Heritage High swimmers continue prep for state

Prep swimmers from Catoosa County participated in the North Georgia High School Regional Championships at Dalton High School on Jan. 24-25 and a handful of swimmers picked up top-six finishes in their respective events.

Freshman Julia Striker of Heritage finished first in both the 200-yard freestyle (2:03.03) and in the 500-yard freestyle (5:29.67). Both of those times qualified her for the GHSA State Championships.

Heritage junior Emma Bradford took third in the 100 breaststroke (1:17.63) and Emma Connelly, a senior at Heritage, placed fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:12.58).

Connelly, Bradford, Striker and senior Mara Daffron teamed up for a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay (2:01.82) and a sixth-place finish in the 200 medley relay (2:15.66).

Lance Marshall finished sixth for the Heritage boys in the 100 backstroke (1:04.31) and in the 100 butterfly (1:02.90).

The Dalton girls and Dalton boys won the team titles, while the Catamounts also took first place in the combined standings. Calhoun was second in all three team standings. The Heritage girls were fourth and the Heritage boys finished ninth, while Heritage placed eighth in the combined standings.

Ringgold was 12th in the girls’ standings and 14th in the combined standings.

Georgia Tech will host the GHSA State Championships Feb. 7-8. In addition to Striker’s two individual events, she will team up with Connelly, Bradford and senior Abigail Dodd to compete in the 200 freestyle relay. That quartet punched its ticket for state on Nov. 21 at a meet back in Calhoun with a qualifying time of 1:51.23.