The Lenoir City swim team made the drive to the University of Tennessee campus Saturday to take part in the Ray Bussard Invitational Meet at the Allan Jones Aquatic Center. Two swimmers, Madison Gump and Seth Hughes, qualified for the state meet. Gump, a junior who swam at state last season, qualified in the 200-yard individual medley, swimming a time of 2:32.11. Hughes, a sophomore at Midway High School, qualified in the 100-yard back stroke with a time of 1:14.63. Qualifying a male swimmer this season was one of the goals Lenoir City swim coach Kendahl McMahan set for the team heading into the season.
In addition to the two qualifying, Lenoir City had five swimmers place top five in one or more events Saturday. Gump finished eighth in the individual medley, ninth in the 100-yard butterfly and seventh in the 500-yard freestyle.
Hughes placed sixth in the 100-yard back stroke, Graham Denton placed eighth in the 500-yard freestyle, and Seth Gates placed fifth in the 50-yard breast stroke, seventh in the 50-yard freestyle and ninth in the 100-yard freestyle. Courtney Pethers finished fifth in the 100-yard back stroke, sixth in the 100-yard butterfly and eighth in the 50-yard freestyle.
The team also had two high school relay teams and four middle school relay teams finish in the top 10. The girls middle school 400-yard freestyle relay team of Emily Flatt, Rachel Scheffer, Annessa Rose and Logan Wright had the highest finish, placing third.
Three swimmers - Olivia Fisher in the 100-yard back stroke, Denton in the 100-yard back stroke and Jeremiah Cordero in the 200-yard freestyle - qualified for the Knox-Area Interscholastic Swim League City Meet. Lenoir City had 29 swimmers finish with personal bests in one or more events. The next meet against Halls is scheduled for 9 a.m. Jan. 5 at the Claire Donahue Aquatic Center.