the state are pretty much in the Kansas City area,” LHS senior Ellie Lloyd said. “So we’ll be competing against who we’ll see at state.”

Lloyd, along with teammates Nicole Jones, Meredith West and Chelsey Ornburn, all placed individually in both the vault and beam. Ornburn and West also placed in bars and floor exercise, and finished fourth and fifth in all-around.

Besides Baxter, who won beam and floor exercise, Free State’s Sarah Hase placed in three events, and Karen Kroge took sixth in beam with a 7.5.

After the SM East Invitational, both city schools will play in invites at Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North and Olathe East, before the LHS All-Around Oct. 6.