By Delaney Jackson

Features Editor

This year’s boys swim and dive team is off to a solid start after winning both the Independence Invitational and the SouthRock Invitational.

SouthRock is the annual first invitational of the season, and South hosts it with Rockhurst. This is the first time in school history South has won that meet.

Coach Errich Oberlander says winning the meet was a big step for the team.

“It was a perfect way to start the season,” Oberlander said.

Oberlander is looking forward to the rest of the season.

“I really can’t wait to see how we perform at the end of the season when we should be at our peak,” Oberlander said.

Senior Ben Morgan says he thinks the season has gone well so far.

“I think the season has gone amazingly. We are way better right now than we were at this time last season, we have already gotten a lot of state cuts,” Morgan said.

He says that the team is more of a team than last year.

“This year, we went back to having pasta parties at people’s houses. Last year, we just had them at the YMCA, and it wasn’t as close as having them at people’s houses,” Morgan said.

Sophomore Alex Burt thinks this season will be different than last season.

“This season, we’re a lot closer, we’ve bonded a lot more. We’ve grown a lot as friends, and it makes it fun to pursue diving together,” Burt said.

Burt has gotten his state cut in diving, and has gotten close to breaking the six-dive record, just three points off the record. Burt placed second at the Independence Invitational, the highest of any of the Jaguar divers.

Senior Kyle Hepting talks about what he is most looking forward to this season.

“Obie has some really high goals for us this season, and I’m really excited to see if we can achieve those this year, and do really well this year,” Hepting said.

The boys swim and dive team has only won conference one time, and they’re looking to do it again this season.

“I think we have a really strong team that has a good shot at doing it again this year,” Hepting said.

Oberlander also thinks that the team has a good chance to win again this year.

“I definitely think that it’s a possibility,” Oberlander said.

Last year, the 200 free relay, which consisted of Hepting, Morgan, Jake Workman and Nick Keller, got All-State. They were the only people to get All-State last year. Senior Jake Workman thinks they have a good shot at getting it again.

“None of us left; we’re all seniors this year. I think we have a great shot at getting all state again this year,” Workman said.

The 200 free relay is currently ranked first in the state. The next meet for the boy’s swim and dive team is Tuesday at home.