Free State triple jumper Auna Childress crashes into the pit on her final attempt during the 6A Regionals on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at Free State High School.

When Erin Cushing made the decision to join the Free State track and field team in March, she wasn’t quite sure what a javelin looked like.

Now she’s headed to the state meet.

Cushing fired a toss of 113 feet, 2 inches on her last throw Thursday, taking fourth place at the Class 6A regional at Free State. The top-four finishers in each event earn spots at next week’s state meet at Wichita State.

A couple of Cushing’s friends threw javelin last season and she thought it looked fun as she watched from the softball fields.

After searching online for pictures of a javelin, she figured if she could throw a softball, she could learn to throw javelin.

It was a natural fit.

“Before the first day of practice,” Cushing said, “right after basketball season ended, I went home and I had a breakdown because I was like, ‘Do I do track? Do I not?’

“I never expected to go to state.”

Cushing, a libero in volleyball, has shown steady improvement throughout the season, but broke her personal-record by 11 feet last week at the Sunflower League meet. That breakthrough gave the junior confidence she could earn a spot at state.

Senior Kahler Wiebe took second in the girls javelin with a throw of 117-8. On the boys’ side, seniors Tyler Winsor placed second (167-7) and senior Nathan Spain followed in third (165-8).

“Coach (Darrell) Andrew is the best coach ever,” Cushing said. “He knows what he’s doing.”

Free State's Nathan Spain motions to throw on his first attempt during the 6A Regionals on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at Free State High School.

Free State junior Cameryn Thomas (long jump) and freshman Auna Childress (triple jump) earned regional titles, both winning by more than a foot. Senior Caylee Irving was third in the girls discus, helping the FSHS girls to third place in the team standings.

On the track, the Firebirds picked up strong performances from a mix of distance runners and sprinters.

Sophomore Cole Phillips was upset with himself after a bad leg in the 4×100 relay, and took all of his frustration out in the 400-meters. He won in a season-best 51.05 seconds, while sophomore teammate Malachi Starr was fourth in 51.90.

“The anger did help,” said Phillips, who didn’t compete last season when he was battling a hamstring injury. “It was one of my goals at the beginning of the year to try to make it to state for an individual event.”

Free State's Caylee Irving throws during the Girls Discus event of the 6A Regionals on Thursday, May 18, 2017 at Free State High School.

Starr, who missed two meets this season with a bruised hip flexor, added another fourth-place finish in the 200. It’s an event he hasn’t spent much time training toward.

“I’m just so thrilled,” said Starr, who ran the anchor leg on the first-place 4×400 relay. “I can’t wait to tell my mom when we get home. Then take a break because my legs hurt.”

Among distance runners, junior Avant Edwards won in the boys 1,600 meters and sophomore Landon Sloan was fourth in the 3,200. Free State’s boys team tied for fourth in the team standings.

Senior Emily Venters cruised to victories in the 1,600 and 3,200, while senior Kiran Cordes was runner-up in the 3,200 and senior Abby Zenger was fourth in the 1,600.

Zenger, who made it to state in the 800 and 4×400 relay, was seeded sixth in the event and broke her own personal-record by eight seconds.

“I’ve been nervous this week, but I felt a PR coming,” Zenger said. “I was ready to run faster.”

Sophomore Emma Hertig took second in the girls 800, Zach Wilson was fourth in the boys 100 and the Firebirds qualified for state in the boys and girls 4×800 relay.

Class 6A Regional

Thursday at Free State

Girls team scores: Junction City 152, Manhattan 110, Free State 104, Washburn Rural 63, Wichita East 43, Wichita Southeast 36, Derby 30, Topeka 17.

Boys team scores: Manhattan 106, Washburn Rural 91, Derby 85.5, Topeka 78, Free State 78, Wichita Southeast 48.5, Wichita East 40, Junction City 30.

Girls state qualifiers (top-4) and FSHS results

100 — 1. Lyric Holman, JC, 12.75; 2. Addison Herzberg, WE, 12.88; 3. Amaya Booker, JC, 12.92; 4. Temetris Johnson, MAN, 13.04.

200 — 1. Christal Moseley, WSE, 25.19; 2. Lyric Holman, JC, 25.93; 3. Addison Herzberg, WE, 26.35; 4. Amaya Booker, JC, 26.50; 6. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 27.51; 10. Alauna Hawkins, FS, 27.75.

400 — 1. Christal Moseley, WSE, 55.48; 2. Lyric Holman, JC, 59.30; 3. Tiara Smith, JC, 1:00.27; 4. Jaden Taylor, DER, 1:00.41; 8. Arieauna Childress, FS, 1:07.73.

800 — 1. Cara Melgares, MAN, 2:22.75; 2. Emma Hertig, FS, 2:24.87; 3. Hope Stephens, JC, 2:25.63; 4. Abigail Zenger, FS, 2:25.69.

1600 — 1. Emily Venters, FS, 5:00.87; 2. Cara Melgares, MAN, 5:13.92; 3. Clara Mayfield, MAN, 5:17.36; 4. Abigail Zenger, 5:20.54.

3200 — 1. Emily Venters, FS, 10:55.87; 2. Kiran Cordes, FS, 11:39.66; 3. Cara Melgares, MAN, 11:48.14; 4. Clara Mayfield, MAN, 11:52.91; 6. Erin Fagan, FS, 12:36.53.

100 hurdles — 1. Keiana Newman, JC, 15.46; 2. Adanna Okere, MAN, 15.88; 3. Alana Kramer, JC, 16.68; 4. Kaylan Cook, DER, 17.36; 6. Caitlin McAndrew-Beckman, FS, 18.42; 8. Liliana King-Wilson, FS, 18.46; 12. Katelin Hollinshed, FS, 18.86.

300 hurdles — Keiana Newman, JC, 46.80; 2. Alana Kramer, JC, 47.44; 3. Adanna Okere, MAN, 47.62; 4. Destiny Lemons, JC, 51.16; 7. Caitlin McAndrew-Beckman, FS, 52.99; 9. Katelin Hollinshed, FS, 53.76; 13. Liliana King-Wilson, FS, 1:00.87.

4×100 relay — 1. Junction City, 49.00; 2. Manhattan, 49.28; 3. Topeka, 52.66; 4. Washburn Rural, 52.91.

4×400 relay — 1. Junction City, 4:09.33; 2. Cameryn Thomas, Emma Hertig, Alauna Hawkins, Arieauna Childress, FS, 4:16.49; 3. Washburn Rural, 4:18.11; 4. Manhattan, 4:18.91.

4×800 relay — 1. Junction City, 9:59.70; 2. Washburn Rural, 10:04.32; 3. Erin Fagan, Emma Hertig, Kiran Cordes, Isabella Crawford-Parker, FS, 10:09.98; 4. Topeka, 10:10.73.

High jump — 1. Ayi-lissa Dotson, JC, 5-4; 2. Sha’Tyria Banks, MAN, 5-2; 3. Christal Moseley, WSE, 5-2; 4. Hope Stephens, JC, 5-2; 5. Malia Kema, FS, 4-10; 7. Liliana King-Wilson, FS, 4-8.

Pole vault — 1. Riley Six, WR, 9-6; 2. Christina Griese, MAN, 9-0; 3. Raegan Hardesty, WR, 8-6; 4. Nalah Stokes, DER, 8-6; 7. Kenzi Tochtrop, FS, 7-6; 8. Nia Hughes, FS, 7-0.

Long jump — 1. Cameryn Thomas, FS, 17-11.75; 2. Isis Kelly, MAN, 16-9.5; 3. Maliyah Malone, THS, 16-7.75; 4. Taylor Silva, DER, 16-5.75; 6. Arieauna Childress, FS, 16-0.5; 9. Malia Kema, FS, 15-0.5.

Triple jump — 1. Arieauna Childress, FS, 36-2.5; 2. Clare Fallon, WR, 35-0; 3. Alana Kramer, JC, 33-10.5; 4. J’Maica Frame, WE, 33-4.5; 5. Malia Kema, FS, 33-3.

Shot put — 1. Astrid Same, WE, 43-7.5; 2. Jamila Love, WE, 36-0; 3. Savannah Adams, JC, 34-11.5; 4. Alecia Verge-Ingraham, WSE, 34-3; 10. Hope Wheeler-Halsted, FS, 31-4; 17. Katelyn Hess, FS, 20-5.5.

Discus — 1. Laurel Haley, WR, 131-3.5; 2. Hannah Reynolds, JC, 130-11; 3. Caylee Irving, 109-9; 4. Alecia Verge-Ingraham, WSE, 109-3; 8. Kayla Ewing, FS, 90-6; 13. Hope Wheeler-Halsted, FS, 79-10.

Javelin — 1. Cara Melgares, MAN, 117-11; 2. Kahler Wiebe, FS, 117-8; 3. Addison Hazen, WR, 116-0; 4. Erin Cushing, FS, 113-2; 9. Molly Murray, FS, 96-0.

Boys state qualifiers (top-4) and FSHS results

100 — 1. Jai-Mein Berry, THS, 11.08; 2. Ollie McGee, WSE, 11.12; 3. Richard Newman, THS, 11.19; 4. Zachery Wilson, FS, 11.42; 5. Tanner Cobb, FS, 11.55; 10. Cole Phillips, 11.59.

200 — 1. Ollie McGee, WSE, 22.50; 2. Jai-Mein Berry, THS, 22.62; 3. Chance Snell, WE, 23.11; 4. Malachi Starr, FS, 23.59; 9. Nathan Thomas, FS, 23.52; 13. Zachery Wilson, FS, 24.86.

400 — 1. Cole Phillips, FS, 51.05; 2. Ollie McGee, WSE, 51.23; 3. Cadin Gustafson, DER, 51.82; 4. Malachi Starr, FS, 51.90; 6. Nathan Thomas, FS, 53.00.

800 — 1. Michael Knapp, WR, 2:01.96; 2. Brandon Hoeffner, WR, 2:02.78; 3. Pierce Flanders, WR, 2:03.34; 4. Chase Bennett, JC, 2:04.62; 5. Avant Edwards, FS, 2:06.69; 7. Aidan Goertz, FS, 2:11.77; 8. Will Benkelman, FS, 2:13.79.

1600 — 1. Avant Edwards, FS, 4:33.48; 2. Cooper Schroeder, MAN, 4:34.00; 3. Jacob Lovell, JC, 4:34.91; 4. Pierce Flanders, WR, 4:37.55; 10. Charles Johnson, FS, 4:59.61.

3200 — 1. Cooper Schroeder, MAN, 10:06.61; 2. Pierce Flanders, WR, 10:11.27; 3. Alexander Henton, MAN, 10:15.55; 4. Landon Sloan, FS, 10:17.63; 17. Caelan Cordes, FS, 11:15.61; 18. Zach Venters, FS, 11:20.10.

110 hurdles — 1. KO Saito, MAN, 14.94; 2. Adrian Brown, DER, 15.12; 3. Braden Richardson, DER, 15.35; 4.Advaith Anil, WR, 16.24; 6. KaiyShawn King-Wilson, FS, 17.71; 7. Chandler Drewel, FS, 18.29.

300 hurdles — 1. Adrian Brown, DER, 39.94; 2. KO Saito, MAN, 40.58; 3. Maxwell Lansdowne, MAN, 40.75; 4. Braden Richardson, DER, 40.98; 8. KaiyShawn King-Wilson, FS, 44.01; 10. Joshua Moore, FS, 44.71; 13. Chandler Drewel, FS, 46.37.

4×100 relay — 1. Topeka, 42.32; 2. Wichita East 42.83; 3. Wichita Southeast, 42.84; 4. Washburn Rural, 43.54; 7. Tanner Cobb, Nathan Thomas, Cole Phillips, Zachery Wilson, FS, 44.07.

4×400 relay — 1. Nathan Thomas, Cole Phillips, Tanner Cobb, Malachi Starr, FS, 3:23.30; 2. Derby, 3:26.25; 3. Wichita East, 3:28.11; 4. Washburn Rural, 3:31.40.

4×800 1. Washburn Rural, 8:14.84; 2. Manhattan, 8:18.68; 3. Derby, 8:22.63; 4. Joachim Case, Aidan Goertz, Landon Sloan, William Benkelman, FS, 8:24.72.

High jump — 1. Richard Newman, THS, 6-10; 2. John Haug, MAN, 6-2; 3. TyQuez Agnew, THS, 6-2; 4. Thomas Haug, MAN, 6-2; 7. Alexander Pettit, FS, 5-10; 13. Joseph Schmidtberger, FS, 5-6.

Pole vault — 1. Zachary Chandler, WR, 14-0; 2. Kristopher Wood, DER, 14-0; 3. Joel Matlock, THS, 12-0; 4. Jack Lynch, WSE, 12-0; 5. Cameron Hodge, FS, 12-0; 10. Drake Riner, 10-6; 11. Blake Hoffman, FS, 10-6.

Long jump — 1. Richard Newman, THS, 22-5.25; 2. Cadin Gustafson, DER, 22-0; 3. Ekebo Ukoefreso, WE, 20-8.5; 4. Jaylene Brime, JC, 20-8; 5. Jaxon Malone, FS, 20-7; 8. Tanner Cobb, FS, 19-8.25.

Triple jump — 1. Jaylene Brime, JC, 45-4.25; 2. Malik Bolton, WSE, 43-6.5; 3. Ekebo Ukoefreso, WE, 43-0; 4. Cody Ladson, WR, 42-2.5.

Shot put — 1. Evan Clark, DER, 51-0; 2. Tucker Richey, THS, 50-5; 3. Patrick Thompson, WR, 49-7.5; 4. Akira Alesna, MAN, 46-10.5; 5. Gabe Clark, FS, 45-8; 13. Sam Hambleton, FS, 40-3.5; 14. William Byers, FS, 39-11.5.

Discus — 1. James Higgs, MAN, 156-3; 2. Patrick Thompson, WR, 148-8; 3. Riley Cain, DER, 148-2; 4. Brandon Cook, MAN, 146-5; 11. Sam Hambleton, FS, 128-4; 12. Trystan Harris, FS, 117-3; 15. Adam Roecker, FS, 107-7.

Javelin — 1. Samuel Hankins, MAN, 197-11; 2. Tyler Winsor, FS, 167-7; 3. Nathan Spain, FS, 165-8; 4. Maxwell Kiracofe, MAN, 154-3; 5. Gabe Del Valle, FS, 152-3.