ND diver ready for a state plunge

Swimming at the state meet last year on a relay team, Notre Dame diver John Stoverink had to sit and watch as divers competed for the state crown.

But after just missing the state cut last year, Stoverink came back with some more difficult dives and this year will be competing in the state diving event instead of watching it. The diving competition begins Saturday at the City of St. Peters Rec-Plex in St. Peters, Mo., with preliminary swimming events beginning today.

Stoverink said watching the divers at state last year will help him.

"I could see what they were doing and strategize my order of dives," he said. "Also, now I know what I'm up against."

While the senior has been a diver for Notre Dame all four years, Stoverink has not had a diving coach. Through film, camps and constant practice, Stoverink has become a state-qualifying diver.

"There are some days I like not having a coach," Stoverink said. "Those meets I come up against a diver that has a coach and I out-dive them, it makes me feel pretty good."

Stoverink set a conference mark last week with an 11-dive score of 396.3. In order to win the state competition, Stoverink will have to improve upon his best. The winning score last year was 493.55.

Stoverink said he just hopes to get through the first of the three rounds and go from there.

"I think if I hit my dives and have a good meet, I have a chance to finish within the top 16," he said.

While waiting until Saturday to compete, Stoverink will be cheering on teammate John Fisher, who qualified in the 100 butterfly. Fisher, who has battled illness the second half of the season, put up a strong time of 58.50 seconds at the conference meet. He has a season-best time of 57.57.

"I think the whole team has pushed each other all season," Stoverink said. "The swimmers push the divers, and the divers push the swimmers."

Central makes state trek

Central will have a strong delegation heading to St. Peters with all three relay teams (200 free, 200 medley and 400 free) and three individuals making state cuts.

Sam Maguire, Clay Schermann, Alex Heddle and Jason Mercer make up the three relay teams. Maguire, Schermann and Heddle were part of last year's eighth-place 200 free relay team.

"We got all-state last year and we have a chance to do better this year," Maguire said. "I'm just really excited."

Individual event qualifiers are Maguire and Schermann in the 50 free and Tanner Rust in diving. Rust was the last to qualify, using a strong dive at the conference meet to get into the state meet.

Central coach Dayna Powell said Rust, a first-year diver, is peaking at the right time.

"He had his best meet at conference," she said.

jjoffray@semissourian.com

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