Lawrence High School hurdler James Reeder wins the 110 hurdles during the Free State Invitational on Friday at FSHS.

When Lawrence High senior James Reeder was scanning the results of last week’s regional track meet, he cracked a smile when he spotted his name on the wall.

Reeder won a regional title in the 110-meter high hurdles and placed third in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, so he already knew the good news.

But all season he had a goal of qualifying for the Class 6A state meet and it was finally a reality.

Entering Friday’s state prelims at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium, Reeder is seeded seventh in the 110 hurdles and 12th in the 300 hurdles. He’s a member of the 4×100 relay alongside Dre Bridges, Bryant Graham and Santino Gee, which is seeded 15th.

It’s the first time Reeder will compete in an event at the state meet, and it’s extra special for him after narrowly missing a spot last season.

The top-four placers in each event at regionals punch their tickets to state, and Reeder was sixth in both hurdling events.

“That was like the whole motivation I had all season,” Reeder said. “I knew this year was my year to actually make it to state.”

Reeder has competed in the hurdles since the seventh grade, but saw his most improvement last year.

That’s when he started refining his three-step technique in between hurdles. It was an improvement from his stutter-step before each hurdle, which didn’t allow him to maintain his speed as he glides over the top.

“When I come to practice and practice for hurdles, that’s the only thing I work on,” Reeder said of the three-step. “I didn’t really care about my speed over or how fast I got out of the blocks. The three-step was my main focus I had.”

Last season, Reeder raced behind two state-qualifying teammates in the hurdles: Trey Moore and Tayvien Robinson.

Reeder said Moore taught him “basically everything I know about hurdles.” The two shared the backfield for the football team last fall.

“James is an awesome kid,” Lawrence coach Jack Hood said. “He’s always worked hard and hasn’t always had his hard work rewarded. But this year he’s turned a corner both in the 110 and 300 hurdles.”

With the motivation of finding a way to the state meet, Reeder has shined in the spotlight. Plus, he’s proud of the progress he’s seen from his teammate Gee, who qualified for state in the 300 hurdles.

Training for his events this week, his first trip to Wichita, Reeder is just excited to watch all of the talent across the state. And he’s hopeful that he can make the most of his final high school meet.

“I think everything he’s done up to this point,” Hood said, “is paying off with him having a great senior year.”