Panthers qualify seven swim entries

TOPEKA – Great Bend’s Western Athletic Conference champions qualified three relays and four individual events for the 5-1A state swimming championship at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Topeka’s Hummer Sports Park.

Emily Hall earned WAC Swimmer of the Year honors winning the 100 backstroke (1:05.15) and 200 freestyle (2:15.34) while competing on first-place 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays.

The 10th-ranked 200-yard medley relay (2:00.27) set a school record with Emilee Hall, Clarice Snapp, Ellyson Somers and Josephine Mazouch winning the WAC title. The top 16 qualifiers advance to Saturday’s finals.

The 200 freestyle relay (1:50.2) qualified with Mazouch, Somers, Kamryn Johns and Hall. The 400 freestyle relay (4:03.22) set its best time with Mazouch, Johns, Somers and Hall.

The Panthers won seven events to capture last week’s Western Athletic Conference swimming championship.

5-1A STATE, TOPEKA

PANTHER STATE QUALIFIERS

100 backstroke—18—Emilee Hall, 1:06.31

100 breaststroke—24—Clarise Snapp, 1:21.14

100 butterfly—21—Ellyson Somers, *1:07.38

100 freestyle—19—Josephine Mazouch, 58.9

200 freestyle relay—DQ—Great Bend, 1:50.16 (Mazouch, Somers, Kamryn Johns, Hall)

200 medley relay—11—Great Bend, *2:00.27 (Hall, Snapp, Somers, Mazouch) 

400 freestyle relay—15—Great Bend, 4:08.27 (Mazouch, Carper, Somers, Hall)