Members of the Lawrence High girls track team pile on top of each other in celebration after winning the class 6A state championship Saturday in Wichita.

Wichita ? Going into the girls 4×400 relay, it was guaranteed that the state track and field championship plaque would return to Lawrence for a third straight year.

Free State led Lawrence High 56-53 entering the last event of the day, but the LHS relay team of Leah Gabler, Kyleigh Severa, Marissa Pope and Jensen Edwards knew if they took care of business, the title would be theirs.

The Lions’ 4×4 won the event for the third straight year, clocking in at 3:55.55, but more importantly to the Lions’ foursome, they won a 6A state team championship.

“At a lot of places, it may not be as special, but nobody celebrates a state title like Lawrence High School,” LHS coach Jack Hood said. “In our inner gym, they only hang up state titles. It’s the only way your team gets remembered. They don’t hang up conference championships, district awards or regionals. The only way you get remembered is if you win a state title. Every group of kids that comes through, seniors especially, wants to have their team remembered.”

Edwards carried the load for the Lions on Day 2 by placing second in the 800 in a school-record time of 2:17.53 and finishing fourth in the 400. The LHS senior said adrenaline helped her anchor the Lions’ 4×4 and that nothing would get between her and the state title.

“We talked to each other, and us four girls that have run it since my sophomore year — me, Kyleigh, Marissa and Leah — we all decided that we were running it no matter what,” Edwards said. “Even if one of us can’t walk, we’ll still find a way to run it.”

Senior sisters Matia and Rebecca Finley followed going 1-2 in the discus on Friday by going 3-4 in the shot put Saturday to round out the Day 2 scoring for the Lions.

“Right now, I’m feeling so many different things that I almost don’t feel anything at all,” Edwards said. “I was laughing and crying at the same time.”

It was the third state title in school history for the LHS girls, first since 1979.

LHS boys

The LHS boys wrapped up the state meet with a tie for eighth place, scoring 31 points.

Junior JD Woods had the best finish of the day for LHS by placing second in the 100 with a time of 10.91. It was a frustrating day for Woods and his fellow sprinters, though. Woods, Tae Shorter, Trey Moore and J’Mony Bryant had the top prelims time over FSHS in the 4×100 relay, but the final heat did not go as planned. Bryant’s hamstring gave way on the anchor leg, and the Lions settled for sixth.

While Hood was hoping for a higher team finish, he thought the meet was a fitting end to the Lions’ roller-coaster season.

“This boys team all year has been about highs and lows,” Hood said. “When they’re good, they’re great, and when they’re bad, you walk away and you wonder what happened.”

After Amani Bledsoe earned a seventh-place finish in the shot put, Moore and Woods respectively came in fifth in the 100 hurdles and 200 dash.

Woods had one word to describe his emotions following the meet.

“Tired,” Woods said. “It’s been a long weekend, but we came out and competed. Four-by-one didn’t place well, but we did good as a team together. I’m just happy to be here with my team.”

CLASS 6A

Boys team scores — Olathe East 62, Free State 57, Manhattan 57, Olathe South 41, Blue Valley 39, Shawnee Mission South 38, Lawrence 31, Maize 31, Wichita South 30, Olathe Northwest 24, Gardner-Edgerton 22.5, Garden City 20.5, Blue Valley Northwest 20, Topeka High 19, Wichita Southeast 17, Shawnee Mission West 17, Wichita North 15, Derby 15, Hutchinson 13, Shawnee Mission Northwest 13, Shawnee Mission East 12, Haysville-Campus 12, Wichita East 11, Blue Valley orth 9, Junction City 9, Washburn Rural 8, Wichita West 8, Dodge City 3.

Free State results

100 – 1. Avin Lane, 10.75.

110 hurdles – 7. Zack Sanders, 15.39.

1600 – 4. Ryan Liston, 4:24.89; 10. Ethan Donley, 4:30.96.

4×100 relay – 1. Avin Lane, Tyler Odell, Ronald White, Nathan Thomas, 42.89.

300 hurdles – 6. Zack Sanders, 40.96.

800 – 1. Ethan Donley, 1:56.59.

200 – 7. Tyler Odell, 22.75.

Lawrence High results

Shot put – 7. Amani Bledsoe, 48-09.

100 – 2. JD Woods, 10.91; 11. J’Mony Bryant, 11.31.

110 hurdles – 5. Trey Moore, 15.22.

4×100 relay – 6. JD Woods, Tae Shorter, Trey Moore, J’Mony Bryant, 51.55.

200 – 5. JD Woods, 22.47.

Girls team scores — Lawrence 63, Free State 56, Maize 52.75, Olathe East 47, Blue Valley North 42, Olathe Northwest 37.75, Shawnee Mission North 37, Shawnee Mission Northwest 35, Olathe South 34.5, Dodge City 30, Wichita Southeast 27, Wichita East 26, Hutchinson 24, Olathe North 21, Garden City 17, Blue Valley Northwest 17, Manhattan 16, Gardner-Edgerton 15.5, Topeka High 15, Blue Valley 15, Shawnee Mission West 13.75, Shawnee Mission East 12.5, Junction City 12, Wichita Northwest 12, Haysville-Campus 8, Shawnee Mission South 7, Derby 5.5, Wichita South 2, Washburn Rural 0.75.

Free State results

Shot put – 12. Hannah Walter, 33-07.50.

100 hurdles – 1. Gabbi Dabney, 14.64; 4. Kiara Clark, 15.41.

1600 – 3. Emily Venters, 5:10.60.

4×100 relay – 8. Cameryn Thomas, Kiara Clark, Callie Hicks, Laura Kennard, 51.40.

300 hurdles – 2. Kiara Clark, 46.68.

800 – 12. Emily Venters, 2:24.57.

Lawrence High results

Shot put – 3. Matia Finley, 40-09; 4. Rebecca Finley, 40-08.25.

400 – 4. Jensen Edwards, 59.00; 6. Marissa Pope, 59.54.

800 – 2. Jensen Edwards, 2:17.53.

4×400 relay – 1. Leah Gabler, Marissa Pope, Kyleigh Severa, Jensen

Edwards, 3:55.55.