TOPEKA — The Great Bend swim team places in fourth at the Class 5A State Swimming and Diving Meet in Topeka on Saturday.
“We just swam really great all weekend long,” Panthers head coach Steve Beaumont said. “The guys kept knocking off times. The whole team swam really well. We just had a great meet.”
The Panthers were led by freshman Justin Kuhlman, who took third place in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 56.33 seconds and fourth place in the 200 individual medley, touching in at 2:08.32.
Kuhlman’s performance earned him first team All-State honors.
“He swam well,” Beaumont said. “He knocked off times in both of his races as well as in the relays.”
The best relay was the 400 freestyle, where the team of Ian Sheppard, Kort Cook, Ky Heeke and Kuhlman put in a time of 1:36.89, good enough for fifth place.
Cook swam in the 200 I.M., placing in eighth with a time of 2:12.43, the 100 backstroke, clocking in at 59.53 to take sixth place, as well as all three relays. Cook made second team All-State.
For Hoisington, Kade Cook took eighth place in the 100 butterfly, finishing at 58.27. Cook also finished in 12th place in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:57.41.
After Friday, the Panthers qualified for the championship heat held on Saturday in five of the eight events the team was competing in.
Justin Kuhlman took third place in both the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 backstroke. He was also part of the 400 freestyle relay team that finished in fifth place to make it into the final heat. Ian Sheppard, Kort Cook and Ky Heeke rounded up the rest of the team.

Class 5A State
Swimming and Diving Meet
SATURDAY
Great Bend results
Finals
200-yard Individual Medley
     4. Justin Kuhlman, Great Bend, 2:08.32; 8. Kort Cook, Great Bend, 2:12.43.
200 Freestyle relay
     7. Great Bend (Ian Prescott, Ky Heeke, Dylan Dreiling, Josh Sheppard), 1:36.89.
100 Backstroke
     3. Justin Kuhlman, Great Bend, 56.33; 6. Kort Cook, Great Bend, 59.53
400 Freestyle
     5. Great Bend (Ian Sheppard, Kort Cook, Ky Heeke, Justin Kuhlman), 3:29.42
Consolation
200 Medley relay
     11. Great Bend (Justin Kuhlman, Kyle Bussen, Kort Cook, Josh Prescott), 1:51.54.
200 Freestyle
     13. Ian Sheppard, Great Bend, 1:57.69; 16. Ky Heeke, Great Bend, 2:00.86.
100 Freestyle
10. Ian Sheppard, Great Bend, 52.09.

Hoisington results
Finals
100 Butterfly
     8. Kade Cook, Hoisington, 58.27.
Consolation
200 Freestyle
     12. Kade Cook, Hoisington, 1:57.41.

FRIDAY
Great Bend results
200 Medley relay
     9. Great Bend (Justin Kuhlman, Kyle Bussen, Kort Cook, Josh Prescott), 1:49.81.
200 Freestyle
     9. Ian Sheppard, Great Bend, 1:56.78; 15. Ky Heeke, Great Bend, 1:59.98.
200 Individual Medley
     3. Justin Kuhlman, Great Bend, 2:08.73; 8. Kort Cook, Great Bend, 2:11.56.
100 Freestyle
     11. Ian Sheppard, Great Bend, 52.26.
200 Freestyle relay
     8. Great Bend (Josh Prescott, Ky Heeke, Dylan Dreiling, Ian Sheppard), 1:37.89.
100 Backstroke
     3. Justin Kuhlman, Great Bend, 56.43; 5. Kort Cook, Great Bend, 59.04.
400 Freestyle relay
     5. Great Bend (Ian Sheppard, Kort Cook, Ky Heeke, Justin Kuhlman), 3:32.52.

Hoisington’s results
200 Freestyle
     14. Kade Cook, Hoisington, 1:58.87.
100 Butterfly
     8. Kade Cook, Hoisington, 58.45.