Racing through another spectacular season, the girls’ swim and dive team proved that hard work and determination pay off. From the first practices of the season to the final races at state, the team continued to push each other and grow stronger together. 

According to head coach Blakeleigh Mathes, this season was well structured and stood out.

 “It just speaks to the culture of this program and how we’ve developed,” Mathes said. “In the past six years, we’ve been on the podium four times, that’s a pretty cool thing to think back on, and it all starts with the girls and the work they put in.” 

The team also had an almost undefeated record for dual meets, only losing one the whole season. The team was also Cape meet champions and 2nd in conference.

The state meet itself was one of the most memorable moments of the season, according to Mathes. Every swimmer who competed contributed points toward the team’s third-place finish. Mathes believes that one of the most exciting races came from sophomore Livvy Cook in the 500 freestyle. 

“She won the consolation heat and jumped up 5 places, which was the most exciting race for me,” Mathes said. “She put her head down and just competed. That race gave the rest of the girls some excitement and drive to close out the meet strong.”

According to Livvy, the race was tiring, but worth it. 

“Tiring, but I swam very well, and it was fun to jump up 5 places and represent my team,” Livvy said. 

This year was also special because the team had 3 divers compete this season for the first time in several years. Freshman Isa Anderson helped bring diving back to the program and even advanced to districts. 

“Making districts was pretty cool, and getting so close to making state gives me hope for next year,” Anderson said. 

According to Mathes, it had been three years since divers were a part of the team and almost a decade since anyone had made it to districts, making the return of diving an exciting step forward for the program.

This season will also be remembered for the leadership and legacy of senior Lexi Cook, one of the most accomplished swimmers in the program’s history. Over her high school career, Lexi became a four-time state champion, winning an overall championship as a freshman and setting multiple individual school records. Mathes and the team believe her legacy will stand alongside some of the best swimmers to come through the program. 

“Lexi’s legacy is something that will be up there with some of the greats of Parkway South swimming,” Mathes said. “She’s so quiet that you wouldn’t ever know how driven and motivated she is, but she’s a hard worker, an amazing person, and we will definitely miss her.” 

According to Lexi, this season felt like a full-circle moment. 

“Our team did a really good job working together, and we were very close this year,” Lexi said. “Placing third at state was exciting because the last time we were on the podium was my freshman year, so it felt like a full circle moment getting back there.” 

Even while dealing with an injury during the season, Lexi stayed motivated. 

“It was pretty hard at Como having to sit there and watch everyone swim, but it gave me more motivation to be better,” Lexi said.

The success of the team also came from younger swimmers stepping up throughout the season. Freshman Libby Price made a strong impression in her first year of high school swimming, competing in the A heat at state in both of her events. 

“I was very proud of how I handled it, especially being just a freshman.” Price said. “It was very fun being part of something this great for the first time.” 

Price hopes to continue improving in the future and eventually aims to win a state title during her high school career. 

While the team had many strong performances in the pool, some of the best memories came from time spent together outside of competition, according to Lexi.

 “My favorite memory was when we were playing the volleyball game at the post-state party, and just laughing together as a team,” Lexi said. 

Livvy also enjoyed the team trip to Cape and sharing a hotel room with friends, while Libby thinks the team bonding trivia during the meet was a highlight of the season.

For Mathes, what made the season stand out wasn’t just the results, but the way the team supported each other throughout the year. 

“This was one of the best seasons I think I’ve ever had as a coach,” she said. “I’ve had some close-knit teams over the years, but this one just felt different in how they came together to handle adversity and how they never lost faith in each other.”