And sometimes, even that isn't enough.

The Hillsboro girls fell four points short of defending their Class 3A team title Saturday in Wichita's Cessna Stadium. But their grit on a hot and windy weekend did enable them to finish among the top two teams in the state for the third straight year.

This time Wichita Independent played the spoiler, accumulating 57 points to Hillsboro's 53.

Heading into the final event, the 4x400 relay, the Trojans still had a shot to repeat if they could beat Independent by three places or more.

That was a tall order, considering Independent had edged Hillsboro at the tape only a week earlier at regionals.

Now at state, turning in a season-best time, the Trojans placed second...but Independent finished right behind in third.

"Looking at their accomplishments over the past three seasons, this is the most talented track team that this school has seen," said coach Dennis Boldt of his squad.

"Finishing as state champions a year ago, many people would think only a repeat would bring the same feeling of accomplishment, but I am so proud of the girls and how excited they were to accept that trophy.

"They truly understand what it takes to compete at this level from an individual and team perspective."

As has been the case in all three title chases, three classmates led the way again this weekend: JuliAnne Chisholm, Hannah Marsh and Tina Frick, all juniors, who scored a combined 44 points in individual events.

The trio also ran with senior Carrie Schroeder on the second-place 4x400 team while Frick anchored the 4x100 team that placed seventh with three freshmen teammates in tow: Tiffany Rooker, Shelby Koons and Abi Humber.

"Having so many underclassmen in this group will only continue to make us stronger in the future," Boldt said.

Chisholm won her third consecutive high-jump title by clearing 5-feet, 6-inches. After clinching the title, she left to run the finals of the 100-meter hurdles, then returned to take a stab at a state record 5-91⁄2. She fell just short in three attempts.

"We can't seem to catch a break during her high-jump competition, having to leave to compete in other events," Boldt said. "She is the state's premier high jumper and I couldn't be more proud of all her efforts."

Another tough break for the Trojans was having to compete in the same year as Burlington's Katie Guevel, who claimed four individual gold medals-three of which came in events that included Trojans.

Guevel won both hurdle races as well as the 200 finals.

In the 110-meter hurdles, the Burlington junior ran a 14.47 to Chisholm's 15.15 for second and Frick's 15.48 for fourth. In the 300-meter race, she edged defending-champion Chisholm (46.47) by a scant 0.74 of a second.

In the 200, Guevel ran a 24.92 compared to Marsh's fourth-place time of 26.11.

But Marsh encountered some good fortune in the pole vault when Hesston's Liz Wray, the season's top vaulter in 3A, could not compete because of injury.

Marsh, who all but gave up the pole vault last year after setting the school record as a freshman, tied Carissa Hughes of Wellsville for the top height of day at 10-0, but settled for the silver medal in a jump-off tiebreaker.

"Hannah taking up the pole vault again this year really paid off this season." Boldt said. "Electing not to compete in the 100 allowed her to concentrate on her pole vault and obviously she scored well."

Marsh encountered misfortune when she had to defend her two-year reign as the long-jump gold medalist at the end of a loaded Friday afternoon. She had already competed in the pole vault and the 200 and 4x400 prelims.

Even so, Marsh managed a leap of 16-10 to place sixth.

Frick, meanwhile, just missed the opportunity to compete in four finals by missing a spot in the 300-meter finals by a half-second.

"She found more success in each individual event this year, but I am most proud of her leadership with the 4x100 relay team," Boldt said. "She ran simply two incredible anchor legs-first to get the team into the finals, and then on Saturday to score a medal."

Competing in her first state competition was Chelsea Bebermeyer. The sophomore threw the discuss 99-6 to place 14th among 16 competitors.

"She was, as all first-time athletes are when qualifying for state competition, thrilled to compete," Boldt said. "She should be proud of her efforts and motivated to return next season."

Boldt had nothing but praise for his squad.

"I am extremely proud of their efforts and dedication throughout the season,and they truly deserve to take home a trophy," he said.