Faribault and Northfield Divers Enjoy Their Experiences

Two divers from Northfield and one from Faribault did not make the final 16 cut Thursday to participate in the Saturday's State Diving Finals.

Senior Anna Nietz of Faribault, sophomore Ella Kelm and freshman Zibby Hanifl of Northfield didn't amass enough points to advance but gained some valuable experience.

Nietz told KDHL she hope to dive at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter where she is contemplating a pursuit in medicine of the human or animal kind.

Her dad is a veterinarian.

Nietz said he did attend the meet last year and watched Faribault divers compete and felt that prepared her well for the pressures of diving at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.

Faribault Diving Coach Charlie Fuller said Anna was a "joy to work with" and he was proud of her accomplishments.

There are a lot of divers in Minnesota that would love to be at the State Meet and only 32 qualify.

To be able to say you are one of the top 32 divers in your class in the state is incredible.

Nietz said the experience was, "pretty cool" and it was "awesome" diving off the board at the Aquatic Center which will host the NCAA Division One Swimming and Diving Championships.

Nietz landed in 22nd place and the top 20 go to the semis where they are whittled down to 16.  She missed making the cut by less than 2 points with a preliminary round total of 142.80.

20th place had a point total of 144.05.

Hanifl and Kelm finished 27th and 28th respectively with scores of 134.05 and 133.10.

The other diver out of Section One was Winona freshman MOrgan Walker and she did make the semis but did not advance to the finals.

Junior Saylor Hawkins of Breck School is in first place after 8 dives heading into the finals where the competitors will dive three more times.

Hawkins has 308.95 points, well ahead of second place junior Erica Schramm of Willmar with 272.90.