OVERLAND PARK — The Lawrence High girls track and field team has taken great pride in its relays this season, and it paid off in a big way for the Lions at the Class 6A regional meet on Friday at Shawnee Mission South.

The Lions trailed Olathe Northwest by 2.33 points going into the 4×400-meter relay, but the team of Ozi Ajekwu, Asjah Harris, Hannah Stewart and Evann Seratte won the final event with a time of 4:04.91 to bring the regional championship home for Lawrence High.

Ajekwu, Harris, Stewart and Seratte helped the LHS girls cap off a sweep of the relays. The Lions’ 4×800-meter relay team of Stewart, Layne Prescott, Jayden Wilson and Seratte posted a first-place time of 9:47.36. Lawrence High’s 4×100-meter relay team of Ashley Wildeman, Amaya Harris, Bella Kirkwood and Asjah Harris lowered its own school record after finishing at 48.26.

“It’s feels pretty good because at the beginning when we were practicing today, our handoffs were a little off and we were like freaking out and were like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ We were just stressed,” Amaya Harris said. “We beat it (the school record), we got first and we’re going to state, so that’s a nice feeling.”

The LHS girls 4×100 relay record stood at 49.46 at the beginning of the season, so the Lions have chopped more than a second off the previous mark.

Asjah Harris wasn’t done re-writing the LHS records books either. The Lawrence High sophomore broke the 200-meter school record in prelims with a time of 24.89 — edging Pat Miller and Kizzie Ricks’ previous mark of 24.90. Harris then firmly made the record her’s with a time of 24.68 in finals.

Asjah Harris was one of four individual champions for the LHS girls squad. Evann Seratte doubled up with first-place times of 58.05 in the 400 meters and 2:22.29 in the 800 meters. The dynamic throwing duo Baylee Unruh (127 feet, 4 inches in the javelin) and Chisom Ajekwu (38 feet, 8 inches in the shot put) also garnered gold for the Lions.

While throwers and relay teams have been staples of the Lions’ success in previous years, the Lawrence High girls squad will also have some new faces at the state meet on Friday and Saturday at Wichita State’s Cessna Stadium. Two of the first-time state qualifiers come in the pole vaulting combo of Josie Hickerson and Caroline Dunlap, who placed second and third, respectively, with clearances of 11 feet, 6 inches and 9 feet, 6 inches.

“I don’t know how long it’s been since we’ve had pole vaulters go (to state),” Hickerson said. “Not since I’ve been here have we had any pole vaulters (qualify), so it’s exciting to have two go. Hopefully both of us will place at state.”

Hickerson had much more to be excited about aside from qualifying to state, too. The Lawrence High junior also tied the Lions’ school record.

“I’ve been eyeing that record all year because I went 11 foot in indoor so I knew I was going to be close this year,” Hickerson said. “I had just been letting it get in my head and today I finally told myself, ‘I got this. This is easy. I just need to do what I’m capable of.’ On my last jump, I did it. It was so exciting.”

Other LHS girls state qualifiers included Ella Stewart (discus), Krissy Howard (shot put), Amaya Harris (javelin), Michaela Cordova (javelin) and Hannah Stewart (800 meters).

The Lions racked up 127.66 points to win the meet.

Krom, King lead LHS boys

The javelin duo of Hunter Krom and Harrison King once again led the LHS boys squad by sweeping the top two spots at Friday’s regional.

Krom won it with a throw of 192 feet, 6 inches, while King followed in second at 165 feet, 9 inches.

The LHS throwers will be represented by more than just Krom and King at the state meet, as Bryce Tibke earned fourth-place finishes in the shot put and the discus. Tibke’s best throw sailed 45 feet, 6 inches in the shot put. The LHS junior had a top throw of 139 feet, 6 inches in the discus.

“It feels really good,” Tibke said. “I feel like I’ve improved since last year. I’ve only made it in one (event), so getting two this year is really good.”

After getting a state meet under his belt as a sophomore, Tibke is ready to step it up a notch next weekend.

“I feel like I’m more comfortable with the environment and I know it now,” Tibke said. “So when I go there, it will just feel like a normal meet than this big thing and I’ll be able to do better.”

Dre’Shun Bridges led the Lions on the track with a second-place time of 11.20 to qualify for state. Bridges was joined by Reggie Clemons, Chris Mumford and Graham Hough on the Lions’ 4×100-meter relay, which also punched its ticket to state with a fourth-place time of 43.51.

“We were motivated this time,” Clemons said, “and our handoffs were kind of nice, too. I feel like it was the motivation and the pressure of wanting to go (to state) and stuff.”

The Lawrence High boys placed sixth in the team standings with 44 points. Shawnee Mission Northwest won it with 162.

Class 6A regional meet

Friday at Shawnee Mission South

Girls team scores — 1. Lawrence High, 127.66; 2. Olathe Northwest, 126; 3. Shawnee Mission east, 120; 4. Shawnee Mission North, 64.33; 5. Shawnee Mission West, 57; 6. Shawnee Mission Northwest, 54; 7. Shawnee Mission South, 9.

Boys team scores — 1. Shawnee Mission Northwest, 162; 2. Olathe Northwest, 93; 3. Shawnee Mission North, 90; 4. Shawnee Mission West, 87; 5. Shawnee Mission South, 48; 6. Lawrence High, 44; 7. Shawnee Mission East, 33.

Lawrence High results (top four finishers qualify four state)

Girls

100 — 6. Ashley Wildeman, 12.77; 8. Bella Kirkwood, 12.79.

200 — 1. Asjah Harris, 24.68; 5. Bella Kirkwood, 26.54; 7. Ashley Wildeman, 26.71.

400 — 1. Evann Seratte, 58.05; 11. Ozi Ajekwu, 1:05.31.

800 — 1. Evann Seratte, 2:22.29; 3. Hannah Stewart, 2:22.49; 10. Jayden Wilson, 2:35.26.

1600 — 12. Layne Prescott, 5:56.49; 13. Lacey Greenfield, 5:58.83; 14. Leslie Ostronic, 6:03.17.

3200 — 11. Lacey Greenfield, 13:39.28; 12. Layne Prescott, 13:55.28.

4×100 relay — 1. Ashley Wildeman, Amaya Harris, Bella Kirkwood, Asjah Harris, 48.26.

4×400 relay — 1. Ozi Ajekwu, Asjah Harris, Hannah Stewart, Evann Seratte, 4:04.91.

4×800 relay — 1. Hannah Stewart, Layne Prescott, Jayden Wilson, Evann Seratte, 9:47.36.

High jump — T-6. Mariah Reed, 4-10; T-6. Courtney Whitney, 4-06.

Pole vault — 2. Josie Hickerson, 11-06; 3. Caroline Dunlap, 9-06; 8. Leah Marett, 7-06.

Long jump — 7. Bella Kirkwood, 17-04.5; 10. Cassidy Johnson, 15-10; 11. Marlee Coleman, 14-05.

Triple jump — 6. Josie Hickerson, 34-06.25; 9. Chloe McNair, 32-02.5.

Shot put — 1. Chisom Ajekwu, 38-08; 4. Krissy Howard, 35-08; 5. Abby LaTessa, 32-10.5.

Discus — 3. Ella Stewart, 98-06; 6. Destiny Vongphachanh, 88-10; 11. Abby LaTessa, 66-06.

Javelin — 1. Baylee Unruh, 127-04; 3. Amaya Harris, 113-06; 4. Michaela Cordova, 111-09.

Boys

100 — 2. Dre’Shun Bridges, 11.20; 6. Graham Hough, 11.37; DQ. Reggie Clemons.

200 — 8. Dre’Shun Bridges, 23.71; 11. Reggie Clemons, 23.41; 12. Graham Hough, 23.48.

400 — 16. Colby Otting, 57.03; 17. Jakoby Masters, 57.98.

800 — 16. Carson Jumping Eagle, 2:13; 17. Pierce Saturday, 2:17.37; 18. Kedrick Hobson, 2:17.39.

1600 — 15. Keifer Smith, 5:05.28; 17. Carson Jumping Eagle, 5:07.32; 18. Aaron Reed, 5:08.09.

3200 — 17. Keifer Smith, 11:28.24.

110 hurdles — 10. Corban Pruitt, 17.16.

4×100 relay — 4. Dre’Shun Bridges, Reggie Clemons, Chris Mumford, Graham Hough, 43.51.

4×400 relay — 6. Trey Hulse, Kendrick Hobson, Colby Otting, Graham Otting, 3:34.99.

Pole vault — 9. Anton Martinez de Velasco, 11-06; NH. Relle Dye; NH. Delcan Oberzan.

Long jump — 6. Van Dave Jacob, 21-04.25; 7. Chris Mumford, 20-09.75; 12. Reggie Clemons, 19-03.25.

Triple jump — 5. Kendrick Hobson, 42.07; 8. Van Dave Jacob, 40-03.75; 10. Chris Mumford, 36-09.25.

Shot put — 4. Bryce Tibke, 45-06; 6. Adonis Stanwix, 42-04; 13. Brayden Liakos, 38-03.

Discus — 4. Bryce Tibke, 139-06; 7. Adonis Stanwix, 122-00; 17. Nick Englebert, 82-08.

Javelin — 1. Hunter Krom, 192-06; 2. Harrison King, 165-09; 8. AJ Powell, 139-11.