Goodbyes are always hard, and that is no different for high school athletes. 

Seniors on Lexington’s boys and girls varsity swim team jumped off their home diving board for the last time and were honored last week during a meet against Gilbert. While many of the athletes will miss the camaraderie of being on the team, there is strong optimism about what their futures hold. 

“I always tell them they can always reach out to me whenever they want to if they need anything,” said Foster Mathews, the boys and girls head coach. “Swimmers are usually productive in their life with whatever they want to do because they've got this dedication and this skill set.” 

This year, Lexington said goodbye to seven swimmers. Two boys and five girls were recognized for years of dedication to the team and the Lexington community. 

Being a swimmer at Lexington requires a commitment not many high school-aged students are willing to do. Practices occurred early before school, meaning the athletes often woke up as early as 5 a.m. Then there are the physical requirements it takes to be a successful swimmer. Doing all of that while still being a student was a challenge not many stuck around for. 

“There have been a lot of people in their class that have not made it this far because of the dedication and the time commitment that this takes,” Mathews said. “That's what always stands out about my seniors, especially this group.” 

Lauren Sailer, Payton Yarbrough, Hanna Eckart, Jordan Froese, Gabriel Petren, Jackson Winston and Noah Blashka are in their final weeks as a Lexington swimmer. Most are set to hang up their caps and goggles and move on in life. 

Eckart will continue her swim career as a Division One athlete at Georgia Southern. The rest of the swimmers plan to attend a four-year university, join a branch of the military or both. 

“I plan to keep welding and weld for the National Guard,” Blashka said.

While the athletes are excited to move on, they will miss the moments they’ve shared with their teammates over the past five or six years. 

“It's a mix of emotions,” Eckart said. “I'm excited to go off to college, but I'm also really sad because the high school meets are probably my best memory of high school ever.”

Whether it was winning a state championship, swimming with their peers or even finding young love, swimming at Lexington gave these athletes memories they will cherish forever, 

“My favorite swimming memory is probably after an Invitational last year, I asked out a girl, and she has been my girlfriend for almost a year now,” Winston said. 

The seniors had a successful send-off with many winning a few solo events and contributing to relay victories. The Lexington boys and girls both were victorious against Gilbert, winning 131-33 and 134-36 respectively. 

On the boys side, Blashka took first place in the 200 free and 100 backstroke, and Winston won the 200 individual medley and the 100 fly. Both boys competed on the first-place finishing 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams as well. 

Eckart won two individual events for the girls, capturing the top spot in the 200 individual medley and 400 free. Sailer helped the 200 medley relay team place first as well. 

Both teams are having successful seasons so far. The boys enter this week unbeaten at 13-0, while the girls are 9-4. The team had a meet scheduled for this Wednesday after the Chronicle’s press deadline against River Bluff, and the SCHSL championships are quickly approaching. 

Lexington’s seven seniors have until then to make more memories they can take with them in the next phase of life. For Mathews, it is bitter-sweet saying goodbye, but for his athletes, the excitement of what’s next grows. 

“I get to see them grow up from 12-year-olds to 18-year-olds,” Mathews said. “You get to see them mature throughout their whole career. You get to see them and grow into nice, well-mannered, good young men and women.”