By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Panthers' Eli Somers wins WAC 100 freestyle
panther swimming
Great Bend multi-state qualifier Camryn Dunekack qualified for 5A state swimming and the Panthers 400-yard relay also qualified for state in the Salina South Tournament. Great Bend placed first with 545 points and Hutchinson High (485) placed second. - photo by JIM MISUNAS Great Bend Tribune

Great Bend multi-event state qualifier Eli Somers (52.2) captured the 100-yard freestyle Western Athletic title Thursday at the Barton Cougar pool. Somers bettered his previous best time of 52.48 at Topeka.

State qualifier Somers finished runner-up in the 200-yard freestyle (1:56.44) with a season best time.

The Panthers delivered season-best times with a third-place 200 freestyle relay (1:48.75) with Kale Mermis, Draiden Kracman Cade Urban and Somers; and the third-place 400-yard freestyle relay (4:11.28) with Mermis, Kracman, Urban and Somers.

Mermis placed third in the 500-yard freestyle (6:26.08) with a season-best time. 

Great Bend scored 316 points to finish fourth, but set season-best times in multiple events. Hays High (523) captured the WAC championship, breaking a lengthy title streak by Great Bend and Garden City.

BOYS WESTERN ATHLETIC

TEAM SCORES—1—Hays High 523; 2—Garden City 422; 3—Dodge City 419; 4—Great Bend 316; 5—Liberal 171

GREAT BEND RESULTS *season best

50 freestyle—1—Zadina, H, *23.5; 6—Mermis, *26.92; 7—Urban, 27.62; 8—Kracman, *27.99

100 freestyle—1—Somers, GB, *52.2 (SQ); 8—Urban, *1:08.11; 15—Burroughs, *1:36.81

200 freestyle—1—Gonzalez, GC, 1:54.27; 2—Somers, *1:56.44 (SQ); 11—Scheuerman, 2:50.56; 12—Bashor, 3:01.0

500 freestyle—1—Gonzalez, GC, *5:07.28; 3—Mermis, *6:26.08; 8—Scheuerman, *7:42.39; 11—Leech, 8:13.64

100 backstroke—1—Flaska, H, 1:01.84; 9—Kracman, *1:28.29; 12—Burroughs, *1:48.62

100 butterfly—1—Keller, GC, *1:00.42; 6—Sperlein, *1:10.91

100 breaststroke—1—Ackerman, GC, *1:11.22; 8—Leech, *1:34.53; 10—Bashor, 2:04.77

200 IM—1—Flaska, H, *2:21.28; 8—Sperlein, *2:44.49

200 medley relay—1—Hays, *1:49.72; 5—Great Bend, 2:24.83 (Scheuerman, Leech, Sperlein, Maharjan)

200 freestyle relay—1—Garden City, 1:41.7; 3—Great Bend A, *1:48.75 (Mermis, Kracman Urban, Somers); 11—Great Bend B, 2:23.07 (Scheuerman, Burroughs, Maharjan, Bashor)

400 freestyle relay—1—Hays, 3:48.75; 3—Great Bend A, *4:11.28 (Mermis, Kracman, Urban, Somers); 7—Great Bend B, *5:18.03 (Maharjan, Bashor, Leech, Sperlein)