Wichita ? If Free State High’s Alysha Valencia can keep her promise, then she could fulfill her phenomenal potential at this weekend’s state track meet.

“I’ve never completely gotten out of my comfort zone,” Valencia said. “I know that if I just go out there and race like I’m capable of, then the placings and times will take care of themselves.

“I just want to know at the end of the race that I turned it up into my highest gear and gave absolutely everything I had.”

Like last weekend, when Valencia swept the half-mile, mile and two-mile runs at Free State’s regional in Olathe?

“Well, I would say I was kind of average that day,” said Valencia, who finished fifth in her specialty event, the 3,200 meters, at state last year and placed fourth as a freshman. “I’m kind of excited to see what happens when I really challenge myself.”

Valencia – a perennial top-five finisher at the state cross country meet – has done that the last two seasons at the two-day meet at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium, but nerves and what she said was lagging confidence kept her from competing at her normal level.

“She’s a junior now, and I think this season she’s really matured in her approach,” Free State coach Steve Heffernan said.

“The things that have bothered her in the past, like nerves and anxiety, are not really an issue anymore.”

Which could be key, considering Free State’s girls could top their school-record fourth-place performance of a year ago.

Free State High standout runner Alysha Valencia has placed fourth and fifth in her specialty event, the 3,200-meter run, in her first two trips to the state tournament, and she's taking a calm, veteran approach to the state track and field meet this weekend in Wichita. Free State's girls and boys teams each could contend for state titles, and Lawrence High is sending several athletes who are hoping to land on the medal stand at Cessna Stadium.

Last weekend, Free State’s boys and girls finished second at regionals, and Heffernan said both teams could win state trophies.

“Obviously, certain things would have to happen and we’d probably need a few breaks, but it’s a definite possibility,” Heffernan said.

Lawrence High senior Scott Penny could win a pair of “field and track” titles, too.

“Scott was joking a couple of weeks ago that Lawrence High’s track and field team should change its name to the Lawrence High field and track team because the field competitors were the ones scoring all our points,” first-year LHS coach Scott Stidham said.

But Penny’s prediction could prove true if he wins the shot put or discus – or both.

“Hopefully, I don’t freak out down there,” said Penny, who finished fourth in the shot put and fifth in the discus last year. “I’m going in with complete tunnel vision, but usually competition is what really pushes me.

“Hopefully someone can do that for me again this weekend, and I can respond.”

If Free State’s boys 3,200 relay team responds as usual, then the Firebirds would return to the award podium for what is thought to be an unprecedented fifth straight title.

“This is going to be a tough year for our 4X800 team,” Heffernan said. “I think this will be the first year that we’re going in as underdogs because we’ve lost to a couple different teams this year. It will be a difficult challenge, but that’s what also makes it so great.”

Firebird Danny Schneider – the instrumental third leg of the 3,200 who earlier this week signed to run next season at Kansas State – won the 800 and 1,600 at regionals.

6Sports video: Lawrence High’s track team finds strength in field events

Free State senior Nick Witmer, in just his first season of throwing the javelin, has improved by more than 50 feet from the beginning of the season to his winning regional toss of 187 feet, 10 inches.

And even though Free State’s stellar spearer Lauren Abney graduated last season, Liz Brandt and Tricia Dunham are hoping for javelin medals.

Few teams in the state probably have as many state-qualifying pole vaulters as LHS. The Lions will take five – two boys, Ramin Zangeneh and Brendan Halpin, and three girls, Laura Windheuser, Chelsey Ornburn and Kara Kellison.

LHS sophomore Amy Magnuson, who has battled back pain all season, will try to avenge her second-place finish in the 100-meter hurdles last season. Meanwhile, ninth-grader Kelly Renfro, who has yet to take a class at Lawrence High but has lettered in cross country, soccer and track, could make a splash in the mile and two-mile runs.

While Stidham said his state debut would be fun, there will be no bigger thrill than watching former Lawrence High football and track coach Bill Freeman enshrined in the KSHSAA Hall of Fame during a ceremony Saturday.

“I was very fortunate to go the state meet as an athlete a couple of times under him, but it will be really neat to go and watch Coach being inducted,” Stidham said.