For the Great Bend High School girls’ swim team, it is a quick jump into the spring sports season.
The Lady Panthers dive in today at a meet at Salina South, starting at 1:30 p.m. with the diving competition. The swimming events start at 3:30.
Great Bend’s girls will be under new management this season, with longtime boys’ head coach Steve Beaumont taking over as skipper for Stephanie Maier.
“Coach Maier wasn’t teaching at the high school anymore, and she made the decision to step down,” Beaumont said. “I’ve coached girls for 20 years as an assistant coach and a head coach, though, I haven’t for about four years.
“Typically, we haven’t had our first meet until after spring break. I felt it would be beneficial to get one in early this year. I know some of the girls from the summer club, but then there are some I don’t know, so this will help us get acquainted quicker.”
Last season, Great Bend sent 12 swimmers to the Class 5-1A state swim meet.
Hannah Hildebrand finished 10th in the 50-meter freestyle as a sophomore, clocking in at 26.45. She also took 10th in the backstroke with a time of 1:03.82.
Hildebrand joined Allison Damm, Kylee Spray and Brenna Haines for a 12th-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay with a combined time of 4:11.91.
Last season was also the 10th straight year that the Lady Panthers won the Western Athletic Conference title.
Great Bend High School
Girls’ swim team
Roster
Amber Basden Soph.
Michala Bieker Fr.
Kalyn Blessing Fr.
Carly Bord Fr.
Rachel Bussen Soph.
Michaela Cape Soph.
Allison Damm Sr.
Jessica Freund Jr.
Anna Frizell Soph.
Morgan Harwood Jr.
Hannah Hildebrand Jr.
Taylor Huslig Fr.
Katy Jerke Fr.
Sarah Mauler Fr.
Sylvia Ofoma Sr.
Jordan Otten Soph.
Magdiel Rodriguez Fr.
Brianna Schartz Jr.
Heather Schneider Fr.
Estella Schumacher Sr.
Kiley Spray Jr.
Karah Stewart Soph.
Maddie Unruh Jr.
Paige VanSteenburgh Soph.
Madeline Vesta Soph.
Georgia Zimmerman Jr.
