Great Bend Post Sports
Six schools were in action on a rare Wednesday night of competition that included diving at Salina Central. The Newton swimmers won the meet with 509 points, followed by Hutchinson with 423 points. Great Bend finished third with 304 points.
Kasey Kennedy won the gold in the 200 freestyle by more than two seconds in 2:07.69, missing the 5-1A consideration time by just three seconds. Jordan Sander placed seventh in the race in 2:31.33. Adam Hall finished third in the 59.79 to miss the silver by five seconds. Andrew McQuade placed sixth in that race in 1:04.00.
The 200 medley relay of Kennedy, Hall, McQuade, and Matthew Williams finished fourth in 2:03.41 to miss the bronze by less than four seconds. Salina Central swam a state-qualifying time to win the race. The 400 free relay squad of Williams, Sander, Kale Mermis, and Joshua Sharpe placed fifth in 4:49.56 to miss the bronze by 54 seconds. Hutchinson swam a state qualifying time of 3:39.32 to win by eight seconds.
The 200 free relay team of Sander, Mermis, Dylon Kalivoda, and AJ Thurman placed eighth in 2:23.07 to miss the bronze by 28 seconds.
Williams finished fourth in the 500 free in 6:51.87 to miss the bronze by 11 seconds. Sander hit the pad in 6:59.83 for seventh. Mermis placed fifth in the 200 IM in 3:05.74 to miss the bronze by 27 seconds. Thurman finished seventh in 3:19.46. Hall placed sixth in the 50 free in 25.48 to miss the bronze by 1.11 seconds. McQuade finished 10th in 27.16. Sharpe swam sixth in the 100 back in 1:26.47 to miss the bronze by 16 seconds.