LEWISBURG — More pressure led to more gold for Taylor Hockenberry.

The Mars junior successfully defended her PIAA Class AA girls 1-meter diving championship Saturday at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium.

Hockenberry posted a finals score of 439.85, beating out West York's Erica Sarver by 13.15 points.

“She (Sarver) is a very good diver, too,” said Hockenberry's coach Doe Krug. “It was a good contest.”

“I felt more pressure this year, but it helped me become a better diver,” Hockenberry said. “It was more difficult. I think it was because I did so well last year (426.75) and everybody wants to improve.”

Unlike her sophomore trip to states, Hockenberry benefitted from a solid practice round prior to the competition.

“I felt really good this time,” she said. “I warm up pretty fast and was able to get all of my dives in at least once or twice. I nailed them all.

“I entered the competition pretty confident and I am really happy with how I performed. It's all about having faith in the work you've put in.”

Hockenberry entered the event seeded second behind Harbor Creek sophomore Ashley Van Horn, but dove to first place in all three rounds — preliminary (five dives), semifinals (three) and finals (three). Van Horn placed fourth at 403.1.

Getting into the right mind-set is key for any diver and Hockenberry has found an effective way to do it.

“I listen to Christian music,” she said. “It keeps me calm and reminds me that it's not all about me.”

“Taylor's mind-set was a good one,” Krug said. “She was positive and pretty relaxed.”

A former gymnast who has been diving for less than three years, Hockenberry's passion has been transferred to the diving board. Or, to be exact, just above it.

“I love the feeling of flying through the air and I like learning new dives,” she said. “The most enjoyment I get out of it is putting the work in and improving.”

Also earning a medal in the girls' meet was Knoch junior Brooke Zukowski, who placed third in the 100-yard breaststroke at 1 minute, 3.13 seconds.

Boys

Grove City began the Class AA championship meet Friday on a high note and things got even better for the Eagles when Saturday rolled around.

After winning the 200 medley relay in the first day of competition, Grove City earned three more state titles.

Austin Wilson placed first in the 100 backstroke with a school-record time of 49.18, then teamed with Marcus Swartfager, Ben McKnight and Devin Reynolds to win the 400 freestyle relay.

The Eagles' effort earned them the state team title with 212 points. District 3's Trinity placed a distant second with 151.

“They showed the team scores before the 4x100 relay and there was no way we could lose (the team championship),” said Eagle coach Karen Wendelschaefer, who built the program from the ground up, starting in 2000. “I started crying. I couldn't keep my composure.”

The Eagles then capped the meet by winning the 400 relay, which had its own drama.

Grove City trailed York Suburban by less than a second when Wilson hit the water for the anchor leg, but the senior moved in front and helped the Eagles win the event in 3:10.08.

“This was definitely the best way to finish my high school career,” said Wilson, who was part of the medley title Friday. “And to be there with my teammates, who I love, it was very fulfilling. We all worked for the team title.”

Other state medalists included Knoch's John Wilson (fourth in breaststroke, 58.73), Grove City's Thomas Somora (fifth in breaststroke, 58.83) and Mars' Joseph Folz (eighth in 500 freestyle, 4:49.69).