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Swimmers qualify seven in second home meet
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Parker Smith works the back stroke during the first leg of the 200 yard medley relay. - photo by Travis Hendryx

Seven qualifiers represented Great Bend as the Panthers declared their second straight victory at Monday’s five-team meet at the BCCC natatorium.

Great Bend bested runner up Hutchinson by an 80-point margin, 423-343 while Dodge City, Liberal and Central Christian rounded out the final three seedings at 270, 169 and 36 team points respectively.

“It’s always good to win a meet. There were some really nice swims today and the girls’ competed hard,” said coach Steve Beaumont.

Kira Cook had two state qualifying times (200 IM/ 100 Breast). Madeline Vesta and Michaela Cape recorded state consideration times in the 100 yard fly and 100 yard back stroke.  

Cook placed first in the 200 IM with a time of 2:35.87 then grabbed a second place, qualifying time of 1:18.35 in the breast stroke. Cook joined teammates Michaela Cape, Kalyn Blessing and Camryn Dunekack for a qualifying, second place finish in the 200 medley relay at 2:07.04. Cook, Dunekack, Katy Jerke and Madeline Vesta took silver in the 400 free relay and qualified with a time of 4:10.75.

Cape placed first in the 100 yard backstroke at 1:13.10 and teamed up with Calista Long, Carly Boyd and Jerke to take the gold in the 200 yard free relay timing in at 1:58.43. In the neighboring lane, Vesta, Sarah Mauler, Rachel Bussen and Hadley Murphy polled a second place finish at 2:05.15. In the 100 yard free style, Dunekack posted a first place finish at 1:01.31 and also took top honors in the 50 yard free style with a time of 27.65. Blessing and Cape were second in the 200 IM and 50 yard free style timing in at 2:35.87 and 26.64 respectively. Vesta placed second in the 100 yard fly with a time of 1:12.32.

Great Bend will participate in quad competition in Garden City on April 14.