Four Pierce County Recreation Department swimmers will compete in Baxley at the Georgia Recreation and Parks Association (GRPA) state finals.
The recreation department is competing in swimming for the first time. Only the top three finishers in each district event qualified for the state meet hosted by the Appling County Recreation Department at the Appling Aquatic Complex.
“It was a season full of fun, firsts and personal bests, said Rec Director Maureen Brown.
The rec department will be represented in individual and relay events by Lyla Brooker, Jaxon Coates, Lily Gray Wright and Eli Thorne in 14-under events. Sam Chesser, who finished first in three events at district is unable to compete.
Swimmers began the three-event rec season June 2 in Douglas with the team consisting of Davis Dyal, Sam Chesser, Lyla Brooker, Lily Gray Wright, Jaxon Coates, Eli Thorne, Erica Coggin, Daniel Dupont, Harper Housley, Bella Lee, Amir Moore and Silas Wilson.
Coates won the 50-yard breaststroke (39.05 seconds) and the 100-yd. individual medley (1:31.3).
Wright placed second in the 100 individual medley (1:35.34) and third in the 50 freestyle (33.40).
Lee was second in the 25 backstroke (26.73 sec.). The 8U freestyle relay team of Housley, Moore, Lee and Wilson placed third.
“I want to give a shout out to the 8U swimmers and first-time swimmers,” said Brown. “Harper and Daniel were models of focus, consistency and improvement. Amir dropped eight seconds in the 25 backstroke. Silas finishing just short of qualifying for state in multiple events.”
The June 9 meet in Baxley was cut short due to weather. Chesser placed second in the 100 frees(53.75 sec.) and Coggin was third in the 50 breast (49.81 sec.).
In the June 16 meet in Baxley, Chesser captured the 50 breast (29.68 sec.). Recording runner-up finishes were Chesser in the 50 free (23.33 sec.), Brooker in the 50 breast (38.99 sec.) and the 18U medley relay team of Brooker, Coates, Chesser and Coggin.
Logging third-place finishes were Brooker in the 100 free (1:08.81) and Coates in the 50 breast (40.09 sec.).
During the June 23 district finals, Chesser won the 100 free (54.15 sec.), the 50 free (24.07 sec.) and the 50 breast (31.19 sec.).
Finishing second were Brooker in the 50 breaststroke (39.79 sec.), Coates in the 50 breaststroke (39 sec.), 100 free (1:15.03) and the 100 IM (1:28.75), Thorne in the 50 backstroke (56:08 sec.), the 14U free relay team of Wright, Coates, Brooker and Thorne (2:21.97) and 14U mixed relay team consisting of Brooker, Coates, Wright and Thorne (2:48.31).
Brooker was third in the 100 free (1:07.4) and in the 50 free (30.91 sec.).
