Eight swim teams gathered in Dalton for the annual Winter Invitational.
The Gilmer High Bobcats and Lady Cats made the trip last Saturday, and the former scored 109 points for third place. The Lady Cats totaled 67 points on the afternoon to tie for fifth among girls teams.
Bobcat Law Lykins was Gilmer’s top point scorer at the event. He won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:55.65 and turned in a runner-up time of 1:01.44 in the 100-yard backstroke.
Three Bobcats also reached the finals of the 100 and 50 free. In the 100, Jacob Kucera placed third (56.10) and Ian Berry was fourth (56.42). In the 50, Kucera (fourth, 24.53) was followed by Berry (fifth, 25.21) and Cheyne Smith (11th, 27.90).
The Bobcats swam in a pair of preliminary relays. In the 200 medley, Lykins, Kucera, Berry and Smith posted a time of 1:58.04. In the 400 free, they finished in 3:51.73. Aspen Hataway competed in the 100 and 50 free prelims and clocked in at 1:17.27 and 30.94, respectively.
The Lady Cats scored points with four finals appearances. Elizabeth Kucera had the highest placement and was second in 100-yard breaststroke (1:33.02), and she placed ninth in the 50 free at 30.42. Taylor McCormick nabbed seventh in the 100 free (1:09.21), and Evan May secured ninth in the 100-yard backstroke (1:28.96).
The Cats also competed in five preliminary races. Esther Bowman, May, McCormick and Kucera finished the 200 medley relay in 2:31.12 and 200 free relay in 2:08.34. GHS times in the 50 free prelims included McCormick (30.57), May (32.53) and Kucera (34.12).
The Bobcats and Lady Cats return to the pool Jan. 7 at Habersham Central.