If she was strictly a sprinter, Andover senior Jaylyn Agnew would have already carved out a successful career in the 200-meter dash as a three-time state qualifier and two-time state medalist.

But Agnew has a chance to legitimize herself as one of the best high jumpers in the history of Kansas this season, as she is in pursuit of her fourth straight state championship in Class 5A. Only Chanute’s Cris Hall (1985-88) and Fairfield’s Kristi Rinehart (1993-96) have won four titles in high jump.

So Agnew is giving up the 200 — the event’s preliminaries occur during the high jump competition — in an attempt to preserve her legs and ensure that she closes out a superb career that will end when she graduates and heads to Creighton on a basketball scholarship.

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