Panthers’ relays qualify for state
WICHITA — Great Bend’s swimmers posted season-best times while qualifying for 5A state in the 200 free relay (1:38.67) and 200 medley relay (1:52.66) at Saturday’s Wichita Heights Invitational. Their previous best times were 1:41.25 and 1:56.47. The Panthers finished eighth (111) with Wichita East (330.5) and McPherson (294) leading the way.
Allen To, Malachi Williams, Matthew Huslig, Isaac Panzer competed on the medley relay. Huslig, Williams, Allen To and Panzer competed on the 200 free relay.
“We qualified both the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay for state — which is always one of our team goals,” said Great Bend coach Steve Beaumont. “This is by far the biggest and most competitive meet we compete at other than 5A state. To finish eighth, is a huge accomplishment.”
Posting season-best times in the state’s toughest meet were Pierce, 200 free (2:00.36); Cal Kaiser, 100 butterfly (1:08.43); Panzer, 100 free (51.59); Pierce, 500 free (5:23.31); Allen To, 100 backstroke (1;11.2); and Williams, 100 breaststroke (1:14.93).
“I’m thrilled with the way our guys responded after a subpar performance our last meet,” Beaumont said. “They practiced really well the last three days and they competed so much better. We had to overcome some adversity this week with several swimmers out with illness, but they bounced back and were solid and their events.”
Great Bend competes Jan. 31 at Salina South.
WICHITA HEIGHTS INVITATIONAL
TEAM SCORES
1—Wichita East 330.4
2—McPherson 294
3—Wichita Heights 247
4—Maize High 211
5—Hutchinson High 174
6—Maize South 149
7—Wichita Trinity 128
8—Great Bend 111
9—Wichita Northwest 105.5
10—Wichita West 97; Wichita North 97
12—The Independent School 79; Newton 79; Winfield 79
15—Wichita Collegiate 46
16—Kapaun Mt. Carmel 26
17—Wichita South 21
18—Rose Hill 16
19—El Dorado 14
20—Garden City 9
21—Wichita Heights 2
GREAT BEND RESULTS
50 free—1—Garcia, Wichita West, 21.81; 6—Isaac Panzer, 23.33; 27—Eli Hutchinson, 25.79; 40—Eduardo Prado, 27.25
100 free—1—McPherson, Wichita East, 47.46; 5—Isaac Panzer, 51.59; 36—Eduardo Prado, 1:01.39; 41—Daniel Abbott, 1:02.42
100 butterfly—1—Hwang, Wichita East, 55.45; 19—Cal Kaiser, 1:08.43; 18—Allen To, 1:08.57; 34—Aidan Flores, 1:22.5
100 backstroke—1—Patton, Trinity, 52.6; 25—Allen To, 1:11.2; 28—Victor Stoulil, 1:12.44; 37—Daniel Abbott, 1:17.23
100 breaststroke—1—Quah, Wichita East, 1:02.63; 16—Malachi Williams, 1:14.93; 27—Jacob Kennedy, 1:18.9; 33–Daniel Cervantes, 1:21.18
200 IM—1—Patton, Wichita Trinity, 1:54.28; 17—Malachi Williams, 2:28.77
200 free—1—Ooten, Wichita East, 1:51.03; 6—Cole Pierce, 2:00.36; 10—Matthew Huslig, 2:01.99; 33—Jacob Kennedy, 2:21.11
500 free—1—Ooten, Wichita East, 5:04.23; 5—Cole Pierce, 5:23.31; 14—Matthew Huslig, 5:48.46
200 medley relay—1—Wichita East 1:40.06; 8—GB A, 1:52.66 (Allen To, Malachi Williams, Matthew Huslig, Isaac Panzer); GB B, 2:06.22 (Daniel Abbott, Jacob kennedy, Cal Kaiser, Daniel Cervantes)
200 free relay—1—Maize, 1:34.22; 10—GB A, 1:38.67 (Matthew Huslig, Malachi Williams, Allen To, Isaac Panzer); GB B, 1:52,52 (Jordan Popp, Daniel Cercantes, Aidan Flores, Eli Hutchinson)
400 free relay—1—Wichita East, 3;20.14; 12—GB A, 4:03.27 (Daniel Abbott, Eduardo Prado, Eli Hutchinson, Cole Pierce; GB B, 4:22.93 (Aidan Flores, Cal Kaiser, Victor Stoulil, Jordan Popp)
