Everyone should have it as tough as Free State High track and field coach Steve Heffernan.

The Firebirds’ boss had a tough decision Saturday in choosing who would anchor Free State’s boys 4×200-meter relay team at the Kansas Relays.

His choices? Keron Toussaint, who finished third in the 200 at last year’s Class 6A state meet; Austin Winn, who finished fourth in the 200 at last year’s state meet; Brian Murphy, a Kansas University football recruit who has clocked 10.9 in the 100 this season; and Christian Ballard, an Iowa football recruit who has clocked 11.4 in the 100 this spring.

Heffernan’s final lineup had Murphy as the anchor, following Winn, Ballard and Toussaint.

“He’s a good finisher, and he handles that part of it very well,” Heffernan said. “What we try to do is keep kids who are used to handing off to each other in the same positions. That 4×200 is the same order as our 4×100.”

¢ Location, location, location: The Free State boys 1,600-meter relay team had the third-best qualifying time Saturday, but was placed in Lane 8 for the finals, which Heffernan labeled the worst lane to start the race.

“We’ve already talked about trying to adjust it for next year,” Heffernan said. “That’s a hard lane to run from. From that outside lane, you’re just not sure what’s going on in the inside.”

The Firebirds nonetheless finished third in the event and registered the best mark in the state this season with a time of 3 minutes, 26.50 seconds.

¢ Dialing long distance: CommunityAmerica Ballpark couldn’t hold a pair of prodigious first baseman during last week’s River City Baseball Festival.

Lawrence High’s Nick

DeBiasse connected on his second home run of the year, a three-run shot to left-center field during the bottom of the third inning of the Lions’ 8-7 win against Kansas City (Mo). Rockhurst on Friday.

Asked if the tape-measure blast was the farthest he ever has hit a ball, DeBiasse said, “it’s got to rank up there in the top couple.”

Not to be outdone, Free State’s Ben Wilson drilled his own mammoth shot, estimated at least 420 feet. It helped propel the Firebirds to a 13-4 victory against Springfield (Mo.) Hillcrest on Saturday.