Free State senior Emily Venters competes in the 6A girls 3,200-meter run at the state track and field meet on Friday at Wichita State's Cessna Stadium. Venters won the race with a time of 10:35.90 — her first state title in the event since 2014.

Wichita ? Free State senior Emily Venters found herself in an old, but familiar position in the Class 6A girls 3,200-meter run of the state track and field meet on Friday at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium.

The Boise State signee only needed a couple of laps to distance herself more than 100 meters ahead of the rest of the pack, as Venters coasted to her first state title in the event since her freshman season. However, Venters did not have the same smile on her face that she did three years ago since she came in expecting to win by a large margin with Shawnee Mission Northwest junior and two-time defending champ Molly Born sidelined with a fractured foot.

“It’s always harder to run alone, and I was really sad when I heard that she wasn’t going to be running,” Venters said.

When Born burst on to the scene and stole some of Venters’ thunder two years ago, the Free State distance runner had to get over a mental block that winning would not come nearly as easy. Venters viewed Born as more of a rival when they first started racing against each other, but she doesn’t see it quite like that anymore.

“In the beginning, it was more of like a rivalry. I was like, ‘Dang it, she’s younger than me. I don’t want her to beat me.’ As we’ve kind of grown, we’ve become really good friends,” Venters said. “We go on runs in the offseason. We text every now and then, and it’s just a really friendly rivalry. I was really, really sad that she couldn’t be out there with me today.”

The Free State senior was shooting to break Born’s meet record from last year of 10:20.22 or set a personal best, but came up short of both. Venters will get another chance at doing so in the 1,600 meters today.

Fellow senior Kiran Cordes joined Venters in earning a state medal, after clocking in with a fourth-place time of 11:16.44. While Venters and Cordes scored 14 of the Firebirds’ 25 points on Friday to put them in second place going into Day Two, they had plenty of help from the Free State field athletes.

Senior Caylee Irving improved from her seventh-place finish in the discus last year to take fourth at her final state meet. Irving was disappointed with her first three throws, but she found another gear in the finals. Irving’s final two throws 114 feet, 1 inch and 114 feet, 5 inches were her best.

“When it came out of my hand, I knew it was going to be good. My first three throws weren’t my best, and I was like, ‘I know I can do better than that.'” Irving said. “Then going into finals, I was like, ‘I have three more chances.’ It just felt good. It felt right. My second and third throws (in finals) were my best ones.”

The Free State jumper combo of Cameryn Thomas and Auna Childress also made their way to the medals podium after their respective events. Thomas placed sixth in the long jump with a mark of 17 feet, 2 inches, and Childress finished seventh in the triple jump with a leap of 35 feet, 11 inches.

Javelin duo leads FSHS boys

Free State senior Tyler Winsor made his final throw of his career count, as he notched a personal-best in the javelin with a heave of 170 feet, 5 inches. Winsor’s last attempt beat his previous best mark in the competition by more than four feet, and it vaulted him into seventh place.

Finishing just two spots behind Winsor was teammate Nathan Spain, who finished ninth with a best throw of 163 feet, 8 inches.

The Firebirds finished Day One in 18th place with the two points from Winsor, but they set themselves up to score more in the track prelims. Nathan Thomas, Cole Phillips, Tanner Cobb and Malachi Starr posted a time of 3:24.06 in the 4×400-meter relay prelims, which was good for second place going into finals. Phillips will also compete in the 400-meter dash after placing eighth in prelims.

Krom’s big PR powers Lawrence High

Much like Venters, Lawrence High junior Hunter Krom had some mixed emotions after his final throw in the javelin competition.

Going into the sixth and final throw for the remaining eight competitors, Krom had the lead after launching a personal-best throw of 204 feet, 2 inches. The Lawrence High junior knew his lead wasn’t quite safe, though, with Manhattan freshman Samuel Hankins on his heels throughout the competition. Hankins overtook Krom on his final attempt with a throw of 204 feet, 10 inches, and the LHS junior couldn’t quite match it, as he settled for second place.

“A lot of adrenaline. I’m really happy about my PR,” Krom said. “That was great competition. I have a lot of respect for him (Hankins). Next year, I’ve got to get him next year.”

Krom had plenty of reason to still be focused on his personal best. The Lawrence javelin thrower set a new record mark by more than 17 feet, and broke the 200-foot barrier for the first time.

“Everything felt so nice,” Krom said. “I’ve just got to keep making improvements.”

Krom credited his success to his practice partner, Harrison King, who finished sixth with a throw of 170 feet, 6 inches.

“I love it,” Krom said. “It makes practice a lot more competitive knowing that he’s there and competing at state, too. I loved seeing him medal.”

On the track for the LHS boys, senior hurdler James Reeder narrowly missed out on returning to the track for finals in both of his events. Reeder posted ninth-place finishes in both the 110-meter hurdles (15.39) and the 300-meter hurdles (40.98).

The Lawrence boys squad was in seventh place with 11 points at the end of the day on Friday — all coming from Krom and King.

LHS girls 4×400 relay gears up for another title shot

The runners on the Lawrence girls 4×400-meter relay team positioned themselves for a chance at a fifth consecutive title in the event after placing second in prelims.

Asjah Harris, Hannah Stewart, Myah Yoder and Evann Seratte broke the four-minute barrier with a time of 3:59.57 — just 0.32 seconds behind Hutchinson.

Harris and Yoder also punched their tickets to the 4×100-meter relay finals after teaming up with Courtney Fritzler and Ashley Wildeman for an eighth-place finish in prelims. Fritzler, Wildeman, Harris and Yoder clocked in at 49.88.

Seratte rounded out the Lions who qualified for finals in Friday’s prelims after taking third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 58.56.

Baldwin’s Kurtz, Tongie’s Johnson win state titles

Baldwin High’s Kayla Kurtz and Tonganoxie’s LeeRoi Johnson will be taking home gold medals after winning their respective events on Friday.

Kurtz posted a throw of 147 feet to win the 4A girls javelin competition, while Johnson won a state discus title with a heave of 180 feet, 3 inches. Kurtz and fellow javelin thrower Kate Ogle (sixth place, 127-04) scored all 13 of the Bulldogs’ points to put Baldwin in third place going into Day Two.

Eudora also had two medalists on Friday between McKayla Maples (girls high jump, third place) and Braeden Manley (boys pole vault, eighth place).