Firebirds fly at Sunflower swim meet

Free State's Clark, Lawrence High's Dirks-Ham primed for league showdown in backstroke

Free State's Morgan Flannigan competes in the 500-yard freestyle at the Sunflower League meet. Flannigan was top qualifier in the event's preliminaries Friday at Chisholm Trail Junior High.

Lawrence High's Morgan Sherve competes in the 100-yard butterfly. Sherve swam in the Sunflower League swimming and diving championships Friday in Olathe.

? Free State High’s Heather Clark and Lawrence High’s Chelsea Dirks-Ham qualified 1-2 in the 100-yard backstroke at Friday’s Sunflower League Swimming and Diving Championships.

Swimming fans at Chisholm Trail Junior High didn’t get to see the two go head-to-head, though. Friday simply represented the preliminaries, and the two were in separate heats.

Clark, a freshman, and Dirks-Ham, a senior, will lead the field of six today in the finals. Clark finished with a time of 59.24 seconds, while Dirks-Ham finished in 1:01.51.

“The mentality will be different because you’ll know you’re in a heat with the six fastest people,” Dirks-Ham said of today’s finals. “I think most of the races (today) will be faster just because of that competition. It will definitely be more intense, and everyone will be more focused.”

Free State qualified for the championship finals in 10 events, while LHS has championship finalists in six events. FSHS also has four consolation finalists, while LHS has eight.

Finals will start at 1 p.m. today.

Dirks-Ham will see a healthy dose of competition from crosstown rivals today in other events as well. Dirks-Ham and Free State junior Katie Sloan finished 1-2 in the 100-yard butterfly. Dirks-Ham clocked in at 1:00.37 seconds, while Sloan finished at 1:00.44.

“The butterfly is definitely my best event,” Dirks-Ham said. “I’ve been training fly for, like, a year-and-a-half. I like the kick-outs, and I think it’s fun because a lot of people think the event is difficult.”

Dirks-Ham held her breath underwater considerably longer than the field on her initial kick-out. While many other swimmers popped their heads out of the water early, Dirks-Ham was still extending her arms underwater for a faster time.

“You have to know that when you come up, you’ll get air. You’re not going to die, even though sometimes you really think you are,” Dirks-Ham said jokingly of her lengthened kick-outs. “You have to work on breath control.”

Clark qualified first in the 100-yard backstroke and 200-yard IM (2:15.12). She’s also a part of the 200-free relay team, which placed fourth in prelims.

“She has great turns and is very focused both in practice and in the meet,” Free State coach Annette McDonald said of Clark. “She’s ready.”

Another Firebird freshman to keep an eye on will be Morgan Flannigan, who qualified for four finals events. She placed first in the prelims of the 500 freestyle (5:12.87) and the 200 free (1:56.52). Flannigan also will be a part of the Firebirds’ 200-yard medley relay team (second in prelims) and 200-yard free relay team.

Free State’s 200-yard medley team clocked its best time of the year Friday (1:53.66).

“I’m in awe every time,” Free State senior co-captain Kacee Abel said of the FSHS freshman duo. “(Clark) and Morgan Flannigan are just amazing, because you look at them and think, ‘Oh, they’re just freshmen.’ But then they get in the pool, and they’re phenomenal and swim with such power.”

Abel finished 13th in the 100-butterfly with a personal-best time of 1:07.25. She finished 18th in the 200-yard IM.

“I obviously know I cannot go out and swim first,” Abel said. “But I’ve been here long enough, and I’m really the motivator and congratulator. I keep everyone happy.”

Lawrence High has a freshman of its own in Elle Weber, who will compete in the finals of the 100-yard breaststroke today. Weber clocked a preliminary time of 1:10.59 Friday, good for fifth.

“Her best meet was her first meet, and she hadn’t met her breaststroke time since then,” Lawrence coach Kent McDonald said. “But this is the time of year – Sunflower League and state – to get the times, and she did it.”