After weeks of practice, the boys’ swim team feels excited to compete in Section finals.

There are two days of competition at Sections, according to coach Amanda Forsberg. On Thursday, the first day, all swimmers compete and on Saturday the top 16 swimmers have a chance to compete.

“Day one everybody swims, like from all the teams in the Section, and then day two is whoever the top 16 in each event make day two,” Forsberg said. “And from day two you can qualify for state if you hit a time, but you have to qualify on day two.”

Sophomore Luke Anderson said he feels both excited and nervous about the upcoming competition.

“I’m really nervous for it because I want to do really well and with all the goals I set this year I just really want to achieve them,” Anderson said.

Junior David Salamzadeh feels that peak week, a week of intense training, has prepared him to do his best at sections.

“It was tough,” Salamzadeh said. “We were doing a lot of yards for about a week and a half, but we’ve already started taper now and I think we’re all prepared.”

Following peak week, the team begins to taper, a process which helps swimmers increase speed and prepare for sections.

“We’ve diminished our yards pretty well. There’s some kids that haven’t tapered yet and are waiting until state, but a majority of the team is tapered and ready for sections,” Salamzadeh said.

Both Anderson and Salamzadeh said the team is prepared and will succeed.

“Kids have been getting down to the times they want to be at before Sections and everyone’s rested and ready to go,” Salamzadeh said.

Anderson said taper swimming has boosted swimmer morale and excited the team for sections.

“I think the attitude has gone up since peak week because we’re not really, like, dying anymore,” Anderson said. “Everyone’s feeling fast and really excited for the meet.”

Forsberg said swimmers are assigned to the competitions they swim in based on their times during practice.

“I just go by time. So, I take my swimmers and I pick the best events and then it’s the top fastest four kids,” Forsberg said.

Salamzadeh said swimmers who place in the top eight at sections proceed to compete at state.

“If you get 8th you can’t move down to 9th or below, but if you get 9th you’re not able to move up past 8th or higher, so the strategy is to work hard enough to get into the top 8, but not exert yourself too much so you’re tired for the second day,” Salamzadeh said.

Salamzadeh said he is optimistic that many members will make it to state.

“I think we’ll have at least four, hopefully more if we’re able to. We’re hoping to send our 400 freestyle and 200 medley relay, as well as some kids in individual events,” Salamzadeh said.