Another summer swim season is in the books.
Gilmer was one of 10 teams in Baxley for last weekend’s Georgia Recreation and Park Association’s Class C State Championships.
The Bobcats and Lady Cats reached the finals in 23 events and came home with four runner-up placements.
Gilmer has had success in relays, and the state meet was a continuation of that trend. In the top 15-18-year old age division, Lady Cats Esther Bowman and Elizabeth Kucera teamed up with Bobcats Cheyne Smith and Reece Smith.
The quartet clocked in at 2:23.71 for second in the 200-yard mixed medley. They swapped Kucera for Yana Jones and claimed third in the 200 free relay with a time of 2:02.99.
The Bobcats also finished near the top of the medal stand in the 9-10-age group. Emmett Patterson, Ryder Johnstone, Rylee Fountain and Jacob Watson were second in the 200 medley at 4:06.64. They were runners-up in the 200 free as well in 3:04.12.
Cheyne Smith secured Gilmer’s lone individual second-place time in the 50-yard breaststroke (34.15). He also turned in a time of 55.93 in the 100 yard free for third place and was sixth in the individual medley (1:08.92).
Reece Smith claimed fourth in the 100 free at 1:23.59.
Bowman competed in three individual events and was fourth in the 50 breast (40.75), fifth in the 100 IM (1:19.82) and sixth in the 50 free (29.53).
Kucera’s weekend concluded with a fourth-place finish of 1:28.24 in the 100 IM, while she took seventh in the 100 free (1:17.01).
Grayson Patterson competed in the 6-8-year-old age division and finished sixth in the 25 breaststroke (40.18). Fountain was also sixth in the 100 free (1:25.73) and eighth in the 50 free (37.84)
Lilly Jones placed seventh in the 25 breast (30.34) and eighth in the 100-yard butterfly (32.29). Yana Jones touched the wall in 1:22.60 for 10th in the 100 free, and she was 12th in the 50 free (36.30).
Johnstone went on to take seventh in the 25 free (29.58). Watson wrapped up his weekend by placing ninth in the 50 free (38.36) and 10th in the 50 backstroke (53.40).