The GBS Girl’s swim and dive team ended their season strong with a win against Maine South on Oct. 28, and hope to continue to succeed in the conference season, according to head coach Keith MacDonald.

With the win against Maine South, the Titans are second in conference, as they head into the conference season next week. According to Co-Captain Samantha Casey, it was also their senior night.

“It was surreal to me being there, standing at my senior night,” Casey said. “I’ve always been the one watching senior nights, so it was weird hearing my name.”

According to Casey, Evanston and New Trier are usually first and second in conference, so it’s impressive that they are currently second in conference.

“I’m so proud that our team is currently second in conference because that’s never happened in my high school career,” Casey said. “Even when we had division one swimmers on our team, we were never second in conference.”

In regards to their season, MacDonald attributes the win against GBN to swimmers stepping up during their events and performing well. Similarly, Co-Captain Julia Rosenberg says it was their most crucial win, ending with a final score of 104-82.

“Being a senior, [the meet] was like the last hurrah against GBN,” Rosenberg said. “They have always been our biggest rival, especially last year, how we only won by one point. I just wanted to go out winning all four years against them.”

According to MacDonald, having such a big team has helped them win meets. MacDonald added that even though swimming is an individual sport, it can’t survive without the team working together and swimming well.

“Everyone competes together, but at the same time, it is an individual sport and you can’t rely on the team when you’re up on the block or up on the diving board,” MacDonald said. “You have to perform by yourself, and there’s nobody from the other team getting in your way.”

According to Rosenberg, Conference has been on the Titans’ mind since the start of the season. With sophomores Kate Solem and Catherine Devine, Rosenberg hopes herself and teammates go far.

“I’ve been training a lot harder this year than I have in the past and I’m just ready to see [how] the final meets [go],” Rosenberg said. “[I’d like] to have big time drops, that’s always the end season goal [for everyone].”

On the diving side, the team is hoping to have one state qualifier, sophomore Alex DiMarco, according to Laura Duffy, head diving coach. DiMarco missed state last season by .25 points, and Duffy believes she can make it this year.

“[DiMarco is} a good competitor and keeps a real cool head in tough meets,” Duffy said. “As long as she continues to do what she’s been doing, she could qualify to state, which would be really exciting because she’s only a sophomore.”

According to DiMarco, the team has been doing very well this by getting first, second, third, and fourth places at almost every meet and helping the swim team score points. They hope to continue to do well as they begin the conference season.

“[Diving captain] Bianca Crockett will be advancing with me to varsity conference, and we’ll compete together again at sectionals,” DiMarco said. “We are looking forward to tough competition and qualifying for state.”