Gilmer High was back in the pool for 2026, and both meets took them to Calhoun.
The four-team Region 7-3A championship meet was held last Tuesday. The GHS Lady Cats and Bobcats both placed third in their respective standings.
Lady Cats Elizabeth Kucera, Evan May, Yana Jones and Lana Ginger placed fourth in both the 200-yard medley (2:33.41) and 200 freestyle (2:16.30) relays.
Remy May, Rosalie Ballew, Alexandra Shull and Abigail Tello-Junco teamed up for fourth in the 400 free relay (6:50.43) and were seventh in the 200 free relay (3:12.79).
Kucera placed seventh in the 50 free at 30.93 and finished fifth in the girls 500 free with a time of 7:22.66.
Evan May was fourth in the 100 free with a time of 1:11.79 and sixth in the 100 back at 1:26.78.
Jones took sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:45.40). Remy May claimed 16th in the 50 free with a time of 42.53 and 10th in the 100 free at 1:33.90.
Ginger placed 10th in the 50 free (35.82) and eighth in the 100 free (1:30.03). Ballew took 19th in the 50 free (47.26) and 12th in the 100 free at 1:45.88.
Tello-Junco competed in the 50 free with a time of 55.32 for 29th and was 13th in the 100 free (1:55.09).
Bobcat Cheyne Smith led Gilmer with 31 points. He placed fifth in the 50 free (25.89) and the 100 breast (1:25.72). He swam the 200 free relay along with Reece Smith, Kanyon Connell and Aiden St. John, and they placed second in 1:52.22. Cheyne
Smith and St. John were joined by Clifford DeFoor and Rylee Fountain on the 200 medley relay team, which placed fifth in 2:23.00.
In the 400 free relay, Connell, DeFoor, Fountain and Reece Smith turned in a time of 5:08.71 for sixth place.
Reece Smith finished ninth in the 100 free at 1:06.76. Fountain placed eighth in the 200 free (2:44.69) and eighth in the 100 free at 1:06.31.
Connell claimed 12th in the 50 free (28.04) and eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:34.10). St. John finished eighth in the 50 free (27.02).
DeFoor swam the 50 free with a time of 38.42 for 23rd.
Calhoun won the boys region championship over Adairsville, 460-396. GHS was third ahead of Northwest Whitfield, 228-161. Team placements on the girls side were the same, as Calhoun (551) was followed by Adairsville (287), Gilmer (227) and Northwest Whitfield (127).
GHS was back in Calhoun Thursday for the Senior Night Meet. The Bobcats’ 200 medley relay placed fourth with a time of 2:18.61 and included St. John, Reece Smith, Fountain and Connell.
Reece Smith finished seventh in the 200 free at 3:16.63 and placed 10th in the 50 free with a time of 30.14. Fountain came in fifth in the 200 free (2:43.97) and placed eighth in the 50 free (29.53).
St. John placed sixth in the 200 free at 2:47.74 and fourth in the 50 free at 27.94.
DeFoor finished 18th in the 50 free (37.92) and was ninth in the 100 free at 1:27.45.
Connell placed sixth in the 50 free at 28.63. Tello-Junco was 10th in the 100 free at 1:55.95.
The Lady Cats’ 200 medley relay team of Tello-Junco, Kucera, Jones and Ginger were third in 2:59.48.
Evan May placed seventh in the 50 free with a time of 32.05. Kucera secured third in the 200 free (2:47.04) and sixth in the 50 free (31.32). Jones took fifth in the 200 free at 3:25.19 and ninth in the 50 free at 35.74.
Ginger was 13th in the 50 free (38.60) and eighth in the 100 free (1:36.27). Ballew placed 15th in the 50 free with a time of 45.94 and ninth in the 100 free at 1:52.90.
Gilmer and Pickens both scored 11 points behind first-place Calhoun (140). Northwest Whitfield (nine) was fourth and Coahulla Creek (five) was fifth. On the boys side, Calhoun (127) won the meet, followed by Pickens (49), Northwest Whitfield (28) and Gilmer (nine).
The Last Chance Meet is up next for Gilmer swimmers today at Adairsville High School.