The Free State High girls swimming squad may be running on fumes right now, but there still was enough gas left in the tank Monday to top Wichita Trinity Academy – the state runner-up a year ago – with a final score of 100-80.

Although the team was on empty, FSHS coach Jama Crady still was disappointed with her team’s performance.

“We’re still tired, but that’s something they’ve got to push through,” Crady said. “That’s something about high school swimming – you’ve got to keep going. You have two meets every week and you’ve got to stand up and swim fast every time. Or at least give it a best effort, and I don’t think we gave it our best effort tonight.

“A win’s a win, but I’m not a very happy coach right now with our win. It could have been done better.”

Kelsi Mishler’s first-place finishes in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 freestyle kept Free State afloat after Trinity claimed the top spot in two of the first three events.

Ashley Robinson’s eight-second margin of victory in the 200 freestyle was the first event win for the Firebirds.

Kacey Clements’ 114.60 score in one-meter diving topped her only opponent, teammate Brittanie Williams. The win was amidst a string of six first-place finishes for the Firebirds during the middle of the dual.

Mishler admitted the work load is starting to catch up to the squad.

“Our last relay was definitely dogging it today,” said Mishler of the 400 freestyle relay team – consisting of herself, Becca Glass, Sarah Clark and Robinson – that finished second. “We’re all swimming tired. Having early morning practices, it’s kind of difficult but it won’t get any easier, I will say that.”

The 200 freestyle relay was the only group victory for Free State. The Firebirds’ A-team swam away with a 10-second win over their B-team – Whitley Jackson, Bailey Carlson, Madeline Glass and Kacee Abel – which was five seconds ahead of Trinity’s top team.

“Our relay wasn’t the best that it’s been tonight, and they got chewed for that,” Crady said. “Trinity has got some strong girls. And when you put them all together on a relay, they’re going to do well.

“Trinity’s always got some really strong girls. I don’t know, numbers wise, if they’re up or down, but they’re still very fast – especially in some of the areas that we’re not.”

Mishler said the relay teams were what the Firebirds depended on the most and can usually count on for first-place finishes and the points that come with them.

“We have slow days and we have fast days and today tended to be a little bit slower,” Mishler said. “But hopefully we can come back Thursday and win over at Blue Valley West, so it should be a good meet.”