LHS girls’ state title run tops list

Lawrence High's girls basketball players, including, from left, Lindsey Murray, Danielle Bird, Tania Jackson, Cassie Potter and Shelby Miller, celebrate their Class 6A state championship. The Lions beat Goddard, 54-52, on Saturday in Emporia.

Top area sports stories of 2008

Callahan sets state mark

Baldwin High wrestler Kevin Callahan ended his career with a 3-2 victory to capture the 130-pound state championship. He also set the state career wins record with 171, along with three other state records.

Garcia goes out in style

Heather Garcia nearly ended her remarkable career at Baldwin High with a gold-medal sweep last May. Garcia won the Class 4A 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs and anchored the 3,200-meter relay to a come-from-behind victory.

Perry-Lecompton football makes a run

Led by a strong senior class, the Kaws’ football team won four straight postseason games and advanced to the Class 4A state title game.

McLouth undefeated

The McLouth High softball team delivered an undefeated regular season. The 20-0 record led the Bulldogs to the state tournament, where they finished third.

The two postseason victories were the first in the program’s history.

Ballock’s 4 straight

Eudora High senior Emily Ballock finished her track and field career in style by winning the 300-meter hurdles at the state track meet in Wichita for the fourth straight season.

Grizzle wins state

In her final event in a Tonganoxie High uniform, Nebraska-bound Chieftain senior Roxi Grizzle threw a meet-record javelin throw of 165 feet, 5 inches on her way to defending her state javelin title.

1. LHS girls win state

The 2008 high school sports year began with a bang, as the Lawrence High girls rolled through their sub-state and into the state tournament.

Although the Lions entered the Class 6A state tourney as the No. 8 seed, they won three straight games to bring home the title. The LHS girls had lofty goals for the 2007-08 season, and when Haley Parker’s runner in the lane fell through the hoop, their biggest goal was realized. In addition to Parker’s heroic shot, LHS was led by Danielle Bird, Tania Jackson, Taylor Bird, Cassie Potter and Jasmyn Turner.

T2. Free State football team reaches title game

Two playoff victories in 11 previous seasons. That was the book on the Free State High football team until 2008. But now, after the most memorable season in school history, the Firebirds have five postseason victories to their credit and one appearance in the state title game.

After a 1-2 start, the Firebirds went on a monster roll, winning six straight games to close the season before falling to Junction City in the state title game. The Firebirds picked up playoff victories against SM Northwest, Olathe North and Blue Valley. Free State was led by school record holder Chucky Hunter, double-threat quarterback Camren Torneden, a powerful offensive line and a ferocious defense.

T2. LHS boys basketball advances to state final

The Lawrence High boys basketball team limped out of the starting blocks to a 6-10 record. But boy did the Lions know how to finish.

The Lions decided to keep their sub-state roll going by knocking off top-seeded Manhattan, 65-56, in Round 1 and Wichita Heights, 61-58, in the semifinals before falling to Wichita Southeast in the state title game.

LHS was led all season by junior guard Dorian Green, who scored 73 points in the three state tournament games. But Green did not do it alone. LHS also received big-time play from John Schneider, Baba Diallo, Lance Kilburn, Bobby Davis, James Easter and Preston Scheibler along the way.

4. Facility upgrades OK’d

After years of talk and countless hours of debate, adding new football complexes at both of Lawrence’s major high schools became a reality in 2008, when the city’s Planning Commission and the Lawrence School Board gave the go-ahead to renovate facilities at both LHS and Free State. Both schools will add 4,000-seat stadiums with upgraded concessions stands and restroom facilities to their campuses in time for the 2009 football seasons. In addition, upgrades will be made to existing as well as new soccer, baseball, softball and tennis facilities, some of which will be ready for competition in the Spring of 2009.

5. LHS boys cross country makes run at history

The 2008 Lions won the program’s first-ever state title.

Led by Roy Wedge and bolstered by a supporting class that included Ben Wilson, Calvin Morgan, Joseph Springer, Simon Fangman, Zach Andregg and Jonathan Gabler, the Lions ended Shawnee Mission Northwest’s streak of 14 consecutive boys cross country state titles.