The faces of the waves — and the faces of the surfers — were nothing short of attention-grabbing as a large swell ripped through Southern California last week.

Composed of 13 members, the Oak Park High School Division II surf team fell short of their rival Agoura High by a mere three points in a competition off the shores of Summers Beach in Ventura, Calif. last week.

“We came up short. We fought hard and we gave it our all—that’s all I can ask of my teammates and myself, and that’s all Mr. Kinberg can ask of me,” said Scott MacIntosh, a two-year veteran and junior at Oak Park Independent School  “You win some, and you lose some. We have to move on and prepare for the next one.”

The loss came after a long-awaited arrival and a series of cancelations. However, the competition also included victories.

With sophomore Natalie Balen advancing in Longboard, junior Ori Auslin advancing in Shortboard and senior Aaron Kindberg advancing in Shortboard and Longboard, several surfers met and exceeded their goals as they advanced to the semifinal and final rounds.

“A perfect set rolled in the first time I swam out. I hit a great wave, and rode it all the way back,” Auslin said. “The judges gave me a fair score — not my best, but I was able to advance to the next round.”

Competing against the top surfers around Ventura County is a difficult task to conquer. Nonetheless, the team also has one of the finest Division II surfers in the area: Kinberg, a top competitor in all contests and a four-year veteran of the team.

“Surfing is my thing. It’s just my passion. I love it,” Kinberg said. “I don’t consider myself “good,” I’m just experienced and I understand how to handle myself against the waves and competitors.”

Kinberg, who finished in first place out of all competitors of the Longboard competition, looks to continue his streak on March 22 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

The other surfers aren’t the only opponents in these competitions: weather and wave conditions affect performances. Especially off the coast in Ventura, it’s unpredictable when a nice set of waves will come through.

The team apparently experienced mixed feelings as they arrived on sand of the Ventura beaches shortly after 6:15 a.m.

“It was cold, foggy, and unpleasant weather. Not your ideal surf weather,” said junior Davis Gortner. “I got used to it and I was just happy to be there doing what I love.”

An experienced surfer, Davis Gortner knew the perfect conditions, wave height and sand temperature. He knew which wind blowing direction would give him the most advantage and when the sun would peak through the clouds. Dealing with unique conditions isn’t easy for a surfer who visions an ideal environment.

“We try our best, we want to succeed, and we push ourselves to the limit,” Gortner said. “At the end of the day it’s just for fun, and we all go home having accomplished something great.”