High School News

2008 High School Results\2008 Boys States Div 1.doc

Freshman Ryan Shelley was the BADWEST Diver standout of the Boys Div I States: In what had to be the best 2nd place finish ever in high school diving history...Ryan put in a near perfect performance....but....it had to be perfect...because the reigning champion and state meet record holder, Jason Cook....was! Jason & Ryan seen here with old friend (not that old) & Jason's high school coach - Olympian Mary Ellen Clark..

Matthew Flynn had a very impressive first time at States and if there was a most improved - he would've won it...because, last year he did not even make States. This year Matthew had a full list and next year it will be consistent, competitive and he will be a contender.

Coach's Corner: In one of the most impressive moves I have seen in many years at the high school level, the meet directors stopped the swimming for the final round of dives and not only put the focus on the diving finalists, but allowed the stands, parents, friends, coaches and everyone to applaud after a dive was done! The atmosphere was electric, the applause was deafening and the divers surfaced to an eruption of cheers, whistles, loud clapping and general mayhem....and why not...it's how it should be at a Championship Meet when we see great diving!!! Well done to the divers and to Dick Lennon - Meet Director and to whoever made that call!!!

2008 High School Results\2008 Boys State Div II Results.doc (Photos and story later)

2008 High School Results\2008 Girls Div I States.doc
Girls Division I BADWEST standout Amy Zuerndorfer (Concord-Carlisle) placed 3rd behind teammate Sloane Brazina and BAD Diver Katie Feng from Westford Academy...Leaving the rest far behind...the top three divers all scored over 400 points and put in some great diving. The top two divers - Sloane & Katie, dueled right down to the last dive where Katie pulled it out with a spectacular 5225D. Erica Haas finished her high school career with a much-improved list and Sam Adams looked her best as she finished 5th in a tight contest with Central Mass Diving's Megan Darnley, who dived like a pro and finished a strong 4th...

Way to go to all divers...Nice show!

L-R photo: Sloane Brazina (CC-2nd), Samantha Adams (CC-5th), Erica Haas (CC-8th), Amy Zuerndofer (CC-3rd), Katie Feng (WA-1st), Megan Darnley (Westboro-4th)

2008 High School Results\2008 Girls Div II State Results.doc

2008 Sectional Championships

2008 Girls N. Sectional Results

Congratulations to all divers at this year's Boys & Girls High School Sectional Championships.

GIRLS: Westford's Katy Feng scored 455.30 points on her way to her super victory. BADWEST Divers dived with style and Katie Vogel placed sixth as a freshman, while steady Amy Zuerndorfer placed third...
(photo L-R) Champion Katy Feng, Katie Vogel (6th), Sloane Brazina (2nd), Rachel Landry(10th) and Amy Zuerndorfer (3rd)

2008 Boys N. Sectional Results

BOYS: In a tight contest, Concord-Carlisle's Stewart Bird edged out freshman, BADWEST Divers Ryan Shelley(2nd) and graduating senior Patrick Rogers (3rd)

(photo L-R) Sebastian Rogers (11th), Stewart Bird -Champion, Ryan Shelley (2nd) and Patrick Rogers (3rd) @ N. Sectionals

2008 Boys South/Central Sectional Results
BADWEST's & Holliston's Matt Flynn placed 7th in his Sectional
(photo L-R) Troy, Matt, Rybo

Not bad, since we believe he didn't qualify last year :)

LS Girls supporting their boys @ No. Sectionals

click thumbs to enlarge

2008 Girls South/Central Sectional Results

West Results TBA

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~2007 RESULTS BELOW THIS LINE~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

New State Meet Record - 2007
604.65 Jason Cook - Amherst

2007 Boys Div I State Meet Results
2007 Boys Div II State Meet Results

State Meet Record - 1995
511.65 Bates Gregory-Duxbury

2007 Girls Div I State Meet Results
2007 Girls Div II State Meet Results

Photo top left- DIVISION I BOYS:
Record smashing performance by Jason Cook-Amherst with 2 time Olympian-Coach Mary Ellen Clark
2nd place- Bobby Sullivan-Chelmsford & 3rd place Patrick DeMarle LS/BADWEST. click on pics to enlarge.

Coaches Take: Division I Boys was a treat...For the top three divers, it was a dog fight right down to the finals, in which Jason Cook's steady and precision-like diving, simply, left all competitors, coaches and judges...applauding his record-smashing performance...His twisting was crisp, his entries were special. A great record!

Patrick Demarle's final high school meet was a triumph! He left the high school scene with a strong performance and was the only diver who attempted the big dives - 305C & 405C....a goal Patrick had set early on in his high school career. Lincoln Sudbury High School, the community, and BADWEST are extremely proud of Patrick for all he has done in the sport... Patrick has set the bar pretty high for all future high school divers. 540.65 points is pretty good day of diving!
Congrats on a job well done!!!! Cornell should feel grateful!

DIVISION I GIRLS: Congrats to BAD's Girls Div I State Meet Champion Katy Feng Westford; 2nd Amy Zuerndorfer-CC/BADWEST ,which sounds like she saved her best for last -solid performance ; 3rd Sarah Landry; 4th Rebecca Jenkinson. And lest we forget the great show by first-timer Arianna LaCerte-Westford/BADWEST who finished a respectable 8th. Former BADWEST divers Megan Braun- LS- finished 6th & Heather Daly-LS -7th...with Alyson Jacobian-LS taking the 10th position.

DIVISION II BOYS: Weston & Wayland Boys fared very well also: Weston Coach Lori Waresmith had four Boys in the Finals! Zach Lichter took 2nd, Patrick Rogers - Wayland/BADWEST placed 3rd, Jamel Roy- 7th, Victor Nahigian 9th and Adam Libert came in 12th.

DIVISION II GIRLS: BADWEST officially, had no divers in this group, but we can be very proud of the Wayland Girls (who this writer coached earlier in their careers) and the Weston Girls (who we helped out this year & are coached by BAD's Lori Waresmith) . Breaking the 400 barrier, Sarah Pond-Wayland- took home the gold! Kristin Hehir-Wayland -3rd, Callan Carvey-Weston-7th, Lia D'Ambrosio-Wayland-9th

Thanks to those who sent me in results....please send photos too...they will be posted! Congratulations to all divers!!!

2007 Sectional Championships

2007 Girls South/Central Sectionals Results
2004 S. Sectional Record - Tess Waresmith - Dover-Sherborn - 539.55

2007 Girls North Sectionals Diving Results
1997 N. Sectional Record - Kim Rinaldi - St Peter Marion - 508.40

2007 Boys North Sectionals Diving Results
1998 N. Sectional Record - Andrew Hastings - Weston - 557.35

2007 Boys South/Central Sectionals Diving Results
2007 S. Sectional Record - Brendan Cavallaro - Middleboro - 497.50

2007 Western Mass Boys & Girls Sectional Diving Results

2007 Dual County League Championships

PATRICK DEMARLE BREAKS 300 AND CAPTURES GOLD!!!
With a score of 304.45 points, Patrick Demarle (LSRHS & BADWEST senior ) won this year's DCL Championships held last week @ the Beede Center in Concord. Breaking 300 for six dives was one of Patrick's goals this year..and it was made all-the-sweeter that he was able to accomplish that goal in the league's biggest meet...Nice job Patrick!

From memory, The DCL consists of the following high schools: Weston, Wayland, Concord Carlisle, Lincoln Sudbury, Acton-Boxborough, Hopkinton, Dover-Sherborn, Newton North and ???!

Thanks to Lori Waresmith -Weston Coach - for providing these results..

Boys Results ~ BADWEST BOYS & BAD BOYS (known)

1. Patrick D. 304.45 LS

2. Zack 296.05 Weston

3. Stew Bird 265.30 CC

4. Patrick R. 246.25 Wayland

5. Jamel 222.45 Weston

6. Victor 215.65 Weston
7. Patrick Fantasia 199.85 CC

8. Matt Samperi 197.10 AB

9. Jack Dean 194.75 Wayland

10. PJ Beaureguard 190.85 Hopkinton

11. Max O'Brien 189. Bedford

12. Sebastian Rogers 188. CC

13. Adam Libert 183. Weston

Girls Results ~ BADWEST GIRLS & BAD GIRLS

CC girls capture 1st and 2nd.
Katy takes 3rd, Amy takes 4th & in her 1st year Arianna takes 8th.

1. Sarah Landry 222. cc

2 Rebecca Jenkins 220 cc

3. Katy Feng 216

4. Amy Z. 210.4

5. Megan Braun 183.40 LS

6. Rachel Landry 180.40

7. Samantha Adams 174 CC

8. Arianna LaCerte 167

9. Erica Haas 164. cc

10. Sarah Pond 158.80 Way

11. Callan 154 .Weston
13 Lydia 148.65 Weston

16. Maddie 135.75 Weston

Make sure you wish good luck to your high school teammates who will be diving in the Sectional and State Championships over the next ten days.....

Sectional Meet Schedule

Boys North - Sat Feb 17 8:45 am @ MIT (Patrick & Patrick)
Boys Central/South - Sat Feb 17 4:15 pm @ MIT
Girls North - Sun Feb 18 8:45 am @ MIT (Arianna, Katy, Amy)
Girls Central/South - Sun Feb 18 4:15 pm @ MIT

State Meet Schedule

Boys Div I - Thurs Feb 22 5:45 pm @ Harvard (Patrick DeMarle)
Boys Div II - Sat Feb 24 8:00 am @ Northeastern (Patrick Rogers, Zach L. Jamel, Adam, Max, Victor)
Girls Div I & 2 - Fri Feb 23 1:15 pm @ Northeastern (Arianna, Katy, Amy, all Weston & Wayland Girls))

2006 BOYS & GIRLS STATE MEET RESULTS

Div I Boys Div I Girls
Div II Boys Div II Girls
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17 January 2007 ~ Way to Go's! Keep Sending in your meet reports....Thanks

Concord Carlisle: Amy Zuerndorfer set a new Personal Best and then broke it the next meet - 238 pts. Amy also had two first place finishes last week! Way to go Amy!

Wayland: On 14 January against Natick, Patrick Rogers also had is all time high of 274.50....eeeeehaaaa Patrick!

Lincoln Sudbury: Patrick DeMarle scored 277 pts in his first place victory over Westford. Patrick competed & qualified (for States) his 405C-inward 2 1/2 sommy for 4 1/2's - Way to go Patrick

Medfield: Hanah Magid won her meet against Holliston and just missed qualifying for States by less than a point...Keep trudging along Hannah!! Way to Go!

Westford: As of 15 Jan 07, fighting thru a myriad injuries, Arianna LaCerte had scored two qualifying scores - (180 & 183.70) for high school states. I'm sure by now she has completely qualifed for States! Way to Go Arianna!

Someone please let me know, definitively, that they lowered the qualifying scores for States this year. Is it 178 twice and no top 12 @ sectionals qualifying??? Thanks...

"GUO JING JING" HURDLE CONTROVERSIAL in high school circles???
Please enjoy this video of the Chinese twins doing the "Guo Jing Jing"....

Not for Nothing but........

Regarding the "Guo Jing Jing"approach & hurdle....it has come to my attention that some high school judges "don't like it"! Some have said that it is "illegal" or borders on "being illegal". With all due respect, there is nothing illegal about it.
This type of thinking has been around for years at the high school level...when it comes to new or innovative technique that is not understood.

Below are excerpts from an email I wrote to a concerned high school coach:

This is a form of the "people-fear-and-resent-change" theory.

When a judge or a coach says "I don't like it"...what they are really saying is: "It's different", "I don't understand it", I cannot teach it", "I fear it", therefore "I don't like it"... A judge that thinks this way is not open to it...and therefore may, on a sub-conscious level, mark a kid down.....
I've seen it happen. What they need to do is learn about it and give it time.

That is the part that saddens and angers me sometimes about anyone being uninformed...

The Guo Jing Jing is not close to "illegal" in any way, shape or form. It is a continuous motion; smooth flowing and pushes off one foot going into the actual hurdle....It sets the board in motion to get more recoil, thus more height...It takes a while to learn the timing and control....but then again, I see just as many balks with a "regular" hurdle...

I would love the opportunity to explain to anyone willing to listen, "Why" it is legal. "How" it works...and "What" it does for International Level Elite divers & Olympians...and why it can work for athletic-type high school kids (or even younger).

Some of the uninformed are well meaning when they approach a kid and give them their feelings about their diving but making a kid feel like they don't know what they are doing or what they are doing is illegal, is not the right approach.

By their lack of knowledge or unwillingness to learn, they make the kids feel like they are doing something "wrong".........I got an idea....."How about learning about the new techniques", before talking it down and making the kid feel bad??

If you are currently doing the "Guo Jing Jing", that's because it works for you...and you do it well; it helps your diving. Bear with the nay-sayers, be polite and if they are really concerned, tell them I am willing to discuss it with them at any time....I will even send them a video of it...

Jim@USAdiver.com

Hey look at it this way...It takes guts to go out on a limb...Look at all the great strides by people who dared to be different! Copernicus, Galileo, Da Vinci, Newton, & YOU!!!!

Just my educated and informed opinion......Frustrated and on your side, Jim

10 January 2007

Nice job to Patrick Demarle (Lincoln Sudbury All America diver)....-305c- reverse 2 1/2 sommy and 405c-inward 2 1/2 sommy looking reaaaallllllll gooood! On schedule to break his own record!

Congrats to Maggie (Mae) Rousseau (Southborough) for learning her reverse dive and competing it the next day for her high school meet vs Bromfield......yahooo!

Kudos also to Kirsten Nord (Acton-Boxborough) for her new 202b-back sommy pike, 302c reverse sommy tuck and an improved hurdle...she also braved some new dives on 3 meter recently...inwards, backs to name a couple.....took a few smacks and gained a few new bruises to be proud of....nice job.

Arianna Lacerte (Westford)...inching closer to qualifying for states...and attempting her back 1 1/2's with a degree of success and a smack or two...

And Amy Zuerndorfer (Concord-Carlisle), already a State qualifier and super star, is seriously racking up 1st and 2nd place points for her high school team...

And let's hear it for Hannah Magid (Medfield) getting closer and closer to getting her reverses....

Hannah was reported saying something like: "Life doesn't require that we be the biggest or best. It asks only that we try."

Though not in high school yet...Ryan Shelley (Sudbury) continues to learn new stuff....perfecting his 5231d last night....and getting his multiple back twisting techiniques down....well, except for one .hilarious, where-the-heck-am-I back twister, which kinda left him momentarily senseless :)

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In high school news: Congratulations to Patrick Rogers - Wayland High School ...In December, Patrick took on a veteran group of Weston High School divers divers and came home the Champion....He hit a particularly good 5134D and according to my sources, scored 265 points! Way to go Patrick!