Lawrence High freshmen Rebecca Finley, left, and Matia Finley are expected to pull and throw a lot of weight this year for the Lions. The twin sisters will be competing in both the shot put and discus events during the Kansas Relays.

It’s not too often that high school freshmen have the largest or loudest cheering sections, but Lawrence High twin sisters Matia and Rebecca just might get that chance this weekend at the Kansas Relays.

Amid the throngs of fans who line up to watch the discus and shot put events, it would be difficult to blame Finley family members if they are more gung-ho than most spectators.

Not only are the Lions’ Matia and Rebecca scheduled to compete, but so is their older brother, Mason, a junior at Kansas University.

Chucking discs and shots truly is a family affair for the Finley siblings. Their father, Jared, threw at Wyoming University. His children grew up learning the tricks of the trade from him. And when the kids were out practicing, it often was their mother, Lisa, who retrieved the recently hurled objects time after time.

The vast majority of that hard work came in Salida, Colo., the family’s former home. However, this past August, due to family circumstances, Matia, Rebecca and Lisa packed up and moved to Lawrence.

Though the appeal of being closer to Mason, a back-to-back Big 12 outdoor champion shot putter at KU, didn’t hurt, Lisa said her main reason for choosing Lawrence and LHS was because she wanted to find a high school coach who could help mold her daughters into the throwers she thinks they are capable of becoming.

In his brief time working with the twins, Lions coach Jack Hood has been impressed with their work ethic and natural ability, which wasn’t a surprise to him, given their bloodlines.

“They just come to practice and work to get better,” Hood said of Matia and Rebecca.

In their first season of high school competition, the Finley sisters have produced marks to make a big impression on Hood, as well. Matia has personal records of 125 feet, 4 inches in discus and 33-5 in shot put, and Rebecca’s bests have been 122-2 in discus, 36-5 in shot.

Though the marks of the athletic sisters, who both stand just a shade under 6 feet tall, are similar, their mother said their personalities at track meets aren’t at all alike. Matia is more competitive, while Rebecca is more laid back.

The throwing has been the easy part of starting anew in Lawrence for the twins. Transitioning to a larger city and school was the thing that took some time. As Lisa, put it, “They came from a town where we knew everybody.”

Their new home, Matia said, was only slightly familiar when they first arrived.

“We’d been here (to visit), but it was weird going to school and actually living here,” she said.

Added Rebecca: “We’re getting used to it. Slowly.”

Being part of LHS track, Rebecca said, sped up that process.

“It was easy to go to track,” she said, “because people were welcoming.”

There will be plenty of old familiar faces to accompany the Finleys’ new teammates in cheering on the twins once events begin this morning at the Kansas Relays. Jared will be in town to watch his kids, as will others from his side of the family, and Lisa said three of her brothers will be among the many Finley supporters.

“I’m excited,” Rebecca said. “We got most of the family to come down from Colorado and Missouri, because my brother’s throwing in it, too. We’re pretty excited about that.”

The sisters have been to the relays before as spectators, but now have the chance to compete at the same meet as their older brother. It’s a scenario that would make any mother beam.

“It’s going to be awesome,” Lisa said. “It’s going to be so cool.”