The Palatine Boys swim and dive team celebrated its seniors with a meet on Jan. 4 against crosstown rivals Fremd High School. Despite a tough loss, it was made an incredibly special night by everyone who was involved.

So much time and effort go into all sports, and swimming and diving is no exception. Even in times when motivation can be hard to come by, athletes find a way to look ahead in order to achieve their goals.

“Ever since I saw the school record being beaten by Tyler Elzer my freshman year, it was my goal to beat him,” senior Tyler Aponte said.

On this special senior night, Aponte finally achieved this goal, scoring an all-time high and team record of 250.60 for six dives.

“It felt like a bunch of weight just lifted off my shoulder,” Aponte said when seeing his score.

Senior night is a truly special time that allows for celebration of the hard work and dedication that makes up a high school athletics career. With only a few weeks left in the season, there are still a few key meets that could determine how the rest of the season plays out. The sectional meet is this weekend at Barrington High School and any state qualifiers will be competing at the FMC Natatorium in two weeks.

“For some of them it’s a chance to get lifetime best times, for others it’s one step closer to water polo season, but either way they’re motivated,” Tyler Schiavone said.