The second day of the 92nd annual Kansas Relays was a lot like the first day for Kansas' high school contingent in that there were some pretty remarkable performances in the field events and many other oh-so-agonizingly-close-calls on the track.
When the meet wrapped up late afternoon Saturday, Kansas high schoolers were shut out of gold medals on the track (not counting the Sunflower 4 X 100 and 4 X 400 relays), an oddity that doesn't tell the full story behind what still was a pretty good weekend for the Sunflower State.
Leavenworth freshman sensation Dhakiya Blake wrapped up a solid meet when she put up the state's fastest girls time for 400 meters, finishing second in Saturday's finals in a time of 57.37. Blake came charging down the homestretch with Davenport (Iowa) Assumption's Carly King, who held on for the win in 57.13.
Riverton's Matti Price was also in the mix, finishing third in 58.15. Price had previously held the No. 1 mark in Kansas at 57.82.
Another Leavenworth speedster, Guy Ramos, also put up a fight down the stretch of the boys 400 meter run. Ramos, a senior who will run for Emporia State next year, was running shoulder-to-shoulder with Nevada (Mo.) senior Devin McHugh with 100 meters to go before McHugh found the extra gear to win in 49.01. Ramos was the runner-up in 49.55, just three-tenths off his state-leading time of 49.23.
Mill Valley's girls put up a game fight in the 4 X 800 relay. In fact, the Jaguars led the event heading into the anchor leg.
But Lydia Malacek of Onalaska (Texas) put on a wicked finishing leg, clocking 2:15 to pull her team to the win in 9:29.11. Mill Valley settled for second with what is the best time in Kansas this season, 9:32.36, bettering their own mark by nearly 18 seconds.
Blue Valley Southwest's girls placed fourth in the 4 X 800 in 9:49.62.
Other highlights on the track for Kansas on Saturday:
Leavenworth's Blake ran an anchor leg of 58.99 to rally Leavenworth to the win in the Sunflower Girls 4 X 400 meter relay. Baldwin held a slight lead entering the final leg, but Blake's heroics denied them the win. Leavenworth was timed in 4:09.27 while Baldwin was second in 4:09.97.
Lawrence posted the fastest girls 4 X 400 on Saturday, finishing fifth in the Kansas Relays finals with a time of 4:09.25.
Andover ran to the fastest 4 X 800 relay for Kansas boys this season when the squad placed fifth in 8:07.61. Samuel McDavitt ran 1:57.78 on the anchor leg to key the finish. Shawnee Mission East placed sixth in 8:09.31, which is No. 2 in Kansas currently.
Gardner-Edgerton won the Sunflower Boys 4 X 400 relay, beating several of the class 6A teams that it likely will match up against at the state meet in five weeks. Gardner-Edgerton won Saturday with a time of 3:27.89, while Olathe Northwest was second in 3:28.95 and Olathe East third in 3:29.83.
Olathe North won the Sunflower Girls 4 X 100 relay in 49.91, edging Blue Valley (50.26). The Sunflower Boys 4 X 100 went to Blue Valley West (43.53), which edged Piper (43.56) and Lawrence Free State (43.66).
Lawrence again posted the fastest 4 X 100 among Kansas girls this weekend, clocking 49.46 for fourth in the Kansas Relays 4 X 100. Leavenworth was seventh in 49.60.
Gardner Edgerton's boys placed fourth in the Kansas Relays 4 X 100 in 43.17, which puts them at No. 3 in Kansas this season.
Lawrence led all Kansas schools in the girls' Sprint Medley, placing fourth in a time of 4:15.08. The defending class 6A state champion Lions continue to show their depth, performing well in several relays this weekend. Blue Valley West (3:38.34) and Blue Valley (3:39.28) placed fourth and fifth in the boys Sprint Medley relay.
Clara Mayfield of Manhattan and Jaybe Shufelberger of Washburn Rural each lowered their high school bests in the 1600. Mayfield placed fourth in Saturday's finals with a time of 5:02.35, while Shufelberger was fifth in 5:04.78.
Owen Pearce of Kingman led all Kansas boys in the 1600 meters, running a career-best 4:24.44 for tenth place.
Layne Needham of Cheney placed sixth in the girls 100 meter hurdles in 15.07. In the boys' 110 hurdles, Jack Mull of Winfield was the only Kansan in the finals, clocking 14.70 for sixth place.
Three Kansas girls made the finals of the 100 meters. Destiny Ray of Shawnee Mission East placed fifth (12.22), Kendra Wait of Gardner-Edgerton was sixth (12.28) and Faith Turner of Pittsburg was ninth (12.53).
Jason Hubener of Cheney placed sixth in the 100 meters on Saturday (10.79) to lead all Kansas sprinters this week.
Javelin battle highlights field events
Kansas Relays fans were treated to quite a show in the boys' high school javelin.
They already knew they'd be watching the nation's top-ranked thrower in Manhattan's Sam Hankins. But what transpired in that event Saturday morning was quite a bonus.
Cheney's Trey Patterson put a little scare into Hankins, jumping in front at 199-2 on his first throw. It took Hankins -- who has the nation's best throw this season at 210-0 - four throws before he finally gained the lead at 209-2.
Patterson responded with a career best 205-1 on his sixth throw which - while not quite enough to catch Hankins - put him at No. 2 in the United States. Patterson is just the fourth thrower in the United States to top 200 feet this season.
Maddie Righter of Olathe Northwest fought off a strong challenge from Lee's Summit West (Mo.) senior Jessica Haney to win the girls' high jump. Both cleared 5-7, but Righter - who has jumped 5-10 this season - had fewer misses to claim the gold medal. Carly Hendrickson of Shawnee Mission East was third at 5-5.
Also in Saturday's field events:
* In the girls' pole vault, Belle Peters of Smoky Valley cleared 11-6 for fourth place. Lynsie Curtis of Centralia and Kendra Wait of Gardner-Edgerton tied for fifth, also clearing 11-6.
* Jaleesa McWashington of Olathe Northwest led the girls' long jump competition heading into the final round, but Lenetta Lee of Lee's Summit Christian (Mo.) soared 18-7.25 to steal the win. McWashington was a solid second at 18-3.75. Olathe Northwest's Righter was fourth at 17-11.
* In the boys' long jump, Shawnee Mission South's Jack Roberts out-dueled eight Kansas jumpers over 21 feet. He placed second overall with a jump of 22-8.5, while teammate Sam Macklin (22-4.25) and Olathe West's Elijah Anderson (22-1.75) were third and fourth, respectively.
* Wesley Shaw of Hillsboro placed third in the boys' shot put, matching his place in the discus on Friday. Shaw tossed the shot put 59-2.25. Cole Sample of Tonganoxie was fourth at 58-11.5.