Liberty’s championship winning spring continues

Liberty High School might have to host a parade for the number of state championships the Patriots have won this spring.

After Tayler Conway (tennis), Calvin Cakarnis (golf) and the fastpitch team won state titles last week, Liberty boys track took home first place at the WIAA State Track and Field Championships from May 29-31.

“We have always had a mindset of finishing here at the end of the year. One of our pillars is ‘Direction not perfection,’ the idea that we are always headed in the right direction and improving every week. We got guys PR’ing at state championships and that’s the best thing you can ask for,” Head Coach Brian Anderson said.

The Patriots rode the fast lane as all of their points except one came in sprinted events on the boys side. Liberty put up 57 points as a team, 16 more than last season after their second place finish in 2024.

This year, Liberty knew there was a chance to make a run at a state title just off the name Sutten Flint. The junior sprinter qualified in the 110-meter hurdles, 300-meter hurdles and 200-meter dash.

Flint has set seven school records for Liberty in his three year career and is a beacon of what Liberty track looks like.

“He leads by example really well,” Anderson said.

Flint wasn’t the only contributor either. Jackson Moffitt and Dean James also qualified for the finals in multiple races and performed quite well. Moffitt’s best race was the 400-meter dash where he took second place behind Lincoln’s Eddie Bruner Jr.

James placed sixth, right behind Moffitt in the 100 dash. All three made the 200 dash with Flint taking first, Moffitt in third and James in sixth. Flint’s top end speed is special, and for Moffitt and James, chasing that made them better.

“When you get in a workout and you see what he can do, naturally that is going to push the other athletes. Jackson and Dean are also pretty elite level sprinters with him. To have those guys training helps you get better,” Anderson said.

Flint started out his state meet with a win in the 110-meter race on day two. Flint then would have broken the 3A meet record in the 300 meter hurdles, but was disqualified as the first hurdle went into another runner’s lane. Despite a protest, Flint’s time was erased. But he did watch a close friend in Kenyon Andrews of Hazen break the 2A, 3A and 4A record in the 300 hurdles 4A race right after.

“That’s one of my best friends. I’m at his house all the time and close with his family. It’s great to seeing us compete at a high level. It’s nice to have someone who is the same speed as you,” Andrews said.

The two runners have been friends on and off the track and have built a special bond.

“Me and Kenyon are really good friends. Whenever we go on the track we want to beat each other. The 300 hurdles is going to be a friendly competition. It’s going to be fun,” Flint said.

Oden Hatcher also came to play for the Liberty boys’ track team. In the high jump, Hatcher jumped 6’6” — which was enough for third place.

Heading into the meet, senior Pratyush Nair had the fifth lowest qualifying triple jump. He would set a personal record and even place in an event where 16 jumpers had higher qualifying jumps.

“Pratyush is such a team guy. Getting those performances from these guys that you’re not necessarily counting on is awesome,” Anderson said.

As far as Hazen goes, Andrews’ crown in the 300 was the bright spot. Andrews set a new state meet record of 36.00 seconds, breaking a record from 1989. Right as Andrews was in his blocks, the rain began to sprinkle, but that didn’t slow down the junior.

“This was the first year I have been able to put it all together. It feels amazing. Crossing the finish line felt like a weight coming off my shoulders,” Andrews said.

Hazen’s other lone point came from Logan Stacey, who finished eighth.

Renton had just two girls record points at state with Angela Fiame taking fourth in the shot put with a throw of 36’ 3”. The other Redhawk place is junior Makayla Dabney, placing eighth in the discus.