A number of young Cherry Hill divers came away with first place medals at the South Jersey 1-meter Diving Championships at Erlton Swim Club on Thursday, July 20.
Seven divers from Cherry Hill swim clubs took first place in their respective division at the meet. The competition featured divers up to age 18 who had met the minimum qualifying score in a series of meets earlier this summer.
Nolan Perry of Downs Farm led off the day by taking first place in 9U Junior Olympiad boys division with a score of 150.40. Later in the morning, Erlton divers Evan Bailey and Charlie Webb joined Perry as first place winners. Bailey won the 10/11 novice boys competition, while Webb took first place in 10/11 JO boys competition.
Ryan Boone, Christian Termine and Dillon Hall were first place finishers during the meet’s early afternoon session. Boone won the 14/15 novice boys division with a score of 183.30. Termine’s score of 173.70 was good enough to win the 16–18 novice boys division. Hall recorded the top score across every division for the afternoon, registering a 486.60 to win the 16–18 JO boys competition. Hall’s performance included five 10s from the judges on one of his dives.
In the late afternoon session, Aiden Rorke of Woodcrest was victorious in 12/13 JO boys division with a score of 229.80.
Downs Farm was the top finishing team from Cherry Hill in the meet. The Dolphins’ registered 27 points to finish in sixth place. Haddon Glen Swim Club of Haddon Twp. won first place in the team competition, edging Wedgewood Swim Club of Haddonfield by just one point, 67–66.
The afternoon wasn’t just about diving. The South Jersey Diving Association gave $500 scholarships to three seniors who submitted essays. The divers has to explain how diving helped prepare them for their future and what was the most important thing they learned from diving. The three winners were Elese Bevelheimer of Green-Fields Swim Club, Zach Casey of Fox Hollow Swim Club, and Sophia Peifer of Wedgewood Swim Club.
2017 South Jersey Diving Championships first place winners:
9U Novice Girls — Ellie Carr, Wenonah — 85.20
9U Novice Boys — Nate Newcomb, Brookside — 81.00
9U JO Girls — Ellie McFadden, Tavistock Hills — 171.20
9U JO Boys — Nolan Perry, Downs Farm — 150.40
10/11 Novice Girls — Reagan Klunick, Haddon Glen — 139.45
10/11 Novice Boys — Evan Bailey, Erlton — 118.30
10/11 JO Girls — Lily Carroll, Wedgewood — 188.55
10/11 JO Boys — Charlie Webb, Erlton — 243.40
12/13 Novice Girls — Sydney Kluchnick, Haddon Glen — 154.40
12/13 Novice Boys — Aidan Van Istendal, Haddon Glen — 175.00
12/13 JO Girls — Suzanne Tucker, Wedgewood — 254.35
12/13 JO Boys — Aiden Rorke, Woodcrest — 229.80
14/15 Novice Girls — Maria Wills, Green-Fields — 166.60
14/15 Novice Boys — Ryan Boone, Barclay Farm — 183.30
14/15 JO Girls — Julie Carpino, Haddon Glen — 280.7
14/15 JO Boys — Colin Hickey, Green-Fields — 357.35
16–18 Novice Girls — Meghan McLaughlin, Haddon Glen — 211.50
16–18 Novice Boys — Christian Termine, Woodcrest — 173.70
16–18 JO Girls — Sophia Peifer, Wedgewood — 483.85
16–18 JO Boys — Dillon Hall, Covered Bridge — 486.60
