Lawrence High sophomore Dearion Cooper, left, and Free State senior Alex Heath sprint to the finish of the boys 110 meter hurdles on Monday, April 22, 2013 at Free State High School.

Lawrence High senior John Mwithiga, left, and Free State sophomore Erik Howland keep tight company in the first leg of the boys 4x800 meter relay of the Free State Invitational on Monday, April 22, 2013 at Free State High School.

Free State freshman Aric Trent clears the bar on an attempt in the boys high jump event on Monday, April 22, 2013 at Free State High School.

With so many runners, throwers and jumpers competing at a varsity track meet, the successes of some high school athletes get overlooked or cast aside as minutiae when other teammates are scoring most of the points and collecting all of the medals.

Monday at Free State High, some of the less-renowned varsity athletes at FSHS and Lawrence High showed what they could do at what the coaches like to call the “Little KU Relays” — the track meet in which the varsity athletes who didn’t compete at the Kansas Relays this past weekend take on each other, as well as junior-varsity athletes.

“It gives other kids a chance to shine,” said Free State senior Austin Gray, who finished second in boys shot put with a personal-record throw of 47 feet, 8.5 inches, before taking second in discus. “Look at me or look at some of the other varsity players and see what they’re doing.”

Free State’s boys finished second of five teams, behind winner Blue Valley, with the help of victories from Alexander Heath (110 hurdles), Trevor Hillis (pole vault) and Taylor Krejci (triple jump).

When his teammates were competing at the Kansas Relays, Gray was lifting weights downtown at the Community Building. His goal is to improve his mark each week throughout the season.

“It keeps me hyped at practice every day,” he said.

The Lawrence girls finished second in the team standings to Blue Valley. Hailey Belcher won the 300 hurdles, Katie Lomshek posted the best mark in high jump and long jump, and Marlee Bird won javelin.

A junior, Lomshek was surprised her top high jump of 5 feet earned her first place, but conditions had a lot do with it.

“It was hard, because the rain was pouring down on me as I was going,” she said on a soggy afternoon.

There wasn’t as much competition for Lomshek at the meet, and that gave her confidence. With some LHS leaders absent, it also allowed her to take on a new role with her younger teammates.

“I can be the person,” Lomshek said, “to motivate them to do stuff.”

The Lawrence boys finished fourth, and although the weather left the shot put area a little too wet for senior Ryan Shackleford’s liking, the senior said many of the Lions’ JV throwers relished their chance to compete against stiffer competition.

“They were getting excited,” Shackleford said after placing seventh in shot put and sixth in discus, “because they were actually doing better than they would at a junior varsity meet.”

Lawrence’s Caleb Johnson won the long jump with a personal record of 19 feet, 3 inches and teammate Audie Monroe won the 200.

The Free State girls finished fourth, with wins by Kailee Dudley (shot put) and Hannah Shoemaker (discus).

Firebirds freshman runner Christina Craig spent a lot of time watching, as an alternate, at the Kansas Relays. She enjoyed seeing high-level athletes compete and cheering on her teammates from the stands, but Monday’s events had even more appeal.

“At regular meets I wouldn’t place or medal or anything,” Craig said after running in the 1,600. “But I got third, so that was pretty cool.”

Monday at FSHS

Girls

Team scores: 1. Blue Valley, 164.67; 2. Lawrence, 144; 3. Blue Valley West, 77.33; 4. Free State, 75; 5. Topeka West, 66.

Individual city results

100 — 2. Hailey Belcher, LHS, 13.84; 4. Amaiya Reeder, LHS, 14.04; 6. Imani Simmons, LHS, 14.26; 11. Jasmine Keys, LHS, 14.54; 12. Raejaan Spicer, FS, 14.84; 15. Anatastica Ewert, LHS, 14.93; 16. Grace Bartle, FS, 14.97; 19. Sarah Schaffer, FS, 21.82.

200 — 3. Marissa Pope, LHS, 29.35; 8. Marilee Neutel, FS, 30.90; 10. Jasmine Keys, LHS, 31.23; 12. Raemona Wilson Spicer, FS, 31.71; 13. Ewert, LHS, 31.86.

400 — 2. Pope, LHS, 1:04.52; 5. Neutel, FS, 1:09.83; 7. Bridget Brown, FS, 1:11.77; 8. Leslie Grey, LHS, 1:13.24.

800 — 3. Christina Craig, FS, 2:43.17; 6. Aimee Neilson, LHS, 3:01.27; 7. Grace Bradshaw, FS, 3:03.54; 8. Sydney Zimmerman, FS, 3:03.6; 9. Anna Sophie Westbrook, FS, 3:03.9; 12. Tia Barta, FS, 3:55.26.

1600 — 2. Emily McEntire, LHS, 5:56.26; 3. Craig, FS, 5:57.55; 6. Mallory McFall, LHS, 6:32.14; 7. Shaye White, LHS, 6:37.48; 8. Emily Laughlin, LHS, 6:37.66; 9. Bradshaw, FS, 6:38.81; 10. Westbrook, FS, 6:41.76; 11. Zimmerman, FS, 6:46.07; 12. Neilson, LHS, 6:58.96.

3200 — 3. White, LHS, 15:11.

100 hurdles — 3. Simmons, LHS, 19.08; 4. Belcher, LHS, 19.57.

300 hurdles — 1. Belcher, LHS, 52.79; 2. Simmons, LHS, 53.82.

High jump –1. Katie Lomshek, LHS, 5-0.

Pole vault — Tie-2. Kennedy Dold, LHS, 8-0; 4. Alyssa Hicks, FS, 7-6; 5. Kaytlin Riedesel, LHS, 7-6; tie-9. Aletha Loeb, FS, 6-6; tie-9. Avery Miller, FS, 6-6.

Long jump — 1. Lomshek, LHS, 13-11; 6. Grey, LHS, 11-9.5.

Shot put — 1. Kailee Dudley, FS, 32-3; 2. Noel Schildt, LHS, 31-5; 3. Amaiya Reeder, LHS, 29-10.5; 4. Jillian Schuler, FS, 29-10; 5. Brittany Kampfer, LHS, 28-8; 6. Hannah Shoemaker, FS, 28-5; 7. Monique Bean, LHS, 27-6; 10. Megan Grammer, LHS, 24-6; 11. Ewert, LHS, 23-7; 17. Schaffer, FS, 14-6.

Discus — 1. Shoemaker, FS, 94-11; 3. Schuler, FS, 84-7; 4. Bean, LHS, 84-6; 5. Schildt, LHS, 83-5; 7. Reeder, LHS, 73-0; 9. Kampfer, LHS, 66-0; 11. Grammer, LHS, 60-8; 16. Ewert, LHS, 46-7.

Javelin — 1. Marlee Bird, LHS, 95-5; 2. Shoemaker, FS, 88-3; 3. Schuler, FS, 87-8; 5. Miranda Sexton, LHS, 78-9; 6. Katelyn Hogsett, LHS, 78-5; 9. Mary Gregory, FS, 65-5; 10. Madison Carbrey, LHS, 60-3; 12. Jasmine Keys, LHS, 60-1; 14. Tori Ritchie, LHS, 54-10; 16. Leah Romero, FS, 52-9; 17. Samantha Lenz, FS, 49-9; 18. Haley Trast, FS, 47-3; 19. Olivia Oehlertz, LHS, 42-9.

Boys

Team scores: 1. Blue Valley, 218.5; 2. Free State, 132; 3. Blue Valley West, 107.5; 4. Lawrence, 72; 5. Topeka West, 17.

Individual city results

100 — 5. Dearion Cooper, LHS, 12.15; 6. Ahmad Moukaddem, FS, 12.23; 9. Jack Rischer, LHS, 12.5; 11. Adam Weir, LHS, 12.6; 12. Charles Hopkins, LHS, 12.68; 13. Nick Williams, FS, 12.73; 14. Kakara Boye-Doe, LHS, 12.75; 17. Andreios Alexander, FS, 12.84; tie-18. DJ Williams, LHS, 12.95.

200 — 1. Audie Monroe, LHS, 24.73; 3. Ian Sellens, FS, 25.21; 4. Hopkins, LHS, 25.44; 11. Weir, LHS, 27.21; 13. Alexander, FS, 27.67.

400 — 2. Adam Wgner, FS, 56.13; 4. Hopkins, LHS, 57.0; 5. Sellens, FS, 58.71.

800 — 2. John Mwithiga, LHS, 2:09.51; 3. Ryan Yowell, LHS, 2:09.53; 6. Thomas Becker, FS, 2:15.68; 7. Sam Stephens, LHS, 2:17.38; 10. Erik Howland, FS, 2:19.38; 11. Curtis Zicker, FS, 2:20.67; 12. Connor Ballenger, FS, 2:22.01; 14. Andy Freeman, LHS, 2:23.64; 16. Joshua Milota, FS, 2:24.33; 19. Nick Jacobs, FS, 2:29.64; 21. Tanner Smith, LHS, 2:32.8; 24. Luke Oberreider, FS, 2:41.02; 26. Tom Riggs, FS, 2:48.5; 27. Tanner McCune, FS, 2:49.53.

1600 — 7. Ballenger, FS, 4:58.47; 10. Keegan Matheis, LHS, 5:04.13; 14. Curtis Zicker, FS, 5:07.47; 15. Mwithiga, LHS, 5:08.32; 17. Nathan Pederson, LHS, 5:12.71; 20. Tim Schraad, LHS, 5:20.93; 22. Ethan Kallenberger, FS, 5:31.24; 26. Florian Christopher Eichblatt, FS, 5:40.88; 27. James Avery Allen, FS, 5:43.32; 29. Smith, LHS, 5:50.15; 32. Luke Oberrider, FS, 5:52.49; 35. Cage Spears, FS, 6:08.9; 36. Austin Iron Whiteman, FS, 6:12.62.

3200 — 3. Tanner Hockenbury, FS, 10:55.29; 5. Matheis, LHS, 11:05.13; 8. Thomas Ezell, LHS, 11:17.38; 9. Pederson, LHS, 11:17.39; 13. Owen Heffernan, FS, 11:43.33; 17. Jacob Keary, FS, 12:29.99.

110 hurdles — 1. Alexander Heath, FS, 16.79; 4. Cooper, LHS, 16.96; 5. Rueben Wesley, FS, 16.97; 6. Joshua Eisenhauer, FS, 18.26; 13. DJ Williams, LHS, 21.15.

300 hurdles — 2. Heath, FS, 43.96; 3. Wesley, FS, 44.25; 5. Cooper, LHS, 46.17; 11. Eisenhauer, FS, 50.32; 13. Williams, LHS, 50.52.

High jump — Tie-3. Taylor Krejci, FS, 5-6; tie-3. Caleb Johnson, LHS, 5-6; tie-7. Nick Williams, FS, 4-10; tie-7. Allen, FS, 4-10; tie-7. Kallenberger, FS, 4-10; tie-7. Paul Bittinger, FS, 4-10; tie-7. Aric Trent, FS, 4-10; tie-12. Tanner McCune, FS, 4-8.

Pole vault — 1. Trevor Hillis, FS, 11-6.

Long jump — 1. Johnson, LHS, 19-3; 4. Chase Kopf, FS, 17-2.5; tie-8. Boye-Doe, LHS, 15-11.5; 10. Bittinger, FS, 15-11; 20 Trent, FS, 14-0.5; 21. Anthony Harvey, LHS, 13-7.5.

Triple jump — 1. Krejci, FS, 38-4; 3. Johnson, LHS, 37-8.5.

Shot put — 2. Austin Gray, FS, 47-8.5; 4. Josiah LeBrun, FS, 42-5; 6. Nicholas Hocking, FS, 42-2; 7. Ryan Shackelford, LHS, 41-6.5; 11. Tre Sexton, LHS, 36-5; 13. Jose Rodriquez, LHS, 34-6; 14. Aaron Simon, FS, 33-11; 15. Alex Jones, LHS, 33-9; 17. Karrington Johnson, LHS, 33-0; 21. Garrett Swisher, FS, 31-11; 23. Brett Carey, FS, 29-0.5; 25. Seth Winchester, FS, 28-5.

Discus — 2. Gray, FS, 135-10; 5. Hocking, FS, 133-3; 6. Shackelford, LHS, 116-4; 7. LeBrun, FS, 112-1; 8. Sexton, LHS, 108-10; 10. Spencer MacDonald, FS, 100-9; 11. Rodriquez, LHS, 95-4; 12. Connor Harman, FS, 94-3; 13. Christopher Mannell, FS, 90-2; 16. Winchester, FS, 77-4; 17. Aaron Simon, FS, 72-5; 19. Jones, LHS, 72-2; 23. Karrington Johnson, LHS, 59-5.

Javelin — 5. Ballenger, FS, 125-3; 6. John Gregory, FS, 119-2; 7. Kalim Dowdell, FS, 112-6; 8. Alder Cromwell, FS, 112-4; 9. Dominic Leslie, LHS, 111-7; 11. Matt Stalkfleet, FS, 106-2; 12. Monroe, LHS, 105-6; 14. Swisher, FS, 96-5; 15. Alexander Loeb, FS, 94-2; 18. Weir, LHS, 88-8; 22. Anthony Harvey, LHS, 83-7; 23. Simeon Simeon, FS, 83-3.