Lawrence High freshman Asjah Harris hands off the baton to sophomore Courtney Fritzler in the Sunflower girls 4x100-meter relay at the Kansas Relays on Saturday at Rock Chalk Park.

It was an ideal setup for Hunter Krom at Saturday’s Kansas Relays. The Lawrence High junior entered the javelin throw as the top seed with the wind at his back, and most importantly, throwing with his teammate, junior Harrison King.

“It takes the nerves off a little bit,” Krom said of throwing with King.

That was evident on Krom’s first throw, as he launched the javelin 180 feet, 3 inches, which was the top throw for the first four rounds. Bishop Carroll senior Anthony Gallardo and Andale senior Davon Spexarth both topped that distance in the final two rounds, leaving Krom in third place when it was all said and done at Rock Chalk Park.

Krom had two chances to retake the lead, but his last two throws were two of his bottom three on the day. He admitted that chasing the extra distance may have caused him to lose focus and stray from his routine.

“You can get focused on that, start rushing and overthinking things,” Krom said. “I just started rushing.”

Lawrence High senior Hunter Krom releases the javelin at the Kansas Relays on Saturday at Rock Chalk Park. Krom placed third with a throw of 180 feet, 3 inches.

King joined Krom in the top five, placing fifth with a throw of 174 feet.

“I didn’t really expect to go to the finals,” King said. “That’s pretty cool.”

LHS sophomore Evann Seratte picked up where she left off Friday, placing sixth in the 400-meters in 59.26 seconds. Although she wasn’t thrilled with that result, Seratte, who joined Asjah Harris, Hannah Stewart, and Myah Yoder on the 4×400 relay team, was happy with their fifth place finish in 4:07.83 to end the meet.

“I was proud of how we ended up running,” Seratte said. “We performed well against the competition. They really pushed us.”

The LHS 4×400 relay was in sixth place heading into the final lap, but Seratte passed a runner and ran a 1:01.04 on the anchor leg, the third-quickest lap by an anchor runner in the race despite admitting she was fatigued before the race even began.

The Lions’ relay team of Harris, Yoder, Courtney Fritzler, and Ashley Wildeman placed second in the Sunflower 4×100 relay in 50.75, less than a tenth of a second behind first-place Shawnee Mission South.

Free State senior Emily Venters placed fifth in the 1,600 in 5:01.86. After already running the 3,200 Friday and the 4×800 relay Saturday morning, fatigue was a factor for Venters in the 1,600.

Finishing three seconds shy of the meet record in the 1,600, combined with breaking the previous meet record in the 3,200, left Venters in good spirits as she exited Rock Chalk Park.

“I’m really happy with it considering that it’s a mid-season meet too,” Venters said. “I’m happy I was able to come away with PR’s and race awesome people here.”

Free State senior Emily Venters and Shawnee Mission Northwest junior Molly Born battle for position in the first few seconds of the girls adidas Dream Mile at the Kansas Relays on Saturday at Rock Chalk Park.

As Venters enters the stretch run of her senior season, she knows she must get better in two areas in order to reach her lofty goals.

“I don’t have a great kick, so definitely working on a kick,” Venters said, “and just remembering to relax and have fun because it’s my senior year.”

Free State’s Cameryn Thomas narrowly missed out on qualifying for the final round of long jump, placing 10th in an event where the top nine jumpers advance. The junior jumped a 17 feet, 4.75 inches, four inches behind ninth place.

“I’m trying to work on extending my landing and landing better,” Thomas said. “I think I did my best and that’s all you can ask for.”

Free State’s relay team of Nate Thomas, Cole Phillips, Tanner Cobb and Malachi Starr placed second in the Sunflower 4×400 relay in 3:29.08.

Kansas Relays

Saturday at Rock Chalk Park

LHS, FSHS, Area results

Girls

2000 steeplechase — 10. Emily Chambers, Tonganoxie, 8:14.43.

Long jump — 10. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 17-4.75.

4×800 relay — 20. Abby Zenger, Emma Hertig, Erin Fagan, Emily Venters, FS, 10:18.31; 24. Emily Chambers, Sierra Staatz, Anna Soetaert, Mia Bond, Tonganoxie, 10:26.99; 27. Hannah Stewart, Leslie Ostronic, Sophie DeWitt, Evann Seratte, LHS, 10:33.70

Sunflower 4×100 relay — 2. Asjah Harris, Courtney Fritzler, Myah Yoder, Ashley Wildeman, LHS, 50.75.

400 — 6. Evann Seratte, LHS, 59.26.

1600 — 5. Emily Venters, FS, 5:01.86; 35. Emma Hertig, FS, 5:36.42; 37. Abby Zenger, FS, 5:37.72.

Sunflower 4×400 relay — 9. Sierra Staatz, Corinn Searcy, Emily Chambers, Mia Bond, Tonganoxie, 4:21.77.

4×400 relay — 5. Asjah Harris, Hannah Stewart, Myah Yoder, Evann Seratte, LHS, 4:07.83.

Boys

2000 steeplechase — 10. Drew Cook, Tonganoxie, 6:45.52.

Sprint Medley — 12. Cole Kellum, Dalton Kellum, Shane Quinlan, Ty Packard, Perry-Lecompton, 3:48.33.

Javelin — 3. Hunter Krom, LHS, 180-3; 5. Harrison King, LHS, 174-0; 17. Tyler Winsor, FS, 157-10; 21. Blake Adamson, Baldwin, 152-8.

4×800 — 36. Parker Wilson, Jacob Bailey, Henry Letner, Max Tuckfield, Baldwin, 8:47.17.

Sunflower 4×100 relay — 7. Zach Wilson, Tanner Cobb, Nate Thomas, JaBrandion Douglas, FS, 44.30; 8. Dalton Kellum, Colton Mallonee, Shane Quinlan, Cole Kellum, Perry-Lecompton, 44.85.

Sunflower 4×400 relay — 2. Nate Thomas, Cole Phillips, Tanner Cobb, Malachi Starr, FS, 3:29.08.