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Central Ohio high school divers look to win gold at OHSAA state meet
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- Central Ohio high school divers look to win gold at OHSAA state meet
Andrew Keir typically saves his most difficult dives for late in a meet, helping him pile up points and, more often than not, pull away to wins.
The Westerville South junior and Wisconsin commit has overcome another bit of difficulty on the way to his second consecutive Division I district championship and third straight state meet, recapturing the joy of competing at a high level.
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"I saw a sports psychologist about it – getting out of my head and finding enjoyment in competing," said Keir, who was third at state last year and eighth as a freshman. "[Just] having fun. My teammates have really helped me find that. They are very supportive. They've helped me find fun. They help me look forward to practice every day."
Keir enters the state meet Feb. 24 at Branin Natatorium in Canton as the second seed out of 32 competitors, having scored 586.5 points at district to shake off runner-up and Gahanna Lincoln junior Dylan Sponseller (466.3). Only defending state champion Mitch Caldwell of Solon, an Arizona signee, scored higher in the district round (620.5).
Westerville South junior diver Andrew Keir hopes to win his first Division I state championship in his third appearance at the meet.
Keir and Sponseller, the fifth seed, are among nine central Ohioans who will try to snap Solon's five-year streak of state titles. Current Ohio State diver Dominic Roberto won the first four.
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"I kind of surprised myself as to how good I was doing," Sponseller said of district. "I've been in the gym a lot more and tried to be more consistent."
Keir, Sponseller and Whetstone junior Mac Plank are three-time state qualifiers. Plank is one of three City League divers to reach state, along with Centennial seniors Daniel Barnes and Messiah Harmon in Division II.
Plank tied Thomas Worthington senior Ivan Cooper for third at district.
"To go to state three years in a row, that's a huge deal for me," Plank said. "My strongest dives at the beginning of the year were my twists, but [at district] my fronts really stood out. That's where I got most of my points."
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The top six Division I girls are from central Ohio, led by New Albany freshman Sammy Petroff . The only diver statewide to break 500 points in the district round, Petroff scored 504.15 to hold off 2025 district champion and Big Walnut junior Sarah White (491.1).
New Albany freshman Sammy Petroff prepares to dive in the Division I district meet Feb. 17 at Ohio State. Petroff finished first, edging defending champion Sarah White from Big Walnut by 13.05 points.
Defending state champion Rachel Kirin of Brecksville-Broadview Heights, an Air Force signee, scored 448.15 to win the Northeast District. Kirin edged Pickerington North graduate and current Buckeye Sofia Frangos by 3.2 points last year , and White was third.
Petroff called her front 2½ tuck and back 1½ pike her better dives.
"I can hit [those] and get around pretty easily," she said.
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The girls meet is Feb. 25 at Branin Natatorium.
The Upper Arlington duo of senior Madison Vermilion and junior Mira Wiegman, who have signed with Penn State and committed to Princeton, respectively, join White and Olentangy junior Evelyn Fitz as three-time qualifiers. Fitz and Vermilion were fourth and fifth last year.
"[Vermilion and Wiegman] are both consistent and have more confidence in themselves performing at a high level," UA coach Ryan Wilson said. "They know what it takes at a state meet."
Watterson's Kevin Feehan prepares to dive during the Division II district meet Feb. 18 at Columbus School for Girls. Feehan finished fourth and reached state for the third year in a row.
Bexley's Monus seeks three-peat in Division II
Bexley junior and Indiana commit Jackson Monus ' 617.2 points at district set a Division II state record and was the highest state-qualifying total regardless of division until it was eclipsed by Caldwell less than 24 hours later.
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In pursuit of his third consecutive state championship , Monus is the top seed by a wide margin – 185.8 points better than Napoleon's Xavier Fortier.
"I think I'm a lot stronger than I was last year," said Monus, who won district by 278.05 points. "I've worked on some different dives, like front 3½ and inward 2½. Those are the big ones I've added."
District runner-up David Harpster, a senior at DeSales and one of two Stallions to make state, qualified in his first year in the sport. Freshman Henry Rizek also advanced.
"[Harpster] just came out of nowhere," coach Selene Kelley said. "We only practice twice a week for an hour and he is just very committed to getting better every practice. He watches video online, follows people on Instagram and studies and adapts that."
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Barnes (third at district) and Watterson's Kevin Feehan (fourth) are at state for the third straight year.
Wellington's Dorothy Blackburn prepares to dive during the Division II district meet Feb. 18 at Columbus School for Girls. Blackburn finished fourth and reached state for the second year in a row.
Grandview Heights junior Maura Yates and Columbus School for Girls senior Delaney Woods can make the same claim, but Yates heads to state as a district champion for the first time after back-to-back runner-up finishes.
"I've concentrated a lot more on my entries and my form, not just tucking dives and doing them with a little more finesse," Yates said.
The remaining Division II qualifiers – Wellington's Dorothy Blackburn, Bexley's Charlotte Langolf and Grandview's Isla Swisher – are sophomores and back at state for the second straight year.
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Central Ohio OHSAA state diving meet qualifiers
BOYS
Division I
Ivan Cooper, Thomas Worthington; Andrew Keir, Westerville South; Max Manno, Westerville Central; Collin McFarlane, Mount Vernon; Michael Northup, St. Charles; Mac Plank, Whetstone; Leo Ryan, Olentangy Liberty; Dylan Sponseller, Gahanna Lincoln
Division II
Daniel Barnes, Centennial; Zac Barton, Wellington; Enzo Corso, Wellington; Kevin Feehan, Watterson; Messiah Harmon, Centennial; David Harpster, DeSales; Rylan Mifsud, Columbus Academy; Jackson Monus, Bexley; Henry Rizek, DeSales
GIRLS
Division I
Evelyn Fitz, Olentangy; Abby Foskey, Liberty; Marley Johnson, New Albany; Danielle Kourie, Olentangy; Kennedy Mignogno, Gahanna; Sammy Petroff, New Albany; Madison Vermilion, UA; Sarah White, Big Walnut; Mira Wiegman, UA
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Division II
Dorothy Blackburn, Wellington; Charlotte Langolf, Bexley; Isla Swisher, Grandview Heights; Delaney Woods, Columbus School for Girls; Maura Yates, Grandview
High school sports reporter Dave Purpura can be reached at dpurpura@dispatch.com and at @dp_dispatch on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who's representing central Ohio at the 2026 OHSAA state diving meet?
