Swim and Dive: Bengals vs Panthers Recap

Swim and dive competed against, Northeast Consortium (NEC) rival, Paint Branch January 25 for their final regular-season meet. 

The girls dominated Paint Branch, winning 103-43. They captured first place in two of the three relays and in six individual events. Senior co-captain, Alaina Hallmark and sophomore Claire Yu, led the girls to victory with wins in two relays and two individual events each. The boys won 109-42, earning first in two relays and seven individual events. Senior co-captain, David Linck, and junior, Max Troutman, led the boys with two relays and two individual events each as well. 

Last year, both teams swept the floor with the Panthers. The girls won by almost 100 points, scoring first in all three relays and seven individual events, winning a 125-36. The boys won as well, 107-50, taking first in six individual events and all three relays. The Bengals will now have a six-year winning streak against Paint Branch. 

Hallmark displayed confidence but maintained focus for the meet.  “We have always done very well against Paint Branch, but we always want to go into a meet thinking we will need to focus and race our hardest so we can drop time,” she says. 

This season, the Panthers boys hoist only one win against Kennedy. However, both the PB boys and girls have taken home second place in a tri-meet.

Senior Paint Branch swimmer Colin Nguyen reflects on his team after the meet. “Some difficulties our team must overcome is the lack [of] confidence in ourselves and not trying hard enough,” says Nguyen. 

During the meet, the Bengals celebrated senior night for their swimmers who have been on the team for four years. They showed big heads of each senior swimmer and also presented posters that included their interests and their best event. In addition to receiving Blake gear, seniors also decided which events they would like to swim for that night. 

Hallmark adds, “The seniors always try to create a positive attitude and show the team how everything should be run so [that] the good atmosphere can remain through the years.”

Come out and support our Bengals February 1 as they dive one last time into the deep end for divisionals.