Swim Dragons to compete in final regular season meet this Saturday

Five Jefferson High School Swim Dragons earned medals in individual races at the North Georgia Regional Championships in Dalton on Saturday, with the combined boys’ and girls’ teams finishing ninth overall out of 17 teams in the at the event.

“Since very few swimmers make the state meet in general, this is considered the championship meet for our team,” coach Lane Guzman said. “Our nine (athletes) did great against teams with 25 to 50 swimmers.”

The five JHS girls who have been competing this season finished in fifth-place as a group. The boys ended the meet in ninth.

Seven of nine Jefferson swimmers advanced to the finals, which is an accomplishment given that this is the inaugural season.

All of the swimmers on the boys’ side dropped time.

“Jacob Musgrove had a personal best in 200 freestyle and came in third against some very tough competition,” Guzman said.

Camille Porter continued to lead the girls. She dropped her state qualifying times in several events.

That Musgrove and Porter, who are year-round swimmers, continue to improve their times means they could peak at the state meet, which is scheduled Feb. 8-9 at Georgia Tech.

Porter has qualified for three events. Musgrove has qualified for one event, but is very close in a couple more, Guzman said. The girls’ 200-yard freestyle relay team is less than a second away from the state qualifying time.

Most of the Swim Dragons likely will end their inaugural season this weekend.The team’s last regular-season meet begins 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the Frances Meadows Aquatic Center in Gainesville. Finals are expected to start around 2 p.m.

“We have had a great first season,” Guzman said. “Our year round swimmers practice as much as 2-1/2 hours a day, six days a week plus dry land training. We have swimmers who have been participating in summer rec league for years, some who did when they were much younger, and some who are brand new to swimming. We should have a very, very strong team in a couple of years.”

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS

First place: 50-yard freestyle, Camille Porter; 100 freestyle, Camille Porter; third place: 200-yard freestyle, Jacob Musgrove; fifth place: 200 freestyle relay, Falon Bell, Heather Perry, Victoria Swaim and Camille Porter; 400 freestyle relay, Heather Perry, Avery Mixon, Falon Bell and Camille Porter; 50 freestyle, Falon Bell; sixth place: 200 freestyle, Heather Perry; 100 freestyle, Heather Perry; 11th place: 200 freestyle, Falon Bell; 200 individual medley, Nic Aquila; 100 freestyle, Jacob Musgrove.