North Hall High freshman Ty Powers set a new state record for 14-and-under swimmers in the 50-yard freestyle race at the USA Swimming state championships last Friday at Georgia Tech. He finished the race with a time of 21.33 seconds, shattering the former record of 21.58 set by Gunner Bentz two years ago.

Powers, a state placer at the GHSA state championships last month in the 50 freestyle, was just off of the national record of 20.79. According to his training coach Andy Deichert, Powers swam the second fastest time nationally for his group in the 50 this year.

At the same meet, Powers won the 100 freestyle Sunday with a time of 47.52, barely missing setting another state record.

MONAGHAN WINS STATE: Gainesville High 14-year-old Colin Monaghan won a state title in the 400-yard individual medley in the 14-and-under state swimming championships last weekend at the Georgia Tech Aquatics Center.

Monaghan also finished second in the 200 IM, 100 butterfly and 100 breastroke. His team, Gainesville-based Lanier Aquatics, placed 12th overall out of 50 teams at the event.

Other Lanier Aquatics swimmers scoring at the meet were Sidney Cochran, Will Crumpton, Tanner Doan, Emilie Flynn, C.J. Guzman and Brian Monaghan.

Haley Bartoletta, Jordan Battle, Jack Flynn, Amelia Fulp, Natasha Griffin, Will Guzman and McKenzie Klinck also competed in the meet for the local team.

Lanier Aquatics will return to the pool March 10 at the Frances Meadows Center in Gainesville.