By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Great Bend's Camryn Dunekack and Kira Cook welcomed the challenge of strong competition from Hutchinson High Monday at the Barton Community College pool.
Dunekack captured the 50 freestyle (26.05) just a shade off her best time. She placed runner-up in the 100 butterfly (1:04.79) in one of the meet's tightest finishes behind Hutchinson's Toni Lehr (1:04.4). Dunekack's fast finish nearly caught Lehr.
“My races went really good today,” Dunekack said. “The competition had better competition. It makes you work harder to improve your times.
She placed runner-up in the 100 butterfly. Dunekack has surpassed 5A state-qualifying standards in the 50 free (25.83), 1oo free (57.69) and 100 butterfly (1:04.79) and with two relays.
“My best race today was the 100 fly,” she said. “I stayed with Toni on the first 25. She got ahead of me in the middle 50. But on the last 25, I dug deep and I proud of the way I raced.”
Cook competed solidly with a runner-up finish in the 500 freestyle (6:08.99) by improving her time by 14 seconds. She placed third in the 200 free (2:10.39) that was won by Hutchinson High’s Kennedy Young (2:06.22).
“My races went really good and I was really proud of the times I pulled out,” Cook said. “The competition today is a great thing. That just makes you work harder and do better.”
Great Bend coach Steve Beaumont said Cook enjoyed a strong afternoon. Cook has posted a 5A state-qualifying time in the 200 freestyle (2:10.39)
“Kira Cook had an outstanding meet,” he said. “She dropped a lot of time in both the 200 and 500 freestyles and swam great relay splits as well.”
Dunekack and Cook competed on the runner-up 400 relay (4:07.59) with Calista Long and Katherine Snapp. They completed another strong event with a runner-up finish in the 200-yard medley relay (2:07.16) with Calista Long and Olivia Mull. Both the medley relay (2:05.32) and 400 relay (4:07.59) have posted 5A state-qualifying times.
“Considering how hard we worked in our individual races, the relays went really well,” Cook said.
Dunekack said the challenge was performing at a high level in individual races and relays.
“The relays went well,” Dunekack said. “Everyone worked hard on their individuals. We maybe didn’t have enough energy left for the relays.”
Olivia Mull placed runner-up in the 100 breaststroke (1:22.88) by improving her time by 1.5 seconds. Sheridan Beaumont placed third in the 50 freestyle (29.65). Katherine Snapp placed fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:15.11) and fifth in the 200 free (2;30.18).
“Katherine Snapp had a great day in the 100 backstroke and 200 freestyle,” Beaumont said.
The Panthers led much of the day boosted by an enthusiastic crowd until Hutchinson finished strong in the final three events. Hutchinson High scored 397 points and Great Bend was runner-up with 375 points.
“I keep preaching to this team that we’re growing and improving every time out,” Beaumont said. “We are not where we want to be, but we are making progress. We need to keep working hard at practices.”
The Panthers compete at Garden City in their next action.
“We know that will be a big challenge,” Beaumont said.
GREAT BEND INVITATIONAL
TEAM TOTALS—1—Hutchinson 397; 2—Great Bend 375; 3—Dodge City 264; 4—Liberal 161; 5--Hutchinson Central Christian 46; 6—Salina Sacred Heart 14
GREAT BEND RESULTS
50 free—1—Camryn Dunekack, 26.02; 3—Sheridan Beaumont, 29.65; 7—Gentry Schneider, 31.83; Delaney Buehler, 31.43; Alyssia Strickland, 34.93; Trista Wilt, 34.94; Parker Smith, 35.36; Ema Millard, 35.58; Jadon Ward, 36.43; Willow Jones, 37.23; Hannah Jones, 37.59; Darian Harbaugh, 37.78; Courtney Barton, 42.23; 29—Karlie Stanley, 45.21; Yulisa Sanchez, 51.03; Talaya Stout, 51.2
100 free—Lonna Porter, HHS, 57.94; 3—Calista Long, 1:05.03; 5—Piper Libeer, 1:10.78; 7—Gentry Schneider, 1:14.09; Monica Lang, 1:16.4; Hunter Ruppe, 1:19.03; Hannah Jones, 1:29.0; Courtney Barton, 1:35.9; Karlie Stanley, 1:40.18
100 breaststroke—1—Toni Lehr, HHS, 1:14.92; 2—Olivia Mull, 1:22.88; 6—Sheridan Beaumont, 1:29.5; 7—Piper Libeer, 1:34.58; Darian Harbaugh, 1:38.83; Accacia Pedigo, 1:40.06
100 backstroke—1—Kennedy Young, HHS, 1:03.0; 4—Katherine Snapp, 1;15.11; 5—Emma Williams, 1:17.26; 7—Elizabeth Linenberger, 1:29.09; Willow Jones, 1:38.07; Parker Smith, 1:41.49
100 butterfly—1—Toni Lehr, HHS, 1:04.4; 2—Camryn Dunekack, 1:04.79; 5—Elizabeth Gerdes, 1:25.17; 7—Elizabeth Linenberger, 1:29.94
200 IM—1—Tori Lehr, HHS, 2:29.53; 3—Olivia Mull, 2:47.62; 5—Calista Long, 2:50.09; 6—Elizabeth Gerdes, 2:50.95
200 free—1—Kennedy Young, HHS, 2:06.22; 2—Kira Cook, 2:10.39; 5—Katherine Snapp, 2:30.18; Elizabeth Mayhill, 2:44.39; Accacia Pedigo, 3:00.75; Hunter Ruppe, 3:08.54
500 free—1—Emily Hendricks, HHS, 5:48.72; 2—Kira Cook, 6:08.99; 7—Elizabeth Mayhill, 7:32.78; 8—Grace Soupiset, 7:51.26
200 free relay—1—Dodge City A, 1:56.26; 3—GB A, 2:00.24 (Emma Williams, Elizabeth Gerdes, Sheridan Beaumont, Olivia Mull); 5—GB B, 2:06.95 (Gentry Schneider, Delaney Buehler, Trista Wilt, Piper Libeer); 10—GB C, 2:23.02 (Hunter Ruppe, Willow Jones, Alyssia Strickland, Accacia Pedigo); GB D, 3:04.44 (Karlie Stanley, Yulisa Sanchez, Talaya Stout, Courtney Barton)
200 medley relay—1—Hutchinson, 1:59.86; 2—GB A, 2:07.16 (Camryn Dunekack, Olivia Mull, Calista Long, Kira Cook); 4—GB B, 2:20.58; (Emma Williams, Sheridan Beaumont, Elizabeth Gerdes, Piper Libeer); 6—GB C, 2:31.82 (Elizabeth Linenberger, Accacia Pedigo, Delaney Buehler, Grace Soupiset); 12—GB D, 2:52.76 (Ema Millard, Jadon Ward, Monica Lang, Trista Wilt)
400 free relay—1—Hutchinson, 4:00.97; 2—GB A, 4:07.59 (Kira Cook, Calista Long, Katherine Snapp, Camryn Dunekack); 4—GB B, 4:54.52 (Grace Soupiset, Elizabeth Mayhill, Monica Lang, Gentry Schneider); 8—GB C, 5:30.2 (Hunter Ruppe, Alyssia Strickland, Ema Millard, Elizabeth Linenberger)
