Wichita ? For someone who was finishing his first and last season of throwing javelin, Free State High senior Tye Carter looked like a seasoned veteran on Day One of the Class 6A state track and field championships Friday at Cessna Stadium.

Carter won a state title with a throw of 191 feet, 9 inches, which came on his final throw. The FSHS senior had led the event after two throws, but Maize’s Kameron Swenson posted a mark of 190 feet, 11 inches on his third attempt, which bumped Carter to second.

Carter credited FSHS javelin coach Darrell Andrew for his success this season and keeping him poised on his last throw.

“My coach is a lot of fun. He’s been patient with me,” Carter said of Andrew. “It’s crazy because I didn’t think I would become anything, so having this happen was really cool.”

The other Free State event champion on the day was junior Callie Hicks, who cleared 10 feet, 6 inches to win the girls pole vault.

While Hicks was still frustrated she didn’t hit her season best of 12 feet, 3 inches, she was still happy that her 10 points helped the Firebirds.

Hicks’ team-first attitude was apparent following the pole vault, as she was quick to talk about the 4×100 relay she was a part of rather than going into detail about her individual state title.

“Earlier in the 4×1, I learned that we (Hicks, Cameryn Thomas, Kiara Clark and Laura Kennard) qualified for finals, so that was super-duper exciting,” Hicks said. “I know there have been injuries and stuff, but I know we’re definitely going to pull through. Our team spirit is really up there.”

Gabbi Dabney will lead the Firebirds into Day Two after posting the top time in the girls 100 hurdles at 14.95 seconds.

Free State’s girls team is tied for first with Lawrence High with 26 points. The Firebird boys sit in fifth with 17.

Lawrence High

Eighteen of Lawrence High’s 26 points on the girls side came in one event, with sisters Matia and Rebecca Finley placing 1-2 in the discus.

Matia won her third state title in the event after throwing a season-best 149 feet, 3 inches. Rebecca followed in second with a mark of 137-5. The state meet marks the final high school competition for the Finley sisters, and they’re thankful to have been at each other’s sides for the past four years.

“I think we’re both really proud of ourselves, and our team needed it,” Finley said. “So it’s good that we pulled through.”

The Lions’ other eight points came from Kyleigh Severa, runner-up in the long jump. Severa will be back in action today, along with Leah Gabler, Marissa Pope and Jensen Edwards in the 4×400 relay finals. The LHS 4×4 team ran the fifth-fastest time in state history, at 3:54.96.

The Lions’ boys 4×100 relay team of JD Woods, Tae Shorter, Trey Moore and J’Mony Bryant ran the fastest preliminary time of 42.65 seconds, edging Free State’s squad of Avin Lane, Tyler Odell, Ronald White and Nathan Thomas by .31 seconds.

After helping fuel the Lions’ relay team, Shorter highlighted the day for the Lions by winning a state title in the triple jump with a mark of 45 feet, 8 inches.

“Going into it, I thought, ‘This is my last jump of high school. I’ve got to go all-out,'” Shorter said. “I was looking up there at my family cheering me on and coaches. All they want is a state champion, so that’s what was on my mind. I couldn’t let them down.”

Shorter’s triple jump title accounted for the Lions’ lone points of the day, but they’re in position to add more between the 4×1 relay and Woods’ being the No. 1 ranked runner in the 200 after winning prelims.

CLASS 6A BOYS

Team scores — Manhattan 22, Olathe Northwest 21, Olathe North 19, Shawnee Mission South 18, Free State 17, Maize 17, Garden City 14.50, Gardner-Edgerton 13.50, Topeka High 13, Blue Valley 12, Derby 12, Shawnee Mission West 11, Lawrence High 10, Wichita South 10, Olathe East 9, Washburn Rural 8, Wichita Southeast 6, Blue Valley Northwest 6, Wichita West 4, Haysville-Campus 4, Junction City 4, Dodge City 3, Wichita North 2, Shawnee Mission Northwest 2, Wichita East 1.

Free State results

200 prelims — 7. Tyler Odell, 22.77.

110 hurdles prelims — 7. Zack Sanders, 15.35.

300 hurdles prelims — 6. Zack Sanders, 40.54.

4×100 relay prelims — 2. Avin Lane, Tyler Odell, Ronald White, Nathan Thomas, 42.96.

4×400 relay prelims — 9. Avin Lane, Cole Stallard, Ethan Donley, Zack Sanders, 3:30.96.

3200 finals — 4. Ryan Liston, 9:30.42; 10. Tanner Hockenbury, 9:50.20.

Discus finals — 7. Nick Hocking, 149-00.

Javelin finals — 1. Tye Carter, 191-09.

Lawrence High results

200 prelims — 1. JD Woods, 22.15.

110 hurdles prelims — 6. Trey Moore, 15.32.

300 hurdles prelims — 12. Trey Moore, 41.90.

4×100 relay prelims — 1. JD Woods, Tae Shorter, Trey Moore, J’Mony Bryant, 42.65.

Long jump finals — 14. Tae Shorter, 20-06.50; 15. Jalen Dudley, 20-06.50.

Triple jump finals — 1. Tae Shorter, 45-08.

CLASS 6A GIRLS

Team scores — Free State 26, Lawrence High 26, Maize 23.75, Shawnee Mission Northwest 18, Olathe Northwest 13.75, Wichita Southeast 12, Blue Valley Northwest 11, Shawnee Mission North 9, Wichita Northwest 8, Manhattan 6, Olathe East 6, Gardner-Edgerton 5.5, Derby 5.5, Shawnee Mission East 4.5, Olathe South 4.5, Dodge City 4, Blue Valley North 3, Wichita East 3, Wichita South 2, Garden City 2, Shawnee Mission West 0.75, Washburn Rural 0.75.

Free State results

200 prelims — 13. Laura Kennard, 26.39.

400 prelims — 11. Laura Kennard, 1:00.42.

100 hurdles prelims — 1. Gabbi Dabney, 14.95; 3. Kiara Clark, 15.42.

300 hurdles prelims — 2. Kiara Clark, 45.70.

4×100 relay prelims — 8. Cameryn Thomas, Kiara Clark, Callie Hicks, Laura Kennard, 50.02.

3200 finals — 2. Emily Venters, 11:03.37; 7. Kiran Cordes, 11:34.16.

Discus finals — 6. Hannah Shoemaker, 121-02.

Long jump finals — 6. Gabbi Dabney, 16-08; 12. Cameryn Thomas, 15-11.75.

Pole vault finals — 1. Callie Hicks, 10-06.

Lawrence High results

200 prelims — 10. Myah Yoder, 26.22.

400 prelims — 4. Jensen Edwards, 57.96; 5. Marissa Pope, 58.24.

4×100 relay prelims — DQ. Myah Yoder, Kyleigh Severa, Marissa Pope, Jensen Edwards.

4×400 relay prelims — 1. Leah Gabler, Marissa Pope, Kyleigh Severa, Jensen Edwards, 3:54.96.

High jump finals — 12. Caroline Dykes, 5-00.

Discus finals — 1. Matia Finley, 149-03; 2. Rebecca Finley, 137-05; 16. Monique Bean, 94-03.

Long jump finals — 2. Kyleigh Severa, 17-08.