From both sides of the pool, the loud din of students and coaches waving and cheering for their swimming teammates could be heard from afar.
Friday, January 26 marked the last home meet for the Haven Swim and Dive team. From mermaid-themed tattoos to electrified shouting to well-performed times, the Haven Swim and Dive team won, girls 105-79 and boys 99-66, against Upper Darby.
“I did really well, I was really happy with that,” junior co-captain Gavin Shifflett said. “Everyone gave their all, and at the end of the day, that’s all you can ask for. So, everyone swam as hard as they could and showed that the training that they did was worth something.”
The night also celebrated six seniors—Lila Hill, Jo Kelly, Joe Lynch, Ibraheem Neveln, Meredith Seidman, and Lindsay Spinosa—honoring them for their contributions and hard work on the team.
“[This] was awesome. It was kind of a weird experience because I’ve seen so many of my friends have their senior nights, and I’m so lucky to have this experience the past four years,” senior captain Lila Hill said.
There are many things Hill will miss about the swim team atmosphere.
“I’m gonna miss everything,” Hill said. “This was my favorite part of high school being in the swim team. Of all the teams I’ve been in, this is just the neatest opportunity because everyone is just so supportive of each other, and it’s all about each other getting their best, and you just want to see your friends and teammates succeed.”
Many juniors will miss the seniors as they move on to their next chapters soon.
“[I will] definitely miss the dedication from both of the guys [seniors Joe Lynch, Ibraheen Neveln]. Pretty much every practice, they’re always doing their best and encouraging the team to keep going, and I really admire that,” junior co-captain Charlie Detweiler said.
As the regular swim season comes to a close, there is much to look forward to, and some excitement for the potential of the 2024-25 season.
“You never replace who’s leaving because everyone makes their own mark on the team and on the coaches altogether, but growing the team, bringing new faces in, and bringing different athletes in will be really exciting,” boys head coach Katie Marucci said.
Haven’s final swim meet of the regular season is against Conestoga High School on February 2 at Upper Line YMCA. Following that, qualified swimmers will compete in the Central Athletic League Championship at Ridley High School on February 7 for dive and February, 9 and 10 for swim.
“Go Panthers,” Shifflett said.
