Manhattan ? Alex Brunfeldt looked long and hard at the scoreboard in the corner of the natatorium after his 500-yard freestyle race Friday.

He didn’t pump his fist. He didn’t even smile.

He just stared at his time while trying to catch his breath. Brunfeldt showed little emotion, though he was feeling so much of it inside.

The Free State High senior set the state record in 4:35.34 Friday during the preliminaries of the Kansas state swimming championships at Kansas State University Natatorium. The time broke former Lawrence High standout Jonathan Hemphill’s record of 4:35.59.

As Brunfeldt’s time was displayed on the scoreboard — while the rest of the swimmers in his heat were still finishing their laps — the packed house gave him a standing ovation. The state record was a season-long goal for him and a sweet start to a potentially special state meet for the Firebirds, who will be in the hunt for the team title when the finals begin today.

“It’s a good time for me,” Brunfeldt said. “I can’t complain about a state record.”

Brunfeldt’s historic race was a clinic in endurance and, even more remarkably, consistency. His first 250 yards were completed in 2:17.61; His last 250 were done in 2:17.73.

“He was so excited,” FSHS coach Annette McDonald said. “His brother flew in to see him, and it was really exciting to do it in front of his family. It was definitely a goal achieved.”

Free State’s first day, while not perfect, still was fantastic. Five of the six individual qualifiers advanced to today’s championship finals, which pit the eight fastest swimmers from the prelims, in at least one race. Brunfeldt, Anthony Portela and Chris Sellon advanced to the championship finals in both of their individual races.

In addition, all three relays placed in the top eight. The 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams each won their preliminaries by about two seconds. For team standing purposes, the relays are the most crucial, as they count for twice as many points as all the individual events.

The only Free State hiccup wasn’t even a particularly damaging one. Senior Chris Wolff, who had a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle, drew a less-competitive heat in the 100 freestyle and ended up finishing ninth. It barely dropped him into the consolation finals, where fewer team points are at stake.

No matter. Free State still has the juice to be a serious contender when the swimming finals start at 12:30 p.m. today. Shawnee Mission East and Olathe East also had a strong first day.

“Everything turned out right but that one little event,” said McDonald, who had trouble wiping away her grin. “He was in a slower heat. He swam the race instead of thinking about his time. But you know what? That’s not going to hurt us because everybody else competed really well.”

Brunfeldt, along with his 500-freestyle performance, placed second in the 200 freestyle earlier in the day. Portela easily won the 100 butterfly and took third in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:01.41. Sellon placed fifth in both the 500 freestyle and 200 individual medley.

In addition, freshman Chase Torgerson place seventh in the 100 backstroke.

Torgerson (200 individual medley) and Nathan Schriner (100 breaststroke) each will race in the consolation finals today.

The table appears to be set. The Firebirds had the satisfactory first day they needed. Another strong day today could propel Free State to its first state title ever in any sport.

It’s hardly a given, though.

“We’re watching the times and the places,” McDonald said. “Everybody affects everybody. The whole picture is hard to see.”

Lawrence High’s only competitors, swimmer Ian Legler and diver Nick Leet, each had satisfying days.

Legler qualified for the consolation finals of the 100 breaststroke with a season-best time of 1:06.53. Leet advanced to the semifinals of the diving competition, placing third with a score of 206.50.

Leet, a junior, was randomly and unfortunately selected to follow Blue Valley Northwest’s Kelly Marx, a phenomenal diver who’s favored to win the state title.

“It seems like I’m always put after him,” Leet said, shaking his head. “They see his entry, and they compare mine to his.”

Leet still had solid scores on most of his five dives, propelling him into today’s three-dive semifinal and, if things go smoothly, the three-dive final.

The diving semifinals will start at 10 a.m. today at the KSU Natatorium.