Kearney, Stephenson win county diving championships

PANAMA CITY BEACH — All those early mornings paid off Wednesday afternoon for Mosley’s Ryan Kearney.

The senior diver woke at 5:30 a.m. every morning to work out at Renegade Sports Center in Lynn Haven, preparing for this year’s diving season. It showed as he won the Bay County diving championship at the Frank Brown Park Aquatic Center with a new county record of 386.45 points, more than 70 points ahead of second place.

“I guess I just basically did the best dives I’ve dived all season,” Kearney said. “I wanted (the record). My friend (Garrett Casey) had it and I wanted to get it. It’s always good to have a record.”

Arnold senior Julie Stephenson won the girls county title with a score of 337.40 points, barely beating Mosley’s Sarah Dorsch, who set a school record with 335.25 points.

Four of Stephenson’s dives had a degree of difficulty of more than 2.0, more than any other female diver. Stephenson, who set the county record a year ago, wasn’t completely satisfied with her performance.

“I didn’t think I’d win it,” Stephenson said. “There were some dives I was counting on (but didn’t execute well).”

She wasn’t pleased with her inward pike, but was able to hang on to win.

Arnold’s Carley Kelly was third with 277.2 points, Nicole’s Enright was fourth with 251.2 points, Jasmine Mondini was fifth with 230.85 points and Mosley’s Shelby Griffin was sixth with 194.45.

Mosley freshman Sam Bennett finished second in the boys competition with 311.85 points, Rutherford’s Chris Jackson was third with 264.55 points and Mosley’s Anothiny Walker was fourth with 191.45 points.

More divers started the event but couldn’t come up the 11 dives that were required.

Kearney’s title was won with a series of tough dives. His last dive, an inward double somersault tuck, was the hardest of his 11 with a 2.8 degree of difficulty. He also tried two dives that were 2.4, three that were 2.3 and one that was a 2.1.

“Ryan was amazing,” Mosley coach Sue Cottrill said. “He was doing dives with a very high degree of difficulty. This is the best I’ve ever seen him dive. He has worked really, really hard.”

Results:

• Boys: 1. Ryan Kearney M 386.45, 2. Sam Bennett M 311.85, 3. Chris Jackson R 264.55, 4. Anthony Walker M 191.45.
• Girls: 1. Julie Stephenson A 337.4, 2. Sarah Dorsch M 335.25, 3. Carley Kelley A 277.2, 4. Nicole Enright A 251.2, 5. Jasmine Mondini A 230.85, 6. Shelby Griffin M 194.45.