Highlands varsity swim team dove in with the best teams in the state at the NC High School Athletic Association 1-A/2-A State Championships on Saturday.
The Highlanders left their mark at the Triangle Aquatic Center in Cary. The boys team finished 34th out of 228 schools designated 1-A/2-A.
“It went really well, I was proud of the effort not only at the state championship, but really all season,” head coach Steve Hott said.
Finneaus Garner finished 12th in the 50-meter freestyle and 13th in the 100-meter freestyle. Aniah McKim, a two-time Academic All-American swimmer, finished 22nd in the 100-meter breaststroke.
Both Highlands relay teams (200 medley and 200 freestyle) finished in the top 25, at 19th and 21st respectively. The relays consisted of Garner, McKim, Paolo McRae, and Jack Sumner. All four relay swimmers are Junior Olympians.
In the team competition, Raleigh Charter claimed the state title on both the boys side of the stat sheet and the girls’.
Western Regional meet
On Jan. 31, the Highlanders traveled to Charlotte for the NCHSAA 1-A/2-A Western Regional meet. The boys team finished 11th and the Highlands girls team finished 24th.
Garner took home fourth place in the 100 freestyle and fifth in the 50 freestyle. McKim was 10th in the 100 breaststroke. The two boys relay teams finished 9th and 11th respectively.
On the girls side of the ledger, Layla Babac finished 19th in the 200 individual medley and 21st in the 100 breaststroke.