Often times when a new coach comes in, no one knows what to expect. For the boys’ swimming and diving team, they excelled with the new change. Senior Matt Reid enjoyed the success that has come with the new head coach Joel Elber.

“It was pretty fun how we had a new coach and we were able to be undefeated in dual meets and win sectionals and county,” Reid said.

Junior Bennett Vail believes that everyone on the team worked hard individually at county, and all their other meets, which led to their success this season.

“As a team we were all there, even though some people were out and not swimming, we were still all together and we really stepped it up that day. It wasn’t just because a few people had a great swim. Everyone was contributing. That was pretty amazing,” Vail said.

With this being the first time the team won sectionals since 2012, the whole team was excited from the win.

“My proudest moment was probably winning sectionals and getting all our relays and a couple individual guys to state,” Reid said.

In addition to their wins this season, the swim team set four school records at sectionals. Junior Jasper Suiter broke the school record set in 2003 for the 50 freestyle event. The 200 free relay team, composed of Suiter, Vail, senior Jacob Penrose, and junior Joe Grese, broke the the LN school and sectional record. Vail broke the 200 free school record and his own 500 free school record, once at sectionals and once at state. All of these swims led the team to a win at sectionals and gave them the opportunity to compete in seven events at state.

“This is what I dreamed about happening, getting to race against the best guys in Indiana, and now it is finally happening,” Vail said.

Senior Brayden Laycoax was the MIC and sectional champion for diving. He placed fourth at regionals and 12th at state. Overall, the swim team had a successful season. Vail believes that the relationships between swimmers strengthened them as a team.

“It’s probably the best season we’ve had because of the team chemistry that we have is better than I’ve ever seen before. We’re all connecting and having that brotherhood of all of us together, which is really making us work harder at practice and achieve the goals that we want to get to,” Vail said.