After cruising through the regional championship, the WJ swim and dive season will conclude with the state championship on Friday and Saturday. The team will have the opportunity to make history and add two new dates to the state championship banners in the gymnasium.
Last Saturday, the girls’ and boys’ teams scored 348 points and 339 points, respectively en route to a 4A/3A West Region title.
“Regionals went really well,” sophomore Elanor Saybolt said. “It was really fun; everyone swam really well. It was a fun meet to be in.”
The win, coming in the toughest region in the state, helps bolster the team’s confidence as they face a wave of emotions and high expectations heading into the state championship.
“I think we can win,” junior Owen Friedman said. “It’s pretty exciting because guys haven’t been this good for a really long time. ”
Others on the team uphold a theme of excellence.
“I don’t want to jinx it, but I expect that we should place very well and that our swimmers should be at the top of the podium,” Saybolt said.
With a win at the state championship meet, the girls’ team will have finished their season undefeated, and the boys’ team will have only one tick in the loss column.
In order for that to happen, the team will have to rely on their proven measurements of success.
“We just have to swim well, support our teammates, and cheer each other on,” Friedman said.
The meet is the culmination of months of early morning practices, grueling races, hours in the pool and the hard work and dedication the team has put into the 3-month long season.
“Everyone puts so much effort into it, everyone swims almost 6,7 days a week,” senior Ray Mukoyama said.” “All the effort we put in shows, like at metros and regionals, in how we compete.”
However, the meet will also mark the last time the seniors compete with a WJ swim cap on. The seniors, many of whom have been on the team for all four years, will try to leave every single ounce out on the pool.
“It’s sad, but if we can win we can end with so much joy,” Mukoyama said.
