By CHARLES SPURLOCK
Special to TopSports.news
WICHITA -- The 2026 state track and field championships began early on Friday morning in and around Crossland Stadium, formerly known as Cessna Stadium, on the campus of Wichita State University.
The morning session included Class 4A, 5A and 6A competing in preliminaries along with a few finals in the 3,200 meter run and various field events.
The morning began with the finals in the 3,200 meter races in 4A, 5A and 6A. There were also several field events where local athletes competed going on throughout the first session of the day.
Seaman senior Brody Anderson began his three-event state meet bid with a runnerup finish in Friday's Class 5A 3,200-meter run. [File photo/TSN]
The 5A boys race saw Seaman senior Brody Anderson locked in another battle with fellow senior Daniel Enriquez of Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
Enriquez was able to pull away over the last two laps to win the race in a meet-record- breaking time of 8 minutes, 59.18 seconds. Anderson ran a personal best of 9:05.70, only three-10ths of a second off the meet record as well.
Anderson commented on his second-place finish and the outstanding move by Enriquez late in the race.
“I knew the move was coming, especially if I took it out early,'' Anderson said. "I felt really comfortable over the first six laps, then I felt him making his move. Once he passed me, he was full speed, props to him, he’s a great runner.
"It was a great race and better than I could have ever expected -- running a personal best by six seconds in only my sixth 3,200 of my life.”
Anderson is now looking forward to the two races against Enriquez that will take place on Saturday -- the 1.600 and 800 meter races.
Other local results:
- Washburn Rural sophomore Zachary Hancock was a medalist in the 6A boys discus, finishing seventh with a throw of 160 feet, 6 inches.
- Seaman freshman Baylee Ayres was a medalist in the 5A girls high jump, finishing fourth and clearing 5-2.
- Hayden senior Jackson Haas was a medalist in the 4A boys javelin, finishing eighth with a throw of 169-9.
- Hayden junior Alana Mitchell was a medalist in the 4A girls long jump, finishing sixth with a personal-best jump of 17-1.75.
- Washburn Rural junior Kailyn Peterson was a medalist in the 6A girls discus, finishing fourth with a personal-best throw of 133-2.
- Shawnee Heights senior Blake Coffman was a medalist in the 5A javelin, finishing eighth with a personal-best throw of 161-9.
- Silver Lake junior Addy Just was a medalist in the 3A long jump, finishing seventh with a jump of 16-11.
- Rossville senior Eden Thompson was a medalist in the 2A boys discus, finishing eighth with a throw of 139-6.
- Hayden junior Sofia Harper qualified for the finals in the 4A girls 400 meters with a time of 58.83 and will run in the finals on Saturday at approximately 3:50 pm.
- Shawnee Heights freshman Tanesia Johnson qualified for the finals in the girls 200 meters in a time of 25.13. She will run in the finals on Saturday at approximately 6 pm.
- Washburn Rural junior Christian Hartman-Babb qualified for the finals in the boys 200 meters in a personal-best time of 21.62. He will run in the finals on Saturday at approximately 6:30.
- The Shawnee Heights boys 4x400 relay team comprised of Xavier Fisher, Dallas Owens, Mason Haas and Jason Slay qualified for the final in a time of 3:27.25. They will compete in the finals on Saturday at approximately 6:35 p.m.
- The Silver Lake girls 4x400 relay team -- Kinley Weber, Karys Deiter, Jaylie Whitehead and Ali Gerber -- qualified for the final in a time of 4:08.06 and will run in the finals on Saturday at approximately 6:55 pm.
- The Silver Lake boys 4x400 relay team -- Jake Workman, Owen Rottinghaus, Thomas Fisher and Joel Miller - qualified for the final in a time of 3:28.70. The Eagles will run in the finals on Saturday at approximately 7:10 pm.
