Hudson senior Taryn McLaughlin stole the show at the Division I diving sectional at the University of Akron’s Ocasek Natatorium Wednesday night.
McLaughlin paced the field of 50 divers with an overall score of 501.7 — 86.35 points ahead of the next-best score. Only one other diver reached 400 points.
“This was an ‘on meet,’ ” McLaughlin said. “Everything comes from my coaches. They keep telling me that I have a chance.”
It was McLaughin’s personal best by more than 40 points. She was also the only diver to have a single-dive score of 50 or more, doing it twice (58.8 and 56.7).
“I didn’t notice how well I was doing until I realized that after my fifth dive, I had already beaten my six-dive score,” she said. “Maybe it was my lucky suit.”
McLaughlin was joined by teammate Rachel Speakman, who placed third (397.55) despite battling illness.
Hudson coach Dan Miller said his girls were prepared, and he was pleased to have two of the top three scores.
“We prepared both physically and mentally, so we felt good going in and this is very exciting,” Miller said. “Diving is such a mental sport, and a good mentality can’t be sacrificed.”
Sandwiching McLaughlin and Speakman in second place was freshman Kailey Francetic of Walsh Jesuit, who posted a score of 415.35.
This being her first time through the tournament, Francetic is keeping an open mind on all expectations.
“I did my best and this feels great, but there’s always room to improve,” Francetic said. “As far as going forward, I like to be open-minded about my chances. It just depends on the day and on the diver.”
Cuyahoga Falls was well-represented in the top 10 with two divers, freshman Erika Shane (fifth) and sophomore Nicole Rozsa (seventh).
Shane said this has been the best week of her career, but she knows she can still improve. Having a teammate joining her helps, too.
“I had a couple of dives tonight that weren’t too good, but I just kept going,” Shane said. “But [having Rozsa there] is really nice. It’s always nice to have a partner.”
Rozsa, who missed advancing to the state meet by one place last year, is motivated to go farther her second time around.
“I did really good, so I’m proud of myself,” Rozsa said. “Being only one spot short last year is big motivation. I feel pretty good [heading into the district meet] because I messed a dive up and still did OK.”
That dive was a back-one-and-a-half.
Rozsa is also on Cuyahoga Falls’ gymnastics team (she placed fifth at the NOC championship last week). As a gymnast, you land on your feet with that move. As a diver, it’s the other way around. It looked as if her mind went one way and her body, another.
“Sometimes you get mixed up,” she said. “It’s sometimes hard to go back and forth, but you just have to focus.”
North Canton Hoover had a scare with senior Jeana Rae Schaper and Janelle Jackson both on the bubble as the last divers made their final runs.
Schaper’s score of 319.75 was just good enough to nab 16th place, the final spot. Jackson fell just short.
Hoover coach Jon Lagrou felt for both of his divers.
“It’s not that I’m upset or mad with any of my divers; it’s that I’m upset for them,” Lagrou said. “[Jackson is] a senior, and she deserved to make it, so you feel for her. And [Schaper] has room to improve. I wish both could have made it, but they’re both doing well.”
Josie McKee (391.55) and Peyton Bogdan (348.4) each made the cut for Jackson, and Maddie Fortune finished 15th for Firestone.
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