Coach of the Year: Joe Pickett, Eudora High

Loaded with a group of talented veterans and strong underclassmen, Joe Pickett led the EHS girls to a second place finish in Class 4A at the state meet — as the clear second-best team in the class — and also guided the boys team to a sixth-place finish.

Athlete of the Year: Isa Evans, Free State High

photo by: Emma Pravecek/Journal-World Photo

Lawrence Free State pole vaulter Isa Evans prepares to practice her approach run during the Barrier Breakers meet on Friday, April 22.

After winning nearly every meet all season long, Isa Evans made sure she would not falter in the end. After falling in love with vaulting by chance after electing to practice indoors on a particularly cold spring afternoon a few years back, Evans committed herself to the sport and became a star. She finished as a state champion and will go down in Free State history as one of the best vaulters to ever compete for the Firebirds.

Reese Hulcher, Free State High

photo by: Matt Tait

Free State’s Reese Hulcher.

Multisport athlete Reese Hulcher had a strong year for the Firebirds, and she saved the best for last. Hulcher finished second in high jump at the Class 6A state meet.

Ashley Mai, Free State High

photo by: Emma Pravecek/Journal-World Photo

Lawrence Free State pole vaulter Ashley Mai cheers for her teammte during the Barrier Breakers meet on Friday, April 22.

One of the members of a pole vault group that dominated throughout the season, Ashley Mai delivered one of her best showings of the season at the end, joining Evans on the medal stand by taking third at the Class 6A state meet.

Gianna Cooper, Lawrence High

photo by: Matt Tait

LHS senior Gianna Cooper.

Gianna Cooper, a multisport LHS standout who had a strong year in other sports, went out on a high note, taking fourth in the triple jump at the Class 6A at the state meet.

Hanna Keltner, Eudora High

Hanna Keltner, who also starred during cross country season, placed second at state in the 3,200; third in the 1,600; third in the 800 and ran the anchor leg on the Cardinals’ state champion 4×800 relay team. She also won a regional championship in the 3,200 and was the runner up in the 1,600 and 800.

Sydney Owens, Eudora High

Another member of EHS’s state championship 4×800 relay team, Sydney Owens also placed fourth individually in the 3,200 at state as well as fifth in the 1,600 and seventh in the 800. She also brought home the Frontier League title in the 3,200 this season.

Maya Pattison, Eudora High

Eudora was well represented in the sprints, as well, with Maya Pattison taking second in the 100 at state and seventh in the 200. She also anchored the 4×100 relay team that set a school record and took second. Before that, she was the Frontier League champion in the 100 and the runner up in the 200 at both the league meet and regionals.

Diana Messick, Baldwin

Talented senior Diana Messick finished her BHS career in style by taking second at state in the 800. She also was a regional champion this season and anchored the Bulldogs’ 4×800 relay team that also finished second at state.

Chaney Barth, Baldwin

Chaney Barth competed in both track and field events for the Bulldogs this spring, and she delivered strong performances throughout the season in each area. At state, she finished sixth in the high jump one week after winning a regional title in the event. She also ran a leg of the Bulldogs’ 4×100 relay team that placed 10th at state.

Taylor Damme, Perry-Lecompton High

This multisport standout’s strong sophomore year at PLHS continued all the way through the state track meet, where she finished third in the javelin with a school record throw. Prior to state, Taylor Damme took first at regionals and first at the Big 7 League meet in her signature event.

Anna Johnson, Bishop Seabury

Anna Johnson delivered a pair of second-place finishes at the Kaw Valley Conference meet in the 100-meter dash and on the 4×100 relay and also recorded a pair of fourth-place finishes in those same events at the Jefferson County Invitational. In all, she finished her career with 25 Bishop Seabury meet records.

Hannah Motsinger, Bishop Seabury

Hannah Motsinger’s strong senior season was highlighted by a first-place finish in the 800 at the Kaw Valley Conference meet. She also delivered top-seven showings at four other meets, including a second-place effort in the 4×100 relay at the KVC meet and a fourth-place showing in the same event at the Jefferson County Invitational.

Honorable Mention: Isabelle Harvey and Harper Schoendaller, Baldwin; Summer Hartzler, Bishop Seabury; Aubrey Duncan, Makenzie Vaughn, Marrah Spriggs, Free State; Harper Dye, Jaylie Hohman, Destiny Savannah and Brenna Schwada, Lawrence High; Jaci Black, Breonna Gladbach, Campbell Keller, Perry-Lecompton High.