Free State High freshman Morgan Flannigan competes in the 500-yard freestyle at the girls state swimming and diving championships. Flannigan finished second in Saturday's race at the Hummer Sports Park Natatorium in Topeka.

Megan True/Journal-World Photo Lawrence High's Mallory West competes in the state diving championships. West finished seventh Saturday during the competition at the Hummer Sports Park natatorium in Topeka.

Topeka ? It’s difficult for Cliff and Virginia Frymire to watch their granddaughter swim. They live five hours away from Lawrence, in Grand Island, Neb.

Saturday, the Frymires made an exception for the finals of the girls state swimming and diving championships.

Their presence alone might not have reduced Morgan Flannigan’s time in the 500 freestyle, but it clearly didn’t hurt.

“This was probably the first or second time they’ve seen me swim this year,” said Flannigan, a Free State High freshman. “My grandparents came in town (Friday) but weren’t here watching. (Saturday) they were. It feels good to see them come up.”

Free State finished eighth as a team with 140 total points. Lawrence High placed 16th with 58.

Wichita Trinity Academy won the meet with 205.

Friday’s preliminary times in the 500 were a bit deceiving. Flannigan, who carried a second-best time into the distance event, trailed Trinity Academy’s Rebecca Swank by six seconds.

Flannigan nearly edged Swank for the top spot in the finals. Swank’s time of 5:04.97 sneaked past Flannigan’s season-best 5:05.37.

“I knew I’d have to work pretty hard to stay up with her,” Flannigan said. “I thought I had a chance. The last few laps, I was kind of out of it, but then I said, ‘There’s only three laps left. I can at least stay with her.'”

Free State coach Annette McDonald led the charge of excitement for Flannigan’s swim. McDonald, usually tranquil on the sidelines, was full of emotion for the final two laps.

“The plan was to beat her,” McDonald said of Swank. “I got really excited at the end. The jumping part was totally out of excitement. The arms raised and the nodding was like, ‘You’re on task. Go faster.'”

Flannigan had no choice but to be on task Saturday. Ten minutes after completing the 500, which is 20 laps in the Hummer Sports Park natatorium pool, the freshman swam the last leg of the next event in the 200 freestyle relay. The Firebirds finished fifth in the event with a season-best time of 1:42.01.

“I’m used to going back-to-back like that, so it wasn’t really that much different,” Flannigan said. “It’s pretty tiring, but since the relays follow the 500, I really look forward to them. I’m not even thinking about the tiredness. I’m just getting pumped for the next one.”

Free State registered four season-best times Saturday, including Flannigan’s 500 time and the 200 free relay time. Junior Katie Sloan had a season-best 59.43 in the 100 butterfly. She finished sixth. Freshman Heather Clark set a season-best in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:13.09, good for fifth.

After the meet, Flannigan was one of 11 swimmers selected to the all-state first team. Clark made the all-state second team.

Lawrence High senior Chelsea Dirks-Ham, who was in the consolation of the 100 backstroke, lowered her time so considerably, she would have placed third overall had she been in the finals. Dirks-Ham didn’t qualify in the top eight in Friday’s prelims, so she couldn’t finish better than ninth. She clocked a 59.36 and broke her own school record in the backstroke.

“I’ve coached a lot of people, but she’s willing to take the pain,” LHS coach Kent McDonald said. “I’ve seen people very talented athletically, but they just can’t push themselves past a point. She’s talented and can push herself. That’s why she’s a champion.”

Dirks-Ham competed in the finals of her specialty, the 100 butterfly, and finished fourth with a time of 58.85.

“The energy was a lot more intense and exciting today because it was finals and everyone gets pumped up,” Dirks-Ham said. “It’s bittersweet. I liked high school, so it’s sad it’s ending.”

Erina Houk competed in the consolation finals for LHS. The sophomore finished 15th in the 500 with a time of 5:28.36.

In the one-meter diving event, Lawrence High junior Mallory West finished seventh with a score of 341.85. Free State senior Carol Fittell placed 10th with a score of 337.35.