photo by: John Young

Free State High's Ethan Donley, right, and Tanner Hockenbury finish first and second in the boys 1600 during the state regional track meet Friday at FSHS.

For the first seven laps of the boys 3200-meters on Friday at the Class 6A regional, Free State High sophomore Avant Edwards was running alongside a runner from Wichita East.

With about 250 meters left in the race, Edwards left his main competition and everyone else behind him in the dust, transforming into Usain Bolt to finish fourth and earn a spot at the state tournament at FSHS.

Edwards was mobbed by his teammates past the finish line, qualifying for state for the first time in track. Senior Tanner Hockenbury won the race and broke into a wide smile when he turned to see Edwards behind him.

“Just heart, man,” Edwards said of his finish. “Tanner Hockenbury really motivated me before saying I could do it and I can stay with him. He gave me a really good game plan at the start. I just did it. I feel great.”

At regionals, it’s all about finishing in the top four, earning a spot at state. Qualifying for state is as good as any win or personal record.

Edwards, who helped the Firebirds qualify for state in the 4X800 relay by running the first leg, ran in a track club during the winter, while he also played on the junior-varsity boys basketball team. At last year’s regional, he took fifth in the 1,600 meters, barely missing out on state.

“It’s starting to hit me,” Edwards said. “I’m still like, ‘Whoa, I didn’t know I could do that.’ It feels good, definitely.”

Edwards was among the many highlights for Free State’s boys track and field team, which finished second in the team standings with 86 points. Derby won the boys’ regional with 94 points.

Free State senior Ethan Donley swept wins in the 800 and 1,600 meters, going 1-2 with Hockenbury in the 1,600 as they crossed the finish line side-by-side. Donley also helped the Firebirds finish third in the 4X400 relay.

In sprints, senior Ronald White qualified for state in the 100 and 200-meter dashes, also helping the Firebirds qualify in the 4X100 relay.

“You see somebody progress over the years that they are here, and develop as an athlete, is so exciting to see him some success like that,” FSHS coach Jordan Rose said of White.

In the field, FSHS sophomore Cameron Hodge qualified for state in the boys pole vault, clearing 12 feet, and senior Simeon Windibiziri took fourth in the boys javelin to earn a spot at state with a personal-record throw of 172-9.

Windibiziri missed out on state last season in the javelin by 1.5 feet.

“It’s some redemption,” Windibiziri said. “Coming in, I was pretty nervous. But once I got that first throw out, I felt a lot better because that was a good one.”

Girls finish runner-up

Free State is known for its quality distance runners and they didn’t disappoint on Friday.

Junior Emily Venters won regional champion in three events (800, 1,600, and 3,200), while junior Kiran Cordes took third in the 3,200 and junior Abigail Zenger took fourth in the 800.

Zenger, who didn’t qualify for state last season, had a wide smile after crossing the finish line in the 800.

“I’m very happy,” Zenger said. “I feel like my hard work has paid off. It’s a good feeling.”

Venters, Cordes, Zenger and freshman Teresa Wright also earned a spot in the 4X800 relay, taking third in 10:14.98.

Free State’s 4X400 — Wright, Chandler Wiggins, Destiny Downing and Cameryn Thomas — also qualified after finishing in third, helped by a dominant second leg from Wiggins.

“That was awesome,” Zenger said of the 4X800. “Us four girls have never run it together so we didn’t know what to expect. We had a great result, so I was happy.”

In the field, senior Callie Hicks won the girls pole vault, clearing 11-5, but narrowly missed on three attempts at 12-9, trying to break the school record.

Senior Hannah Walter was runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 38-0.5, and junior Caylee Irving qualified for state for the first time in the discus with a personal-record throw of 109-10.

“It’s surreal to me,” Irving said, who raised her arms in celebration after throwing her PR. “I was really excited to PR by an inch.”

The FSHS girls took second at the regional with 91 points, only five points behind champion Junction City.

Class 6A Regional

Friday at Free State High

Girls team standings: Junction City 96, Free State 91, Wichita East 85, Wichita Southeast 80, Washburn Rural 72, Manhattan 49, Derby 44, Topeka High 41.

Boys team standings: Derby 94, Free State 86, Junction City 78, Topeka High 75, Washburn Rural 68, Manhattan 67, Wichita Southeast 45, Wichita East 44.

Girls state qualifiers (top-4) and FSHS girls

100 — 1. Kimani Evans, WE, 12.26; 2. Precious Posey, THS, 12.40; 3. Breanna Eckels, WSE, 12.58; 4. Arie Burl, WE, 12.72; 10. Alauna Hawkins, FS, 13.75; 11. Emma Barberena, FS, 13.87.

200 — 1. Ageonia Wilkerson, THS, 25.58; 2. Kimani Evans, WE, 25.95; Ayi-lissa Dotson, JC, 26.14; 4. Alexandria Hines, WSE, 26.31; 10. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 27.23; 15. Alauna Hawkins, FS, 28.01; 18. Destiny Downing, FS, 28.65.

400 — 1. Jaden Taylor, DER, 58.96; 2. Lyric Holman, JC, 1:00.53; 3. Alexandria Hines, WSE, 1:01.16; 4. Amaya Booker, JC, 1:01.33; 5. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 1:02.10; 6. Chandler Wiggins, FS, 1:03.20; 15. Emma Barberena, FS, 1:09.02.

800 — 1. Emily Venters, FS, 2:21.70; 2. Myrissa Humphreys, JC, 2:23.31; 3. Michaela Gerhard, DER, 2:24.04; 4. Abigail Zenger, FS, 2:28.50.

1600 — 1. Emily Venters, FS, 4:56.34; 2. Cara Melgares, MAN, 5:17.42; 3. Abigail Wagemaker, THS, 5:24.58; 4. Jaybe Shufelberger, WR, 5:31.48.

3200 — 1. Emily Venters, FS, 10:57.36; 2. Cara Melgares, MAN, 11:13.45; 3. Kiran Cordes, FS, 11:19.43; 4. Anna Keeley, MAN, 11:46.39.

100 hurdles — 1. Danielle Cormier, WR, 15.36; 2. Keiana Newman, JC, 15.77; 3. Sahona Ross, WSE, 15.85; 4. Adanna Okere, MAN, 15.98.

300 hurdles — 1. Alana Kramer, JC, 47.47; 2. Michaela Gnagi, WR, 47.93; 3. Destiny Lemons, JC, 48.57; 4. Sahona Ross, WSE, 48.94.

4×100 — 1. THS, 48.80; 2. WE, 49.10; 3. JC, 49.11; 4. WSE, 49.36; 7. FS (Emma Barberena, Destiny Downing, Callie Hicks, Chandler Wiggins), 52.34.

4×400 — 1. JC, 4:06.74; 2. DER, 4:09.53; 3. FS (Teresa Wright, Chandler Wiggins, Destiny Downing, Cameryn Thomas), 4:14.01; 4. WE, 4:19.24.

4×800 — 1. JC, 10:03.70; 2. MAN, 10:04.77; 3. FS (Emily Venters, Kiran Cordes, Teresa Wright, Abigail Zenger), 10:14.98; 4. WE, 10:17.66.

Shot put — 1. Astrid Same, WE, 42-02; 2. Hannah Walter, FS, 38-0.5; 3. Alecia Verge, WSE, 36-4; 4. Hannah Reynolds, JC, 35-4.5; 5. Caylee Irving, FS, 34-11.

Discus — 1. Laurel Haley, WR, 113-5; 2. Caylee Irving, FS, 109-10; 3. Hannah Reynolds, JC, 100-6; 4. Madison Ediger, DER, 95-10.

High jump — 1. Brittan Richey, WE, 5-04; 2. Danielle Cormier, WR, 5-02; 3. Vernanderse Joseph, WSE, 5-00; 4. Ayi-lissa Dotson, JC, 4-10; 5. Malia Kema, FS, 4-10.

Long jump — 1. Breanna Eckels, WSE, 18-8.25; 2. Lanecia Crosby, WSE, 17-0.5; 3. Nicole Ukoefreso, WE, 16-9.75; 4. Precious Posey, THS, 16-8.5; 5. Malia Kema, FS, 15-9.5.

Triple jump — 1. Breanna Eckels, WSE, 37-3.5; 2. Nicole Ukoefreso, WE, 34-8.75; 3. Clare Fallon, WR, 34-4.25; 4. Lanecia Crosby, WSE, 34-0.5; 5. Malia Kema, FS, 32-11.75.

Javelin — 1. Laurel Haley, WR, 120-5; 2. Cara Melgares, MAN, 116-9; 3. Katherine Martin, WR, 110-7; 4. Avery Noel, DER, 110-2; 5. Brooke Culbertson, FS, 109-10; 8. Kahler Wiebe, FS, 100-10; 14. Emma Barberena, FS, 87-7.

Pole vault — 1. Callie Hicks, FS, 11-05; 2. Tyra Clark, WE, 10-00; 3. Chalese Honan, DER, 10-00; 4. Riley Six, WR, 9-05; 9. Landon Prideaux, FS, 7-05.

Boys state qualifiers (top-4) and FSHS boys

100 — 1. Jai Mein Berry, THS, 10.96; 2. Ta’Marche Mason, JC, 11.27; 3. Ronald White, FS, 11.29; 4. Jovon Hall, WR, 11.36; 5. Tommy Jacobs, FS, 11.38; 10. Jordan Patrick, FS, 11.65.

200 — Ta’Marche Mason, JC, 22.51; 2. Alenten Wilson, WSE, 22.82; 3. Jai Mein Berry, THS, 22.87; 4. Ronald White, FS, 23.02; 5. Tommy Jacobs, FS, 23.04.

400 — 1. Juwan Bush, JC, 50.24; 2. Brandon Religa, MAN, 51.15; 3. Tyler Cargill, WE, 52.07; 4. Kaleb Barber, THS, 52.65; 5. Evan Schoenen, FS, 53.38; 6. Gabriel DelValle, FS, 53.60; 7. Nathan Thomas, FS, 53.68.

800 — 1. Ethan Donley, FS, 1:56.99; 2. Brandon Religa, MAN, 1:58.91; 3. Pierce Flanders, WR, 1:59.87; 4. Christopher Gilliam, WSE, 2:00.04; 13. Jared Hicks, FS, 2:08.02.

1600 — 1. Ethan Donley, FS, 4:27.67; 2. Tanner Hockenbury, FS, 4:27.70; 3. Cason Cropp, WR, 4:30.28; 4. Pierce Flanders, WR, 4:32.78.

3200 — 1. Tanner Hockenbury, FS, 9:46.52; 2. Cason Cropp, WR, 9:48.72; 3. Cooper Schroeder, MAN, 9:52.38; 4. Avant Edwards, FS, 9:58.36; 9. Grant Alexander Holmes, FS, 10:15.64.

110 hurdles — 1. Thomas Padgett, THS, 15.20; 2. Adrian Brown, DER, 15.54; 3. Sabino Medrano, WR, 15.79; 4. Braden Richardson, DER, 16.30.

300 hurdles — 1. Adrian Brown, DER, 40.23; 2. Justice Hess, WR, 41.50; 3. Sabino Medrano, WR, 41.88; t-4. Javontez Brime, JC, 42.82; t-4. Brendan Lajza, DER, 42.82.

4×100 — 1. THS, 42.84; 2. WSE, 42.87; 3. JC, 42.96; 4. FS (Ronald White, Jordan Patrick, Tommy Jacobs, Bryce Torneden), 43.51.

4×400 — 1. JC, 3:24.86; 2. DER, 3:25.50; 3. FS (Nathan Thomas, Ethan Donley, Tommy Jacobs, Jordan Patrick), 3:25.70; 4. WSE, 3:28.01.

4×800 — 1. WE, 8:12.57; 2. MAN, 8:14.12; 3. WR, 8:15.16; 4. FS (Avant Edwards, Will Benkelman, Landon Sloan, Jared Hicks), 8:26.24.

Shot put — 1. Peerlus Walker, DER, 48-9; 2. Stephon Starks, JC, 48-6; 3. Evan Clark, DER, 46-11.5; 4. Kevon Seats, THS, 45-11; 9. Sam Fanshier, FS, 44-4.5; 17. Garrett Swisher, FS, 40-4; 18. Tanner Liba, FS, 39-4.

Discus — 1. Peerlus Walker, DER, 158-0.5; 2. Joshua Haus, MAN, 152-3; 3. Trevor Hudson, DER, 150-10.5; 4. Brandon Cook, MAN, 147-0; 5. Sam Hambleton, FS, 140-6.5; 14. Seth Winchester, FS, 94-7.

High jump — 1. Canien Burnett, WE, 6-6; 2. Dariaye Wooten, WE, 6-4; 3. Richard Newman, THS, 6-4; 4. Brendan Broxterman, THS, 6-2; 12. Aric Trent, FS, 5-6.

Long jump — 1. Ira Hines, WSE, 21-6.25; 2. Richard Newman, THS, 21-4.25; 3. Thomas Padgett, THS, 20-8; 4. Cadin Gustafson, ER, 20-6.75; 7. Bryce Torneden, FS, 19-11.5; 10. Tanner Cobb, FS, 19-6.5; 16. Zachery Wilson, FS, 17-1.

Triple jump — 1. Ira Hines, WSE, 45-3; 2. Jaylene Brime, JC, 44-4; 3. John Haug, MAN, 42-8; 4. D’Neillion Hutchins, THS, 42-2.

Javelin — 1. Trenton Allen, DER, 212-5; 2. Joshua Haus, MAN, 186-6; 3. Ian Trapp, MAN, 178-2; 4. Simeon Windibiziri, FS, 172-9; 6. Tyler Winsor, FS, 152-4; 14. Sky Carey, FS, 115-0.

Pole vault — 1. Christian Compton, DER, 14-3; 2. Traecy Freeman, JC, 12-6; 3. Cameron Hodge, FS, 12-00; 4. Jayson Sylva, WR, 11-6; 11. Drake Riner, FS, 10-6; 13. John Easum, 10-0.