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Which central Ohio high school divers qualified for OHSAA state meet?
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- Which central Ohio high school divers qualified for OHSAA state meet?
(This story has been updated with new information.)
The state diving meet will feature a two-time Division I district champion from central Ohio and a new winner enjoying a sensational varsity debut.
Westerville South junior Andrew Keir repeated as boys district champion Feb. 17 at Ohio State, scoring 586.5 points to pull away from runner-up Dylan Sponseller (466.3), a Gahanna Lincoln junior.
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In the girls competition that ran simultaneously, New Albany freshman Sammy Petroff 's 504.15 points allowed her to fend off a challenge from Big Walnut junior Sarah White (491.1), the defending champion.
Westerville South junior Andrew Keir prepares to compete in the Division I district diving meet Feb. 17 at Ohio State. Keir repeated as district champion and advanced to state for the third time.
The top eight boys and top nine girls advanced to state at Branin Natatorium in Canton. The boys compete Feb. 24, a day before the girls.
One of the state's top divers all season, Petroff's regular-season wins include the Ned Reeb Invitational in December at Ohio State and the Northeast Classic in January at Branin Natatorium.
"She felt a little more pressure [Feb. 17] but it was only from herself," New Albany coach John Coffman said. "We just had the basics in mind – jump high and stay tight. She made adjustments on her own."
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Central Ohio's other girls qualifiers are Upper Arlington junior Mira Wiegman (third, 43.55) and senior teammate Madison Vermilion (fourth, 463.05), Gahanna senior Kennedy Mignogno (fifth, 462.9), Olentangy junior Evelyn Fitz (sixth, 456.25) and senior teammate Danielle Kourie (eighth, 420.85), Olentangy Liberty senior Abby Foskey (seventh, 445) and New Albany junior Marley Johnson (ninth, 406.3).
Gahanna Lincoln junior Dylan Sponseller looks at the scoreboard during the Division I district diving meet Feb. 17 at Ohio State. Sponseller finished second and advanced to his third state meet.
Keir, a Wisconsin commit, scored 6.3 points more than last year.
"I save my harder dives until the end, so I kept reminding myself that at the end, I knew I had the [degree of difficulty]," Keir said. "Dylan is a great diver and I know he is able to be consistent. I had to be consistent and then let my bigger dives speak for themselves."
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Thomas Worthington senior Ivan Cooper and Whetstone junior Mac Plank tied for third (422.9). They were followed by Liberty sophomore Leo Ryan (fifth, 415.9), Westerville Central senior Max Manno (sixth, 410.85), Mount Vernon senior Collin McFarlane (seventh, 408.8) and St. Charles sophomore Michael Northup (eighth, 407.95).
Fitz, Keir, Plank, Sponseller, Vermilion, White and Wiegman are three-time state qualifiers.
Bexley's Monus, Grandview's Yates win Division II titles
Scoring 78 points on his final dive and nearly doubling the runner-up in points, Bexley junior Jackson Monus cruised to his third straight district title Feb. 18 at Columbus School for Girls.
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The two-time defending state champion and Indiana commit scored 617.2 points, setting a Division II state record.
"That's more icing on the cake [than any goal I set]," Monus said. "I think I'm a lot stronger than last year. I've put on more weight. That's a big factor."
Bexley junior Jackson Monus, shown here during last year's state meet, won his third consecutive Division II state diving championship Feb. 24 at Branin Natatorium in Canton.
The previous record of 584.45 was set by Cincinnati Indian Hill's Noah Vigran in 2018.
DeSales senior David Harpster (339.15) held off Centennial senior Daniel Barnes (335.25) for second place as the top nine finishers advanced.
In girls, Grandview Heights junior Maura Yates stood atop the podium after two years as runner-up, pulling away from a tight pack from second- to fifth-place with 429.2 points. The top five girls reached state.
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"I just focused on going one dive at a time really … and just having fun, not stressing about it," Yates said. "This feels really good. I am more proud that I broke 400 [points] because that was my goal. That was my main goal coming into the season."
Grandview Heights junior Maura Yates is headed to her third Division II state meet, but her first as a district champion.
Rounding out the boys qualifiers are Watterson junior Kevin Feehan (fourth, 285), Wellington seniors Enzo Corso (fifth, 283.8) and Zac Barton (seventh, 259.15), Centennial senior Messiah Harmon (sixth, 263), DeSales freshman Henry Rizek (eighth, 242.05) and Columbus Academy sophomore Rylan Mifsud (ninth, 226.95).
CSG senior Delaney Woods (second, 342.45) and three sophomores – Bexley's Charlotte Langolf (third, 335.8), Wellington's Dorothy Blackburn (fourth, 308.2) and Grandview's Isla Swisher (fifth, 297.75) – earned the remaining girls berths.
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Barnes, Feehan, Woods and Yates all are three-time state qualifiers.
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: Central Ohio high school divers advance to OHSAA state meet
