The Pickens County YMCA Piranhas Swim Team placed third overall in the Carolina YMCA Swim League State Summer Championship Meet held recently in Georgetown.

GEORGETOWN — The Pickens County YMCA Piranhas Swim Team placed third overall in the Carolina YMCA Swim League State Summer Championship Meet held recently in Georgetown.

Piranhas head coach Larry McMahan said the Georgetown state championship meet was a great one for the Pickens County swimmers.

The 12-and-under girls’ 200-meter freestyle relay state champion team consisted of Pickens County YMCA Piranhas, from left, Tamara Boysworth, Caroline Lucas, Kerragan Howell and Emma Yousey.

“I just wanted to let everyone know how proud I am of the swimmers who participated in the State Summer Championship Meet,” McMahan said. “Every swimmer that we had cut time on at least one of their events. This is a first for our team. We took 20 swimmers to the meet.”

McMahan said the Pickens County YMCA has already ordered a new banner to be placed permanently on the wall at the Pickens indoor pool.

“When team members see the state championship third-place banner, they will know that every one of them played a huge part in that banner,” he said.

The Pickens County YMCA Piranhas finished third in the state behind Newberry YMCA and Beaufort YMCA, both perennial swimming powers in the Carolina YMCA Swim League.

Swimmers who participated in the July 18-19 Georgetown event were Kinsey Altop, Avery Baker, Elizabeth Blakeley, Will Blakeley, Tamara Boysworth, Kayden Elrod, Ava Fields, Iyla Fields, Kerragan Howell, Landon Howell, Ivy Hyder, Caroline Lucas, John Mark Phillips, Rachel Rahn (who also participated as a coach), Tyler Rose, Aidan Wakefield, Connor Wheaton, Sam Wheaton, Emma Yousey and Mia Yousey.

The Piranhas Swim Team ranges from ages 5 to 18 and features a diversified group of swim levels. The team competes in both YMCA and USA Swim meets, allowing the swimmers to compete on the level that benefits the swimmer the most and allows them to enjoy competitive swimming. The swim team also fosters skillful aquatic ability, good fellowship, team association loyalty, a finer appreciation of swimming for its own sake and not just for winning, and sportsmanship.

For more information on how to get a child involved with the Piranhas, contact the Pickens County YMCA at (864) 878-8380 or visit pcymca.net/swimteam.php.