Five things to watch at the Kansas Relays

The remaining events in the Kansas Relays will be held Friday at Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence. Because thunderstorms are in the forecast for Saturday, all events have been moved to Friday, beginning at 8 a.m. The last high school event, 1,600-meter relay is scheduled for 11 p.m. Here are five high school story lines to watch at the meet.

1. Madison back for more

Liberty North senior Andrew Madison won three championships at the Missouri Class 3 track state meet last spring — an accomplishment that lifted the Eagles to their first state title in school history.

A year later, the champion hurdler is on an even better pace.

Madison completed the 300-meter hurdles in 38.11 seconds at the Jerry Crews Invitational last week — topping last season’s state-championship time in the process. He also won the 110-meter hurdles race.

Madison, The Star’s All-Metro track athlete of the year last season, is slated to compete in both hurdles events.

2. Gorthy a distance contender

Blue Valley’s Joe Gorthy, who placed third at the Kansas Class 6A cross country state meet, is Kansas’ top contender in the 3,200-meter run at the Kansas Relays.

Only Blue Valley West’s Stuart McNutt has posted a lower time in the 3,200 this season, but he is not running the event. Gorthy and McNutt, though, will face off in the 1,600-meter relay.

Gorthy’s top time in the 3,200 is 9 minutes, 36 seconds, which is faster than Manhattan’s Jackson Schroeder and Michael Melgares. Those two runners placed first and second at the cross country state meet.

The 3,200-meter race is scheduled for 12:10 p.m. Friday. The 1,600-meter run is set for 5:47 p.m. Friday.

3. Adding to the medal collection?

There are few high school track athletes with a more accomplished resume than Grandview senior Anglerne Annelus. Over the past two seasons, she has won six Missouri Class 3 state championships.

Annelus, a UCLA signee, is a two-time defending champion in the 100- and 200-meter races, and she’s anchored a pair of relay wins, too.

Annelus is scheduled to appear in the 100-meter dash at the Kansas Relays. The race will take place at 9:35 a.m. Friday.

4. A tall task

Summit Christian Academy sophomore Carlie Queen set a Missouri Class 2 state-meet record last spring, when she recorded a high jump of 5 feet, 7 3/4 inches and won a state title.

She’s already topped that mark this season. Queen cleared the bar at 5-9 earlier this month.

If she wants to win the event at the Kansas Relays, however, she will have to top the defending Missouri Class 4 state champion.

North Kansas City senior NeKiesha Bailey claimed the Missouri Class 4 state title last spring after winning the same event at the Kansas Relays the previous month. She will try to defend the Kansas Relays championship at noon Friday.

5. Throwing for gold

During the past three seasons, sisters Matia and Rebecca Finley have established themselves as formidable contenders in Kansas Class 6A discus competition.

Matia is the two-time defending state champion, and she finished fourth last year at the Kansas Relays. This season, though, Rebecca has a slight edge with a top throw of 149 feet, 4 inches. Matia’s top mark is 145-2.

Two of the three girls that finished ahead of the Finley sisters last year at the Kansas Relays have moved onto the college ranks, making Matia and Rebecca the favorites today.

The discus competition is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday.

This story was originally published April 16, 2015 at 5:06 PM with the headline "Five things to watch at the Kansas Relays."