Without so much as a “Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo”, the Niles North girls swimming and diving team celebrated their princess-themed Senior Night with a victory over the Maine East Demons.

Friday, Oct. 19, the swimming and diving team hosted their last “home” meet at Niles West High school, and as tradition it was a night of both tears and fast times.

The six seniors who feted on victory at their final home meet included diver Amanda Chung and swimmers Michelle Lin, Rachel Shaykin, and co-captains Brittany Seymour, Summer Tran and Dasha Tumashov.

“I learned to commit and put forth all my efforts to gain strength, not only in a physical manner, but in a strong mental state of mind as well,” Tumashov said in reflection of her high school swimming experience. “I’ll really miss the ‘family feel’ for a team as close as mine. The team became such a huge and significant part of my life, it’s hard to imagine years ahead in college without them.”

The Niles North divers were Chung, sophomore Anida Pekovic and freshman Selma Jukic. They made the diving portion of the dual meet an exhilarating experience for the spectators.

First-year diver Jukic scored a 144.55, earning second place out of the four girls competing. Chung placed third with a score of 132.20. Pekovic placed fourth with a score of 105.60.

Maine East diver Kathy Kolodziejski took first place with a final score of 188.35.

Chung, who has been on the diving team all four years, is accustomed to the North-West swim commute. The Niles North aquatics center, now under construction, will allow the diving team to have a “home” in which to practice and compete, along with the swim team. However before these renovations, the divers would practice daily at West, since North did not have any diving boards.

“Divers were rarely ever included and there was no feeling of camaraderie,” said Chung about the lack of diving boards at North. “It’s enchanting to know that future divers will finally have an alleviation from these inconveniences. I am elated that Niles North divers will finally have a place to call home.”

Both the junior varsity and the varsity divisions overwhelmed the Demons in a stunning defeat. Junior varsity took the win with a final score of 139 to Maine East’s 54, and the varsity team totaled a 139 to Maine East’s 41.

The Vikings travel to Deerfield this Friday, Oct. 26, to take on the Warriors in the last meet of their regular season.

Go Vikings, and congratulations to the seniors on a successful last swim season.