The annual state meet marked the end of the Gilmer Swim Team’s season.
The Bobcats and Lady Cats were in Baxley last Saturday for the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association’s C Class Championships. Gilmer swimmers placed high enough 33 times to score team points, and Ronald Sturgis returned to Ellijay with a pair of state titles.
In the 15-18 age group, Sturgis was the No. 1 boys swimmer in the 50-yard breaststroke (32.52) and 100-yard individual medley (1:04.61). He earned a runner-up placement in the 50-yard backstroke at 30.05.
Sturgis teamed up with Cheyne Smith, Jacob Kucera and Conner Defoor for second place in the 200-yard medley relay in 2:10.42. They secured third in the 200 free relay at 1:56.86.
Kucera found success in the 50-yard freestyle (24.28), 100 free (55.78) and 50-yard butterfly (26.36) with a trio of runner-up placements.
Smith tallied team points in three events including the 50 breast (third, 34.54), 100 free (fourth, 58.54) and 50 free (26.82). Defoor took seventh in the 100 free (1:16.16).
Yana Jones was the lone Lady Cat in the age division, and she clocked in at 46.08 for seventh place in the 50 breast.
Bobcats Rylee Fountain, Jacob Watson, Reece Smith and Ryder Johnstone finished third in the 14-under 200 medley relay (2:52.84) and 200 free relay (2:23.06). Fountain also placed eighth in both the 50 back (47.29) and 100 free (1:14.90). Smith nabbed seventh in the 100 free (1:14.47) and eighth in the 50 free (33.82).
Watson turned in a sixth place time of 42.90 in the 50 back.
Among 11-12-year old swimmers, Silas Wilson finished fourth in the 50 breast (50.73), seventh in the 50 back (49.92) and eighth in the 50 free (39.40). Emmett Patterson was eighth in both the 50 breast (1:14.06) and 50 back (55.30).
Kaley Best and Kathryn Edelson joined up with Wilson and Patterson for third place in the 12-under 200 free relay (3:27.02).
Sophia DeMarco turned in a runner-up time of 36.85 in the 50 back, and placed third in both the 50 fly (38.49) and 50 breast (40.39). Lilly Jones claimed eighth in the 50 breast (57.56) and 100 free (1:32.25).
Johnstone competed in the 9-10 age division individually. He finished fifth in the 50 free (38.29) and seventh in the 50 back (24.80). In the 10-under mixed medley relay, Asher Faulk, Patterson, Edelson and Harper Hoover were third in 2:04.27.
Hoover competed against 6-8 aged swimmers individually and placed fifth in the 50 free (53.34). Faulk placed eighth in the 25 breast in 38.68.