by Anthony Bozarth

The Shawnee Mission North Relays is the biggest high school invitational in Kansas. Over 40 teams from Kansas City area and eastern part of the state competed. Weather was good for sprinting, with temps in the high 80's, but humidity and wind hampered the distances.

Laura Kelley (Blue Valley North) was the distance star of the meet, winning the 3200 in 11:19.74 with Laura Daugherty (Aquinas 11:40.46) second and Mandy Puhak (Olathe East 12;12.62) third. Kelley then held off Alysha Valencia (Lawrence Free State) in the 1600 5:12.46 to 5:12.99, with Katie Coomer (Aquinas 5:15:41) and Kristen Wolkey (SM North 5:17.47) also under 5:20.

Layne Moore (Emporia) won the 800 in 2;20.37, with Katie Coomer (Aquinas 2:23.79) second and Lisa Morrisey (Ottawa 2:24;81) third.

Paul Hefferon (Blue Valley West) dominated the 3200, racing to a large lead in the first mile on his way to a 9:25.59 win. Danny Schneider (Lawrence Free State) kicked to a 9:52.01 second place finish past Jay Matlack (DeSoto Mill Valley 9:53.06).
Hefferon also won a highly anticipated 1600 in 4:23.37. Hefferon pushed the middle 800 and held off 1:52 800 runner Jason Collett (Aquinas 4:24.32) in the last 50. Tyler Chairtano (Girard) was third at 4:28.43 with Michael Knickerbocker (Emporia 4;28.52) Tucker Weems (Shawnee Mission Northwest 4:28.58) and Shea Camiean (Emporia 4;29.63) follwoing in ta tight pack.
Collett and Nick Squier (Lawrence Free State) returned later in the evening for a hot 800, but were surprised down the homestretch won Jack Sachee (Ottawa) used a brilliant sprint to run to a 1:55.42 win, with Collett second at 1:55.5 and Squier third at 1:56.30. Nick Garcia of Emporia was fourth at 1:57.96, and Alan Knoll (Lansing 1:59.23) and Levi Huseman (Tonganoxie 1:59.33) also under 2:00.

Keith Rainey (Shawnee Mission North) was the sprint star of the meet, winning the 100 (10.54) narrowly from Randy Shepard (Olathe North 10:58) and John Childs (Leavenworth 10.71) in a race that saw seven break 11.00. Rainey returned to win the 200 in 21.83 from Childs (22.01) with Brett Starr (Kansas City Harmon) third at 22.03. Starr had earlier won the 400 in impressive fashion, sprinting hard through the first turn and backstretch to a 49.42 win, with Matt Baysinger (Blue Valley West) second at 50.09.
Leslie Reynolds (Bishop Miege) led the girls sprints. Reynolds won a hot 100 in 11.98, with Felicia Fairley (Blue Valley Northwest) second at 12.16 and Stowers (Leavenworth) third at 12.25. Reynolds won the 200 in 25.16 with Victoria Howard (Blue Valley West) 25.41, Alyssa Smith (Olathe East 25.57) and Jennifer Smith (Aquinas 25.79) following.

Kendra Bradley (Leavenworth) won the 400 in 58.34, holding off Miege's Salisha Williams (58.71) with Kristen Wolkey (SM North) third at 60.41.
Derrick Mims (Olathe North) blasted to a 14.45 110H win the Sylvester Birdsong (Lawrence) second at 14.73. Mims then ran an impressive 300H race, only to take a hard fall over the final hurdle. Ryan Rastock (Lawrence Free State) rushed past to win in 40.74, just edging Mims' lunge in 40.76.
Rhea Rollins (Kansas City Harmon) won the girls 100H race in 14.84, edging Melissa Johnson (Bishop Miege 14.86). Leslie Stanborough (Emporia) won a close 300H race in 48.25 from Kristen Erhlich (SMNW 48.27) and Melissa Johnson (Bishop Miege 48.74).

Throws competition was highlighted by a big boys (pun intended) shot put competition. Ottawa's Caleb Blakesly has thrown 60 foot this season, but faced a number of the state's top 6A throwers here. Blakesly reached 56-4 to continue his domination of the state's shot rings, with Todd Haselhorst (Olathe East 51-5.25) second and Mike Rivera (SMNW 49-6.5) third. Rivera then won the DT at 159-3.5, with Tyler Penn (Lawrence) second at 152-3 and Haselhorst third at 150-9.5. Mike Garrison (SMNW) won the JT at 188-3.
Rachel Falke (Olathe East) won the girls SP at 39-9.5 , then placed second in the DT to Kristen Baker (Lawrence Free State) 128-6 to 123-9.5.

In jump competition, Pat O'Flynn (Blue Valley West) edged JoJo Scott (SM South) on misses in the boys HJ, both clearing 6-4. Nick Wakefield won the boys PV at 13-0. Brad McCall (SM South) won the both LJ at 21-7.25, with team mate Chris Hunter second at 21-3, and Bryan McMurtrey (Kansas City Sumner) won the boys TJ at 44-5.25.

The girls jumps were hot as Alyssa Smith (Olathe East) won the TJ at 37-6.25, with Erica Ming (SMNW) second at 36-6.25 and Rhea Rollings(Kansas City Harmon) third at 36-6.25.

Jennifer Smith (Aquinas) won the LJ at 17-6, with Jodi Blake (Blue Valley West) second t 17-2.25, and Alyssa Smith (Olathe East) third at 17-2. Samantha Frisbie (Lawrence Free State) won the HJ at 5-4, and a tight girls pole vault saw Chelsea Oburn (Lawrence) win on misses at 10-0 from Lacey Baxter (Lawrence Free State), Dana Al-Meer (Blue Valley Northwest) and Julia Cummings (SM South).

As always, relays highlighted action at SM North. Olathe North took the boys 4 x 100 in 42.66, with Ottawa second (43.45) and Leavenworth third (43.99). Ottawa returned the favor in the 4 x 200, winning in 1:31.13, with Olathe North second (1:31.84) and SM South third at 1;32.0. Ottawa also won the 4 x 400 in 3:26.06, with Lawrence Free State second (3:29.12) and Olathe North third (3:29.55).

Lawrence Free State won the 4 x 800 in 8:06.3, holding off Emporia (8:07.3), SM Northwest (8:08.2) and SM East (8:09.82).

In girls action, Bishop Miege won the 4 x 100 in impressive manner, running 49.12 with Leavenworth second at 49.83 and Lawrence Free State third at 50.88.
Leavenworth dominated the 4 x 200 in 1:42.84, with Bishop Miege second at 1:46.87 and Blue Valley West third at 1:48.34.
Aquinas won 4 x 400 in 4;05.09, just holding off a closing Leavenworth team at 4;05.12, with Bishop Miege third at 4;08.21.
Shawnee Mission North used a 2:24 second leg from Kristen Wolkey to break from the field in the 4 x 800, winning in 10:01.29, with Leavenworth second at 10:06.87, and Emporia (10:12.51) holding off Shawnee Mission West (10:14.5) for third.