Live from Canton: Division I State Diving Update

Here is an update from the Division I state diving meet at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton:

Boys

Solon junior Michael Kreft won the title with 472.2 points.

Medina senior Liam McLaughlin finished second with 444.4 points and Hudson senior Nick Pinkerton placed fourth with 429.25 points.

Perry senior Seth Brandenburg finished seventh with 391.45 points and Perry senior Joe Cooper placed 13th with 373.3 points.

Girls

Powell Olentangy Liberty junior Kellie Carmendy won the title with 418.65 points.

Cuyahoga Falls junior Haleigh Bartlett placed second with 411.75 points.

Nordonia senior Breanne Horrigan finished 16th with 358.5 points.

Jackson sophomore Josie McKee and Parma Padua Franciscan senior Kelcie Mehwald, a Hinckley resident, were eliminated after the semifinal round, which consisted of nine dives.

Lake senior Amy Dorow did not advance past the first round, which consisted of seven dives.

Quotes

Bartlett

``I didn't have a very good meet. It certainly was not my best meet. A few dives I didn't nail. I am disappointed I did not get first, but second is really, really good. There is next year.´´

``I am going to try my hardest to get first next year.´´

Bartlett, who placed third at state last season, said she needs to have more ``consistency´´ with her dives and have a ``higher degree of difficulty.´´

Cuyahoga Falls coach Peter Nauman

``I thought she dug herself a little bit of a hole in the beginning and then she came on really strong in the end. Going into the last three dives she was in sixth place and then she came up to second. I am extremely proud of her.´´

``She is a very strong competitor. She had her sights set on winning it, but we are very pleased with a second place finish. Last year she was third. She is progressinig upward. This is really only her third year of diving, before she was a gymnast. The Akron Rippers club team have done a tremendous job developing her. It has not been me. I am a fan. I am the guy that gets to comes to the meet and cheer her on. They are the ones that have done a lot of the hard work and developed her talent.´´

McLaughlin

``I felt like I was going to throw up because there was so much pressure to do well, but at the same time there wasn't as much pressure because I didn't have to worry about qualifying. There was pressure because people were pulling for me to do good. I was able to maintain though, and find a perfect balance of intensity and fun. I had a ton of fun out there.´´

``I realistically tought I would finish 1 or 2. There was no doubt in my mind. I expected to do well.´´

``I started feeling hungry during the meet, so I had some bites of a banana. I had some extreme nervousness. It was an odd mix of emotions throughout the meet.´´

Pinkerton

``I was very pleased with today after I didn't dive to my expectations at sectional and district. I was 10th at distirct and I wasn't really pleased with that. Jumping up to fourth at state is a big accomplishment for me. This is a great way to end my season.´´

``I am super excited to go dive in college and I think the finish today was a good way to cap of my high school season.´´

``I have really loved diving in high school. It was a lot of fun. What I will miss most is the good friends I made through diving.´´

Horrigan

``I am very excited. Gymnastics definitely helped.´´

``I didn't think I would make it to the state meet and now colleges are looking at me.´´