It was both terrible and terrific for Free State High’s Julian Spangler when his 200-yard freestyle relay team finally notched a state-qualifying time at its home triangular Tuesday.

“Right after you feel like you’re going to throw up,” Spangler said, “but right after that it feels like nothing else. All that work you’ve gone through comes to a culmination.”

Indeed, all the hard work over the winter break and even through an early-morning practice had paid dividends for Brian Hatesohl, Danny Wolff, Spencer Flannigan and Spangler, with the group recording a time of 1 minute, 38.11 seconds to gain entry into next month’s state meet.

“It’s a great feeling,” said Flannigan, who swam the last leg of the relay. “It’s a goal we set from day one, and it was starting to get down to the wire.”

With only four meets remaining to qualify times for state, Free State coach Annette McDonald decided in favor of morning practice Tuesday to work on technique. She certainly couldn’t argue with the results.

Free State swimmers, from left, Danny Wolff, Julian Spangler and Spencer Flannigan look at their 200-yard medley relay time as Brian Hatesohl finishes his leg. The same quartet qualified Tuesday for state in the 200 freestyle relay.

The Firebirds dominated the triangular, racking up eight first-place finishes and seven seconds to end their day with 173 points. Blue Valley West was runner-up with 82 points.

“We feel like we finally had a really successful meet,” McDonald said, “where the guys came together.”

On senior night, where five Free State swimmers and one diver participated in their last home meet, the Firebirds notched at least a top-two finish in each of the 12 events.

The night wasn’t without its close calls. The 200 medley relay team of Flannigan, Spangler, Wolff and Hatesohl came up a few tenths shy of state qualification, taking first in the opening event with a 1:51.18.

The four remained focused even after it seemed the meet would never begin. The 3:30 starting time was pushed back to 4 because of problems with the touch pads in the pool.

Flannigan narrowly missed a bid for state in the 100 free, finishing second in 53.95.

Other first-place finishes belonged to Erik Gruber (200 free), Cody Briggs (100 butterfly), Blaine Juhl (diving), Wolff (500 free), Spangler (100 breast), and the 400 freestyle relay team of Hatesohl, Wolff, Spangler and Flannigan.

“I think everybody was ready to swim,” McDonald said, “and swim fast.”

For the senior Flannigan, the relay team’s long-awaited state qualification turned out to be the perfect result at the perfect setting.

“It’s probably the best way we could have ended it – the last home meet to get qualified for state,” Flannigan said. “You can’t really ask for more.”