Topsail, South Brunswick and West Brunswick High School swimmers competed at the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3A state championships in Cary on Thursday.
After placing seventh in the 100 yard butterfly preliminary, Topsail’s Gabbie Black turned in a strong performance in the finals to finish fifth in the state.
Topsail’s Black, Danielle Smith, Lauren Marshall and Hailey James edged South Brunswick to secure the final spot in the 200 freestyle relay preliminary and took eighth place in the finals. Bailey Rudd, Hannah Scharf, Payton Drummons and McKenzie White finished ninth in prelims for South.
The Cougar boys earned eighth-place finishes in the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. Adam Calero, Ryan Goodson, Tyler Bowersox and Chris Anselmo contributed in the finish for South Brunswick.
Bowersox also placed eighth in the 100 breaststroke.
Topsail set a school record with its eighth-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay and 11th place consolation finish in the boys 200 freestyle relay behind the efforts of Mason Sessions, Payton, Rice, Grayson Venters and Aaron Marshall.
The South Brunswick boys finished 13th out of 38 teams, while Topsail took 21st. The Lady Pirates claimed 16th place and the Cougars closed in 25th place.
