The boys’ swim team lost to conference rival Spring Lake Park by a margin of 13 points, which is the exact number of points the Panthers gained from their diving team Dec. 19.

In swimming, teams can gain points for their overall score by having divers participate. Park swimming does not have a diving team, so it is placed at a disadvantage against teams that do.

Senior captain Brian Shrestha said although losing to Spring Lake Park was unfortunate, he thinks the team displays promise for the rest of the season.

“Even though we lost, everyone swam really well and gave their whole effort,” he said. “Overall everyone is very good, so we have a lot of depth on the team.”

Freshman Nate Stone said having this disadvantage makes the swimmers more determined to win.

“It makes us want to try even harder so we can beat them even though they have a diving team and we don’t,” he said.

Shrestha said although the team has had success in previous seasons without diving, it creates a significant obstacle to overcome.

“We’ve won conference in past years without diving, but it is a pretty big disadvantage,” he said.

According to Shrestha, three out of five of the teams in their conference have diving programs, which can make the difference between a win and a loss.

Despite the lack of a diving team, Stone said he has high hopes for the rest of the season.

“It’s always the goal to win conference,” he said. “I think we can also send at least one relay to state.”