HAYS — It was a very eventful Western Athletic Conference girls’ swim meet for Great Bend High School.
The Lady Panthers won the WAC meet for the ninth season in a row with 357 points, topping second-place Garden City by 62.
“I’ve been the swimming coach for three years,” GBHS head coach Stephanie Maier said. “Steve Beaumont started the tradition before I took over. It was a little nerve-racking the first year, but we’ve been able to win.”
Allison Damm and Hannah Hildebrand were named to the first team all-conference.
“Allison had two first-place finishes which put her up for WAC champion, but she didn’t get it,” Maier said. “They gave it to a senior.”
Jessica Kuhlman, Taycee Bunn and Brenna Haines were named as second- team All-WAC selections.
Great Bend head coach Stephanie Maier was selected as the WAC girls’ swimming coach of the year.
If that wasn’t enough, the Lady Panthers had their second Class 5A state-qualifying time of the season with the 200-yard medley relay team consisting of Hildebrand, Brianna Schartz, Kuhlman and Damm turning in a time of two minutes, 9.81 seconds. The relay team took first place at the meet.
The state-qualifying time is 2:10.08.
“They finally made it to the state-qualifying time,” Maier said. “I changed some things around and added a different swimmer. It was a great way to start the conference meet.
“We added Brianna Schartz to the relay team and she did very well.”
Damm had a pair of first-place finishes at the meet, taking the top time in the 200 freestyle with 2:15.97 and touching in at 6:09.79 in the 500 freestyle.
Hildebrand claimed first place in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:11.95 and second place in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:07.69.
“Allison does great in the distance events for us,” Maier said. “Hannah didn’t swim as well in the backstroke as she usually does, but she is great at competition. She just knows how to push herself.”
Kuhlman, a Great Bend senior, swam a career-best time in the 200 individual medley to take third place, touching in at 2:38.80.
“She tried very hard to get into second place,” Maier said. “She swam the best time in the 200 I.M. that she has for the years she’s been here. It’s nice to see a senior go out on top.
“She could make it into the state meet on consideration time.”

WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
SWIM MEET
At Hays
Tuesday

Team standings
1. Great Bend, 357; 2. Garden City, 295; 3. Dodge City, 285; 4. Liberal, 172; 5. Hays, 168.

 Great Bend results
200-yard medley relay — 1. GBHS “A” relay (Hannah Hildebrand, Brianna Schartz, Jessica Kuhlman, Allison Damm), 2:09.81; 4. GBHS “B” relay (Katie Heeke, Brenna Haines, Kylee Spray, Sylvia Ofoma), 2:20.71; 10. GBHS “C” relay (Estella Schumacher, Jessica Freund, Tasha Davis, Darby Johnson), 2:38.59.
200 freestyle — 1. Allison Damm, 2:15.97; 6. Kylee Spray, 2:29.92; 7. Erin Sullivan, 2:31.11; Malia Disque, 2:48.02.
200 I.M. — 3. Jessica Kuhlman, 2:38.80; 4. Taycee Bunn, 2:46.74; 10. MaKenzie Sauder, 3:03.72.
50 freestyle — 5. Erin Sullivan, 29.89; 7. Sylvia Ofoma, 30.37; 11. Katlin Fuel, 32.54; Darby Johnson, 34.22; Jessica Freund, 34.36.
100 butterfly — 2. Hannah Hildebrand, 1:07.69; 5. Jessica Kuhlman, 1:17.70; 8. Malia Disque, 1:23.77.
100 freestyle — 5. Taycee Bunn, 1:05.35; 9. Katie Heeke, 1:07.79; 12. Kylee Spray, 1:08.95; Sylvia Ofoma, 1:13.00; Tasha Davis, 1:14.95; Brianna Schartz, 1:21.56; Estella Schumacher, 1:22.50.
500 freestyle — 1. Allison Damm, 6:09.79; 3. Brenna Haines, 6:44.93; 9. Tasha Davis, 7:35.08.
200 freestyle relay — 2. GBHS “A” relay (Taycee Bunn, Erin Sullivan, Sylvia Ofoma, Hannah Hildebrand), 1:57.56; 5. GBHS “B” relay (Malia Disque, Katlin Fuel, Kylee Spray, MaKenzie Sauder), 2:08.93; 9. GBHS “C” relay (Darby Johnson, Estella Schumacher, Jessica Freund, Brianna Schartz), 2:20.12.
100 backstroke — 1. Hannah Hildebrand, 1:11.95; 4. Katie Heeke, 1:17.41; 7. Katlin Fuel, 1:22.75.
100 breaststroke — 4. Brianna Schartz, 1:25.77; 6. Brenna Haines, 1:26.98; 7. MaKenzie Sauder, 1:33.75; Jessica Freund, 1:42.05.
400 freestyle relay — 3. GBHS “A” relay (Allison Damm, Jessica Kuhlman, Katie Heeke, Taycee Bunn), 4:19.61; 5. GBHS “B” relay (Erin Sullivan, Katlin Fuel, MaKenzie Sauder, Brenna Haines), 4:42.46; 9. GBHS “C” relay (Darby Johnson, Tasha Davis, Estella Schumacher, Malia Disque), 5:15.21.