T-R FILE PHOTO - Marshalltown’s Leia Hernandez finished first in two individual events on Saturday at the Bobcat Invitational held at Marshalltown High School. Hernandez, who won the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle, was also a part of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay.

The Marshalltown girls’ swimming and diving squad won five events on its way to second place at the Bobcat Invitational on Saturday at the Marshalltown High School pool.

The Bobcats, who are listed 19th in the state’s power rankings, trailed only No. 9 Johnston in the final team standings. The Dragons piled up 383 points to take first place, with Marshalltown coming in second with 290.5 points in the seven-team meet. Boone (179) was a distant second, followed by Grinnell (163), Indianola (84.5), Ottumwa (66) and Atlantic (58).

The Bobcats opened the day with a diving title for junior Harlie Thatcher, who held off a trio of Johnston competitors for first place with an 11-dive total of 354.7 points. Ella DeMonte added a fifth-place finish for MHS with 247.75.

Bobcat junior Leia Hernandez headlined the day for the home team as she was a part of three event victories, including two individual wins. Hernandez won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 25.47 seconds, and she topped the podium in the 100 freestyle in 56.54. She was a part of the winning 200-yard freestyle relay as well, as Rachel Case, Drea Ceren, Adele Beek and Hernandez teamed up to take down Johnston in 1:46.60. The Dragons gave chase in 1:47.22.

The first swimming event of the afternoon was an indicator of how the final standings would eventually settle out, as Johnston edged Marshalltown in the 200-yard medley relay. The Dragons won in a combined time of 2:00.25, while the Bobcat quartet of Addison Elmore, Beek, Emma Case and Rachel Case came in second in 2:00.52.

Emma Case collected a pair of runner-up finishes, coming in second in the 200 individual medley (2:29.11) with Beek in third (2:29.60). Case also chased down second in the 100 butterfly in 1:08.20.

Beek brought home gold of her own in the 100 breaststroke, claiming first in 1:12.47, while the 400 freestyle relay team of Elmore, Ceren, Emma Case and Hernandez closed the meet with a runner-up finish (3:57.50). Johnston won in 3:55.17.

Maisie Gummert got the bronze in the 500 freestyle with her time of 5:53.18, while Ceren scored sixth in 5:57.68. Ceren took fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:11.99) with Gummert in sixth (2:13.77).

Elmore placed fourth in the 100 freestyle won by Hernandez, and she was sixth in the 100 backstroke. Rachel Case claimed fifth in the 100 breaststroke won by Beek.

Alex Lasack was seventh in the 100 butterfly, while Rachel Case was eighth in the 50 freestyle.

The Bobcats jump back into Iowa Alliance Conference dual meet action on Tuesday, traveling to face No. 8 Ames at 5:30 p.m.