On Saturday, Dec. 14, the Highlands varsity swim team traveled to Murphy for the 6th Annual Candy Cane Invitational. Seven teams were invited.
The Highlands boys team finished third against much larger teams and schools from NC and GA.
The Highlanders were led by Jr. Olympian Finneaus Garner who broke meet records in the 50 and 100 freestyle and scored 25 points. The 200 and 400 freestyle relays Garner was in with fellow Jr. Olympians Aniah McKim, Paolo McRae, and Jack Sumner both finished second. The 400 freestyle relay qualified for regionals with an automatic time. That makes the 7th event out of 11 that the boys have qualified for regionals with an automatic time.
McKim scored 19.5 points and won the 100 breaststroke. Sumner scored 16.5 points and finished third in the 100 butterfly, McRae scored 14.5 points and finished fifth in the 100 freestyle.
The most improved swimmer for Highlands at the meet was Jesus Mendoza who had a best time in the 500 freestyle by a whopping 39.11 seconds, finishing fourth, and a best time in the 200 freestyle by 8.56 seconds finishing fifth.
On the girls side Layla Babac dropped 8.5 seconds in the 200 IM, finishing fifth and scoring four points. Trinity Fernandez-Faust swam a super 200 freestyle (her first ever attempt), and finished ninth in the 100 freestyle.
The next meet for the Highlanders will be at home Friday, Dec. 20 at 6:05 pm.