Free State's Cameryn Thomas, right, and Lawrence High's Myah Yoder compete in the 200m race during a dual meet between Lawrence High and Free State on Tuesday afternoon at LHS.

After his final throw in the shot put at the City Showdown track and field dual on Tuesday, Lawrence High senior Amani Bledsoe flashed a wide smile as it was being measured.

Once it was announced at 55 feet, Bledsoe slapped hands with his coach, Jack Hood, and continued to smile. It was a personal record by nearly five feet and a step toward one of his big goals for the season — the school’s shot put record.

Bledsoe’s big arm, which helped him win in the discus, led the Lions boys’ team to a 79-61 victory in the dual at LHS. Free State High’s girls track and field team won 80-56.

“That felt really good coming out,” said Bledsoe, who has signed to play football at Oklahoma. “I was kind of stressing knowing that I could throw at least 54 (feet) in practice and not getting it down (at meets).”

Bledsoe, who has medaled twice at state, is about eight feet from the record, 62 feet, 9 inches, set in 2011 by Blake Hocking.

Though his future is in football, the records and chance to improve at state are a few of the many reasons why Bledsoe wanted to compete this spring.

“I love track,” he said. “We started out, me and my brother, doing AAU when we were younger. We kind of took a little break, year-wise, to just do football or basketball. Then sophomore year I decided to go back out for it — my competitive nature. I had to come back out. It’s just fun. I can’t miss out on it.”

Along with Bledsoe, the LHS boys were led by Nick Williams (400), JD Woods (100-meter dash), Trey Moore (110 hurdles) and James Reeder (300 hurdles), among many others.

Free State cruised in the distance races with champions Ethan Donley (800), Tanner Hockenbury (1,600) and Avant Edwards (3,200), along with javelin champ Simeon Windibiziri.

Donley was slightly slower than he was last week when he set a personal-record in the 800 (1:55.9). The Kansas University-bound senior and defending Class 6A state champion admitted he was a little surprised at how fast he started the season.

In addition to his win in the 800, Donley played a major role in his school’s win in the 4×400 relay, which had added bragging rights after the Lions won last year’s race in the final stretch.

“It’s exciting,” Donley said. “It’s nice to know that I’m in better shape than I was at the end of the year last year. Looking at the things I did last year, I’m really excited for hopefully what’s to come.”

Free State’s girls track and field team was led by its distance runners and throwers. Emily Venters and Kiran Cordes won the 1,600 and 3,200, respectively. In the field, Caylee Irving (discus), Hannah Walter (shot put) and Kahler Wiebe (javelin) all won their events.

But the Firebirds also picked up wins from new faces including Teresa Wright (400 meters) and Malia Kema (triple jump).

“We’re still getting to know a lot of the kids,” FSHS coach Jordan Rose said. “But we definitely have a lot of new kids who I think are going to be big contributors.”

For the LHS girls, last year’s 6A state champions, they will have to look to new faces for points. That includes sprinter Myah Yoder, who won in the 100 dash and ran the opening leg of the winning 4×400 relay.

“Last year I was running with the seniors and trying to keep up, and they were basically leading,” Yoder said. “This year it’s a little different since I’m older. … It feels pretty good. A little bit of pressure.”

The Lions also saw strong days from Evann Seratte (200), Talima Harjo (300 hurdles), Kyleigh Severa (long jump) and Caroline Dykes (high jump).

City Showdown dual results

Tuesday at Lawrence High

Girls (Top-three)

100 — 1. Myah Yoder, LHS, 13.66; 2. Marlee Coleman, LHS, 13.82; 3. Chandler Wiggins, FS, 13.91.

200 — 1. Evann Seratte, LHS, 27.48; 2. Shatara Wright, FS, 27.79; 3. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 28.14.

400 — 1. Teresa Wright, FS, 1:07.36; 2. Chandler Wiggins, FS, 1:07.43; 3. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 1:07.93.

1600 — 1. Emily Venters, FS, 5:10.07; 2. Hannah Stewart, LHS, 5:48.66; 3. Anna Dewitt, LHS, 6:09.34.

3200 — 1. Kiran Cordes, FS, 11:37.85; 2. Grace Bradshaw, FS, 14:34.58; 3. Katie Ahern, LHS, 15:26.92.

100 hurdles — 1. Victoria Robinson, LHS, 18.69; 2. Carmen Rodriguez, LHS, 22.42; 3. Jessica Wilson, LHS, 23.35.

300 hurdles — 1. Talima Harjo, LHS, 51.82; 2. Victoria Robinson, LHS, 54.84; 3. Abby Zenger, FS, 57.01.

Long jump — 1. Kyleigh Severa, LHS, 16-10; 2. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 16-6; 3. Myah Yoder, 14-5.5.

High jump — 1. Caroline Dykes, LHS, 4-10; 2. Malia Kema, FS, 4-6; 3. Alauna Hawkins, FS, 4-2.

Triple jump — 1. Malia Kema, FS, 32-7.

Shot put — 1. Hannah Walter, FS, 39-4; 2. Caylee Irving, 32-5; 3. Katelyn Hess, FS, 31-7.

Discus — 1. Caylee Irving, FS, 92-1; 2. Kedra Green, LHS, 84-2; 3. Abby LaTessa, LHS, 69-1.

Javelin — 1. Kahler Wiebe, FS, 105-5.

Pole Vault — 1. Callie Hicks, FS, 12-6.

Boys

100 — 1. JD Woods, LHS, 11.03; 2. J’Mony Bryant, LHS, 11.21; 3. Ronald White, FS, 11.32.

200 — 1. Malachi Starr, 24.82; 2. Tanner Cobb, FS, 25.00; 3. Nick Boden, 25.66.

400 — 1. Nick Williams, LHS, 56.05; 2. Ben Otte, LHS, 56.73; 3. Micah Burman, FS, 59.70.

800 — 1. Ethan Donley, FS, 2:00.58; 2. Tanner Hockenbury, FS, 2:06.81; 3. Jared Hicks, FS, 2:13.48.

1600 — 1. Tanner Hockenbury, FS, 4:39.96; 2. Landon Sloan, FS, 5:03.54; 3. Calvin Yost-Wolff, FS, 5:28.15.

3200 — 1. Avant Edwards, FS, 10:37.46; 2. Grant Holmes, FS, 10:51.18; 3. Cole Shupert, LHS, 11:43.60.

110 hurdles — 1. Trey Moore, LHS, 15.42; 2. Tayvien Robinson, LHS, 15.50; 3. Jalen Atkinson, LHS, 16.57.

300 hurdles — 1. James Reeder, LHS, 45.64; 2. Tayvien Robinson, LHS, 48.30; 3. Ryan Wyle, FS, 49.35.

Long jump — 1. Jalen Dudley, LHS, 19-9; 2. Nick Williams, LHS, 19-8.5; 3. Van Dave Jacob, LHS, 19-2.

High jump — 1. Tristan Gillespie, LHS, 5-6; 2. Aric Trent, FS, 5-4; 3. Joseph Schmidt, FS, 5-4.

Shot put — 1. Amani Bledsoe, LHS, 55-0; 2. Peter Afful, LHS, 41-10; 3. James Murry 41-10.

Discus — 1. Amani Bledsoe, LHS, 126-9; 2. Sam Hambleton, FS, 126-7; 3. Mark Greene, LHS, 104-6.

Javelin — 1. Simeon Windibiziri, FS, 166-2; 2. Sam Fanshier, FS, 148-1; 3. Tyler Winsor, FS, 134-1.

Pole Vault — 1. Morgan Sisson, LHS, 11-0.