SALINA — While the Great Bend High School boys’ swimming team finished fourth out of five teams in the Panthers’ season-opening meet at Salina, they showed some potential according to head coach Steve Beaumont.
“Great first meet,” Beaumont said. “I’m really excited about the potential this team has based on our times. I thought our returning swimmers turned in some excellent times, many of them already faster than their best last year, and all of our new swimmers really swam well and showed us that they have a lot of potential.”
Great Bend already turned in three Class 5A state qualifying times.
The 200-meter medley relay team of Justin Kuhlman, Michael Raymer, Dawson Clarke and Jack Pumford finished at 1:56.32, taking third.
Josh Schridde, Cory Merten, Clarke and Kuhlman combined for a state-qualifying time in the 400 freestyle relay at 3:50.75 for first place.
Kuhlman’s first-place time of 59.07 in the 100 backstroke also qualified him for the state meet.

                                         — Kevin Price

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

BOYS

Thursday

At Salina

Team results
1. Salina Central, 337; 2. Salina South, 327; 3. Haysville Campus, 263; 4. Great Bend, 248; 5. Hays, 195

Great Bend results
200-meter medley relay — 3. GBHS ‘A’ relay (Justin Kuhlman, Michael Raymer, Dawson Clarke, Jack Pumford), 1:56.32; 8. GBHS ‘B’ relay (Connor Furrey, Chris Seidel, Phillip Otten, Ryan Romine), 2:12.22
200 freestyle — 3. Cory Merten, 2:13.34; 9. Jordan Boone, 2:38.24; Sean Williams, 2:36.25
200 individual medley — 1. Kuhlman, 2:14.47; 8. Raymer, 2:46.58; 10. Phane Pedigo, 2:53.36; Ozioma Ofoma, 3:08.84
50 freestyle — 3. Josh Schridde, 25.18; 7. Pumford, 27.32; 10. Phillip Otten, 30.52; Furrey, 28.63; Corey Harbaugh 29.30; Cameron Jackson, 30.68; Cody Reed, 31.16; Alan Bobbitt, 32.19; Franesco Ruggeri, 32.37; Cesar Arteaga, 34.95; Kaleb Babcock, 37.60; JP Thewes, 38.43; Adam Bailey, 39.99
100 butterfly — 4. Clarke, 1:12.95; 7. Romine, 1:20.41; 9. Boone, 1:28.18
100 freestyle — 2. Schridde, 57.46; 4. Pumford, 1:01.30; 10. Otten, 1:10.02; Bobbitt, 1:10.31; Reed, 1:15.89; Ruggeri, 1:16.87
500 freestyle — 4. Merten, 6:31.84; 8. Furrey, 7:11.07; Ofoma, 7:54.50
200 freestyle relay — 3. GBHS ‘A’ relay (Pumford, Raymer, Merten, Schridde), 1:48.81; 7. GBHS ‘C’ relay (Romine, Reed, Harbaugh, Ruggeri), 2:03.71; 8. GBHS ‘B’ relay (Jackson, Otten, Seidel, Williams), 2:04.45
100 backstroke — 1. Kuhlman, 59.07; 4. Clarke, 1:18.56; 7. Pedigo, 1:22.36
100 breaststroke — 6. Raymer, 1:18.59; 9. Williams, 1:23.00; 10. Seidel, 1:29.68
400 freestyle relay — 1. GBHS ‘A’ relay (Schridde, Merten, Clarke, Kuhlman), 3:50.75; 4. GBHS ‘B’ relay (Boone, Furrey, Jackson, Romine), 4:28.68; 7. GBHS ‘C’ relay (Ofoma, Bobbitt, Pedigo, Harbaugh), 4:52.65