Coach Jimmy Harris’s Bainbridge High School Bearcats and Lady Cats swim teams turned in strong efforts at the Lee County High School Trojans Invitational last Saturday at Darton College in Albany.

It was the largest meet the Bearcats and Lady Cats have participated in this season. It featured more than 150 male and female swimmers from 14 schools.

The Bearcats 200-meter medley relay team of Jackson Jones, Zach McConnell, Lucas Nesmith and Will Dozier finished 11th in a time of 2 minutes, 5.30 seconds, and Nesmith took fourth in the 200-meter individual medley in a time of 2:21.83.

Jones finished 13th in the 50-meter freestyle in a time of 25.70 seconds while Dozier swam a 35.53 time.

In the girls 50-meter freestyle, Hillary Barfield swam a 33.58 time, Laura Cerone swam a 36.13 time and Autumn Chestnut swam a 36.34 time.

Jones took 14th in the boys 100-meter freestyle in a time of 10,80. Hillary Barfield, Sarah Bush, Laura Cerone and Autumn Chestnut finished the girls 200-meter freestyle in a time of 2:25.87.

Lucas Nesmith took ninth in the 100-meter back stroke in a time of 1:07.46 while Will Dozier swam it in a time of 1:42.52.

Bush swam the girls 100-meter back stroke in a time of 1:56.95.

McConnell finished fourth in the 100-meter boys breast stroke in a time of 1:08.55.

Barfield finished 15th in the girls 100-meter breast stroke in a time of 1:32.81. Chestnut finished it in a time of 1:49.58.

Coach Harris expressed pleasure with his teams’ performance in Albany.

“Senior Zach McConnell just missed qualifying for the state meet in the breast stroke by five-100ths of a second,” he said. “His time of 1:08.55, his best of the season, was just shy of the 1:08.50 needed.”

Senior Lucas Nesmith continued his strong overall performances with strong finishes in the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter back stroke, Harris said.

“Senior Hillary Barfield recorded a season-best time in the 100-meter breast stroke. Sophomore Jackson Jones swam well in all events and had a strong finish in the 50-meter freestyle,” Harris said. “Freshman Autumn Chestnut had her best meet of the season, swimming a strong anchor for the girls 200-meter freestyle relay and posting season best times in the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter breast stroke.”