Taking the plunge
Three years ago, diving was a novelty for Heath Calhoun.
Now, the Butler senior is trying to cap one of the more impressive diving careers at the school.
Calhoun will be competing in the WPIAL Class AAA Boys Diving Championships for the fourth and final time Saturday at Pine-Richland High School.
He placed ninth as a freshman in 2007, third as a sophomore and second a year ago.
He enters the 2010 district championships with a career-best score of 327, which has him seeded second.
"Heath is the single fastest learning diver I've ever seen," said Butler diving coach Ken Bedford. "To make it to the WPIAL meet four years, that's saying something. And the things he's done, it comes from pure talent."
But Calhoun's career on the diving board began as an experiment.
"I started diving just to have something to do in between football and track," he said. "But after my freshman year, I realized I could go somewhere with diving if I put a lot of time into it.
"That's when I gave up the other sports."
It was a good choice, as Calhoun recently was rewarded with a partial scholarship to dive at the University of Louisville.
As for the conclusion of his high school career, he hopes to make the PIAA meet for the third straight season. He can do that by finishing in the top five on Saturday.
"I do my best when I just go into a meet looking to have fun, and that's what I hope to do on Saturday: have fun," Calhoun said.
Joining Calhoun at Pine-Richland will be teammate Jake Allen, a junior who qualified for his first WPIAL event with a top score of 174.
Junior Dylan Bilka will represent Seneca Valley.
"I always enjoyed doing flips off the diving board, and I found out in the fall that there were no boy divers at Seneca Valley, so I came out for the team," said Bilka.
Bilka's nonchalant entry into the sport gave way to a solid year as he scored a season-best 209 last week against Butler.
"I was very pleased with his progress this year," said Bilka's coach Meghan Lewis. "He's got huge potential in the sport.
"He really knows how to use the board and gets good height."
Class AAA GirlsLike Calhoun, Butler's Brittney Grenet is headed to her fourth district championship meet.She will try to add to her continued improvement at the event, placing 19th, 15th and sixth over the last three seasons, respectively.Her seed score is 240."She just missed out on going to states last year, but I think she's got a good shot at it this time," said Bedford. "She's got a lot of heart.""When I was sixth last year and just missed going to states, I just kept thinking ahead to my senior year. Hopefully, I can get there this time."As is the case with the boys meet, the top five girls divers will advance to states.Butler's girls also will send junior Meredith Harbison (top score of 232), who will be making her second appearance, and sophomore Caitlyn Kaufman (181).SV will send one diver to the girls meet in junior Jenn Suder. She placed 15th in 2009."I've definitely improved since last year," Suder said. "But I was hurt most of this season and that was disappointing. I only competed in three or four meets."Suder's shoulder injury healed enough for her to manage a score of 239 last week against Butler."She could very well place in the top 10, maybe even top five and go to states," said Lewis. "Anything is possible because she is very competitive."
Class AAMars will be sending two divers to Friday's Class AA event at South Park High School along with an alternate, senior Samantha Brandon.On the boys side, senior Randy Seebacher scored a 173 earlier this season to qualify.Allie Misenhelter made the girls meet with a 189."We started the season with nine divers between boys and girls," said Mars coach Heidi Brandon. "By the end of the season, we had just four. To be sending three, including an alternate, to WPIALs, I'm pleased."I think they have a good shot at getting to states (top seven)."
