The Lawrence High track and field team’s girls placed first at the Lawrence Invitational on Friday at LHS, and the boys finished second.

Senior Natalie Kennedy took the gold in the 1600-meter and the 3200-meter runs. The 4×400 meter relay team – sophomore Harper Dye, senior Bre Jackson, freshman LaKeyshia Woods and junior Gabrielle Reed – placed first, along with the 4×400 and 4×800 meter relay teams.

Senior Joan Epian finished second individually in the shot put. Freshman Ginny Besson and junior Paige Platt placed second and third, respectively, in the long jump.

For the boys, senior Tyrell Reed placed first in the 100-meter dash setting a new personal record (10.90). Senior Jude Harris and freshman Jerrin Sheild placed first and second, respectively, in the javelin throw.

LHS travels to the Olathe Invitational at ODAC on Friday.

Free State, LHS boys golf open at SM East invite; Randall places top 10

The Free State and Lawrence High boys golf teams opened their seasons at the Shawnee Mission East invitational on Monday at Kansas City Country Club. The Firebirds placed 12th overall, with LHS finishing just one stroke behind Mill Valley in 21st.

Paving the way for the Firebirds, junior Jack Randall placed eighth individually carding a 74; freshman Hank Thompson tied for 58th shooting 83; sophomore Aiden Graf-Hannah tied for 65th with 85; and freshman Cash Nelson tied for 75th carding 87.

Swinging long for LHS, junior Gunnar Waydenberg finished 36th individually shooting 79; sophomore Nate Schworm tied for 51st carding 82; Senior Macade Lewis tied for 98th shooting 98; and senior Dallas Ostronic finished with 102 in 101st place.

Free State travels to Lake Shawnee on Tuesday. LHS resumes action at Sycamore Ridge on Monday.

Free State girls take first at Olathe Invite

The Free State girls swim team captured first place at the Olathe Invitational hosted by Olathe North on Saturday.

Opening the meet in style, the Firebirds’ 200-yard medley relay team – senior Bradie Ward, senior Halle McCullough, junior Liza Engelbrecht and senior Samantha Packard – placed first setting a new season-best time (1:52:54).

Ward took first individually in the 200-yard freestyle, Packard placed first individually in the 100-yard freestyle and Engelbrecht took first individually in the 100-yard backstroke.

Free State resumes action at the Topeka Invite at Hummer Sports Park on Wednesday.

LHS, FSHS tennis both unbeaten at quad

The Free State High boys tennis team won two of its three matches and the Lawrence High boys won one of their three, but neither team suffered a loss on Monday at LHS.

The Lions and Firebirds tied in their head-to-head match and Free State finished 2-0-1 on the day while the Lions went 1-0-2.

LHS and FSHS both picked up singles victories, with Free State’s Oliver Rubenstein topping LHS’s Owen Thompson, 8-6, while LHS’s Jack Bauch defeated FSHS’s Drew Harrison 8-3.

The two schools split the two doubles points, as well, with Free State’s Felepie Reinas-Salas and Jake Hedges defeating Ayden Ammenn and Jack Stutler, of LHS, 8-0, and Lions Asher Sikes and Josh Lavin battling past Free State’s Steve Duan and Will Six, 8-6.

In other LHS singles action on Monday: Bauch picked up a pair of wins over Olathe East (8-2) and SM Northwest (8-0) and Rubenstein defeated Olathe East’s Josh Little 8-7 while Sikes got by SMNW’s Oscar Ohly 8-3.

In other FSHS singles action on Monday: Harrison and Thompson both won their matches against Olathe East and SM Northwest, losing just six total games in the process.

The two Free State doubles teams also swept their matches against the Eagles and Cougars while the Lions won just one of the four doubles matches against O-East and SMNW. Logan Daniels and Henry Adams topped SM Northwest, 8-4, to win that team point.