By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
For most of Washburn junior Christian Hartman-Babb's first two track seasons, he was primarily a hurdler for the Junior Blues.
Washburn Rural junior Christian Hartman-Babb dominated the sprints in Friday's Class 6A track and field regional, taking home three gold medals. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But one race late in the 2025 season convinced Hartman-Babb that his future was in the sprints.
"Sophomore year at (Centennial) League when I hit 10.8, that let me know, 'Dang, I'm a 100 guy,' '' Hartman-Babb said.
And an outstanding performance in Friday night's Class 6A regional was further proof that Hartman-Babb made the right decision.
He opened his night by improving his school record in the 100-meter dash in 10.36 seconds and he doubled up in the 200 with a winning time of 21.83 seconds before running the leadoff leg on Washburn Rural's winning 4x400-meter relay in 3:26.04 as the Junior Blues finished second as a team to Manhattan (117-114).
While Hartman-Babb's 100-meter time is the best time in the state this spring, he feels like he's still improving in the 200.
"Definitely the speed endurance side of it,'' he said. "My top-end speed for the 100 is great, and I just need to hold that for longer on the 200 and then the 200 will come along with it.''
Another highlight for Hartman-Babb Friday was helping the Junior Blues win the 4x100.
With two-time senior state champions Draden Chooncharoen and Liam Morrison out with injuries, Hartman-Babb helped give the Junior Blues a shot at a third straight state title in the event next week in Wichita.
"It means a lot, to be able to get it done for the guys after doing everything that I did individually,'' Hartman-Babb said.
Coming off his regional performance, Hartman-Babb is now setting his sights on a state championship or two or three.
"I want to win the 100 and 200 and hopefully if I'm on that 4x4 team, get that, too,'' Hartman-Babb said.
Hartman-Babb competed at state as a sophomore, but feels like he's much more prepared this time around.
"Last year, there were all the nerves of being able to run in front of a huge crowd, and this year I feel like I'll be able to go in and channel that and be able to put on a show,'' he said.
Washburn Rural senior Brooks Kehoe (1) won the 1,600 and 3,200 meters races in Friday's Class 6A regional at Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Kehoe records distance double
While Hartman-Babb dominated the sprints in Friday's regional, Washburn Rural senior Brooks Kehoe turned in an impressive double in his own right while sweeping the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.
Kehoe (4:26.88) and Rural junior Cohen Thiessen (4:27.60) went one-two in the 1,600 before Kehoe came back later in the evening to win the 3,200 in 9:52.39 while Junior Blue sophomore Jaxon Adams was third in 9:56.45.
Kehoe has run much faster 3,200s than he did Friday, but came through late in what turned into a strategic race that included a pack of runners up front for most of the race.
"We went out way slower than I expected,'' said Kehoe, who helped the Junior Blues win the 6A state cross country title last fall. "I expected Testa (Junction City junior Anthony Testa) to go take it out like a rocket, but it seemed like he wanted to sit, too, so when we brought it through in an 80 (second first lap) I was just kind of like, 'OK, I'm smart, I know how to race and I've got enough speed to get out of a box if I need to.'
"I think I did really well and I didn't exert myself any more than I had to.''
In both the 1,600 and 3,200 Kehoe came from behind, using his speed to take the lead and pull away late.
"I think I've got the best kick of anyone out there I'm going to race this season,'' he said. "I'm always going to bet on myself.''
A returning two-time state medalist, Kehoe is fired up to see what he can do in the state meet.
"I'm excited going back to state in the 1,600 and 3,200 again this year,'' he said. "I'm trying to go get two state titles. Me and Swed (Rural distance coach Matt Swedlund) have been talking about for weeks and we think I can do it. I think I'm going to go win those.''
Other meet highlights:
• Washburn Rural sophomore Zachary Hancock and Topeka High senior Adam Humphrey went one-two boys discus, with Hancock winning with a throw of 160-6 and Humphrey second at 148-8.
Rural also got a win from first-year senior thrower Dylan Tajchman in the javelin, with Tajchman winning with a throw of 169-11, while Junior Blues junior Sam Scott qualified with a second-place finish in the shot put at 47-6.75.
Washburn Rural senior Morgan Ray won the girls javelin title in Friday's Class 6A regional at Rural with a throw of 141-6. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Senior Morgan Ray of Washburn Rural, the Class 6A runnerup as a junior, won the girls javelin championship by 25 feet with a throw of 141-6.
Rural junior Kailyn Petersen, a returning state medalist, finished second in the discus with a throw of 127-7.
Washburn Rural freshman Alyson Hinck (3) set a school record in the 800 meters in Friday's Class 6A regional meet. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Washburn Rural freshman Alyson Hinck set a school record with a second-place finish in the girls 800 meters in 2:16.83.
Free State Grace Toner, Hinck and Manhattan's Gabrielle Converse went one-two-three in a bang-bang finish, with Toner winning in 2:16.68, Hinck second and Converse third in 2:16.92.
Rural seniors Emily Graf and Kenzie Maddox finished two-three in the 3,200, with Graf second in 11:17.71 and Maddox third in 11:18.10.
Manhattan's Zara Koehn won the 3,200 in 11:14.48.
Topeka High senior Jayana Washington qualified for state with a third-place regional finish in the long jump Friday at Rural. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
• Topeka High senior Jayana Washington was Topeka High's girls lone automatic state qualifier (top three), finishing third in the long jump in 16 feet, 9 inches.
Free State junior Parker Jones won the event at 18-1.75.
CLASS 6A REGIONAL
At Washburn Rural
GIRLS
Team scores
Manhattan 177.50, Derby 135, Free State 134.50, Washburn Rural 72, Wichita East 40, Junction City 31, Topeka High 16, Wichita Southeast.
Individual results
100 -- 1. Demya Gill, Manhattan, 12.01; 2. Nazae Rivers, Derby, 12.11; 3. Michelle Jeje, Manhattan, 12.46.
200 -- 1. Nazae Rivers, Derby, 25.66; 2. Michelle Jeje, Manhattan, 25.85; 3. Sarah Oberreuter, Manhattan, 25.95.
400 -- 1. Beatrice Essman, Free State, 57.95; 2. Lauren Perry, Manhattan, 58.36; 3. Aiyanna Moss, Free State, 59.00.
800 -- 1. Grace Toner, Free State, 2:16.68; 2. Alyson Hinck, Washburn Rural, 2:16.83; 3. Gabrielle Converse, Manhattan, 2:16.92.
1,600 -- 1. Taylor Hulcher, Free State, 5:09.70; 2. Grace Toner, Free State, 5:11.48; 3. Gabrielle Converse, Manhattan, 5:25.39.
3,200 -- 1. Zare Koehn, Manhattan, 11:14.48; 2. Emily Graf, Washburn Rural, 11:17.71; 3. Kenzie Maddox, Washburn Rural, 11:18.10.
100 hurdles -- 1. Aspen Garvey, Derby, 15.09; 2. Madison Long, Junction City, 15.16; 3. Ny'Auna Woods, Wichita East, 15.39.
300 hurdles -- 1. Sanaa Truett, Derby, 46.96; 2. Aspen Garvey, Derby, 47.27; 3. Danielle Bucher, Junction City, 47.86.
4x100 relay -- 1. Derby, 48.36; 2. Manhattan, 48.74; 3. Junction City, 49.17.
4x400 relay -- 1. Derby, 4:00.79; 2. Free State, 4:00.93; 3. Manhattan, 4:03.20.
4x800 relay -- 1. Manhattan, 0:53.94. 2. Washburn Rural, 9:58.99; 3. Free State, 10:07.59.
High jump -- 1. Alexis Peabody, Manhattan, 5-2; 2. Sophia Peabody, Manhattan, 5-2; 3. Braelyn Clark, Derby, 5-2.
Pole vault -- 1. Jane Cast, Free State, 12-0; 2. Chloe Voss, Free State, 10-0; 3. Kayla Cramer, Manhattan, 10-0.
Long jump -- 1. Parker Jones, Free State, 18-1.75; 2. Preslie Freeman, Derby, 17-0.75; 3. Jayana Washington, Topeka High, 16-9.
Triple jump -- 1. Brynn Huffman, Derby, 35-11; 2. Callie Porter, Manhattan, 35-9.25; 3. Chloe Voss, Free State, 35-3.
Shot put -- 1. Jorryn Hall, Manhattan, 40-2.50; 2. Madison Askew, Derby, 39-6.75; 3. Miya Respress, Wichita East, 38-10.75.
Discus -- 1. Sadie Reynolds, Free State, 132-4; 2. Kailyn Petersen, Washburn Rural, 127-7; 3. Anahree Smith, Wichita East, 117-4.
.Javelin -- 1. Morgan Ray, Washburn Rural, 141-6; 2. Jordyn Hall, Manhattan, 116-5; 3. Ava Curtis, Manhattan, 115-5.
BOYS
Team scores
Manhattan 117, Washburn Rural 114, Junction City 111, Derby 74, Free State 72, Wichita Southeast 50, Wichita East 42, Topeka High 23, Wichita South 9.
Individual results
100 -- 1. Christian Hartman-Babb, Washburn Rural, 10.36; 2. Michael Cooks, Wichita Southeast, 10.64; 3. Tylen Smith, Junction City, 10.70.
200 -- 1. Christian Hartman-Babb, Washburn Rural, 21.83; 2. Tylen Smith, Junction City, 22.22; 3. Davon Morrison, Derby, 22.27.
400 -- 1. Harrison Leiszler, Free State, 50.48; 2. Isaiah Byers, Junction City, 52.06; 3. Omar Jebril, Manhattan, 52.39.
800 -- 1. Wilson Wesch, Manhattan, 1:58.31; 2. Jasper Hansen Terry, Free State, 1:58.61; 3. Brayden Pauler, Wichita Southeast, 1:58.64.
1,600 -- 1. Brooks Kehoe, Washburn Rural, 4:26.88; 2. Cohen Thiessen, Washburn Rural, 4:27.60; 3. Wilson Wesch, Manhattan, 4:28.52.
3,200 -- 1. Brooks Kehoe, Washburn Rural, 9:52.39; 2. Anthony Testa, Junction City, 9:55.16; 3. Jaxson Adams, Washburn Rural, 9:56.45.
110 hurdles -- 1. Devon Titus, Derby, 14.68; 2. Brilynn Cole, Derby, 14.84; 3. Marmarius Williams, Wichita Southeast, 15.02.
300 hurdles -- 1. Brilynn Cole, Derby, 40.01; 2. Braylon Hayes, Wichita East, 40.01; 3. Devon Titus, Derby, 41.40.
4x100 relay -- 1. Junction City, 41.72; 2. Wichita Southeast, 42.02; 3. Topeka High, 42.20.
4x400 relay -- 1. Washburn Rural, 3:26.04; 2. Wichita Southeast, 3:27.12; 3. Junction City, 3:28.03.
4x800 relay -- 1. Wichita Southeast, 8:05.67; 2. Free State, 8:06.26; 3. Junction City, 8:09.76.
High jump -- 1. Derrick Amos, Manhattan, 6-4; 2. (tie) Da'Marick Brame, Derby, and Malaki Clark, Wichita East, 6-2.
Pole vault -- 1. Camden Wagoner, Wichita East, 13-6; 2. Lucas Strawn, Manhattan, 12-6; 3. James Lamar, Junction City, 11-6.
Long jump -- 1. Davon Morrison, Derby, 22-8; 2. Chase Perkins, Junction City, 21-7.25; 3. Toby Kwan, Free State, 21-7.
Triple jump -- 1. D'Sean Green, Junction City, 45-2.50; 2.Brady Durtschi, Manhattan, 44-1.75; 3. Michael Jeje, Manhattan, 43-9.50.
Shot put -- 1. Evan Middleton, Manhattan, 57-6.75; 2. Sam Scott, Washburn Rural, 47-6.75; 3. James Kahungura, Free State, 47-5.50.
Discus -- 1. Zachary Hancock, Washburn Rural, 160-6; 2. Adam Humphrey, Topeka High, 148-8; 3. Trevon Briley, Junction City, 148-1.
Javelin -- 1. Dylan Tajchman, Washburn Rural, 169-11; 2. Brekett Kruse, Manhattan, 164-7; 3. Hudson Andrew, Free State, 160-9.
