PINE TWP — When it comes to diving, Butler's Heath Calhoun has been an irresistible force this season.

North Allegheny's Connor Kuremsky, however, has been the immovable object.

Calhoun scored a personal best 523.40 in his 11 dives at the WPIAL Class AAA Championships at Pine-Richland High School Saturday, but Kuremsky continued his stranglehold on the event.

The North Allegheny senior captured his third consecutive WPIAL title in a row, breaking his own title meet record with a 591.50.

Kuremsky held off Calhoun last year at the WPIAL finals as the duo went 1-2. The top five competitors advance to the PIAA championships, which will be held March 17-18 at Bucknell University.

"Connor can get nervous and if he's not on his game, you have a shot," said Butler diving coach Ken Bedford. "But, if he's as good as he was on Saturday, you don't have a chance. We looked at second place as first place. A 591, you don't see that a whole lot."

Calhoun, a senior who will compete at the University of Louisville next year, also believed it could be a tough go to get past Kuremsky.

"Connor's always composed. He's worked at it a lot longer than I have. I always feel I just have to hit my dives," Calhoun said.

After five dives, Calhoun was sitting in third place, but didn't feel the pressure.

"I tend to get nervous," said Bedford, "but Heath looked at me and said not to worry. He got stronger as the meet went on. Heath's a kid who doesn't dive others' meets. He does what he needs to do."

"I messed up on my fifth dive," admitted Calhoun. "Looking back, I knew it was not one of my best meets. I could have jumped cleaner. I've always been on an even keel. I realize you can't go back and change it after it's done.

"I was pleased for the most part. J.B. Kolod of Fox Chapel (who finished third with 509.50), we talked together the whole meet and one the final dive, I thought 'I don't have a lot to be disappointed about if I finished second or third," Calhoun added.

Calhoun not only finished runner-up to Kuremsky last year at the WPIAL meet, but was third at the state meet.

This season will mark Calhoun's third trip to the PIAA championships, but his goals are a little different.

"The first year I went (as a sophomore), I was seeded fifth or sixth and I wanted to go into it for fun and I got fifth," he said. "The next year, I was seeded second, but I knew the kid behind me was very good. I told Ken I'd do my best and finished third.

"This year, I'm shooting for second place. I have that goal," Calhoun added.

Said Bedford, "There's no getting Heath ready. We could take a month off and he'd be ready to go."

In the girls' WPIAL championship, the Tornado's Brittney Grenet qualified for her first PIAA meet by placing fourth with a score of 414.90.

Like the boys meet, Franklin Regional's Samantha Pickens has dominated the event, winning her third WPIAL crown in a row and she's also a three-time state champion.

She set a WPIAL record with a score of 605.55, easily outdistancing runner-up Kim Ciotti of Latrobe (456.45) and Tori Brungo of Kiski Area (455.35).

"Samantha Pickens is the best. She's an awesome diver," said Grenet. "I just wanted to put my head on and shoot for the top five."

Grenet has gradually made the move up the leaderboard, going from 19th, 15th and sixth the previous three seasons before finally breaking through.

"It's really big. It's a huge accomplishment," Grenet said. "That's what I wanted to do all four years. It's amazing to do it."

"Last year was big heartache. She was just five points out of fifth place," said Bedford. "She's the hardest worker I've ever had."

According to Bedford, Grenet has been battling a nagging shoulder injury, but hasn't let that slow her down.

"I knew at the end I had qualified, but I wanted to work my butt off to get it," Grenet said. "I told (Bedford) not to tell me if I made it. I had no idea where I was.

"I told myself I had to hit every dive," she added.

And she'll take that same approach as she competes in her first state meet.

"My coach told me to do what I've been doing, keep on working hard and I'll do fine at states," Grenet added.

"It's about getting her mind prepared," Bedford noted. "She'll do that and she'll have fun. It's her last hurrah. That's the approach we're taking."

Just as Grenet just missed last year, Butler's Meredith Harbison just missed, placing sixth with a score of 384.60, but she'll be the first alternate.

Seneca Valley's Jenn Suder also came up short, placing seventh at 377.05.