Maria Lohman claims fourth WPIAL diving title
Maria Lohman completes one of her back dives during the WPIAL Class AAA championships
Maria Lohman completes one of her dives during the WPIAL Class AAA championships.
In a near-record performance, Maria Lohman captured her fourth WPIAL championship for diving. The Chartiers Valley senior racked up 603.5 points, 2.5 off the record of 605.55 set by Samantha Pickens in 2010.
“Three points off the record,” Lohman said with a shrug. “I don’t normally make records my goal. I just want to dive well.”
Lohman did dive well. She dove so well that her closest competition scored 470.55 points. Mallory Charles from Pine-Richland secured second and Miranda Simon from Fox Chapel grabbed third with a 465.80 total.
“I was real happy with my performance,” said Lohman, who garnered perfect 10s from several judges on different dives.
Lohman was particularly pleased with her 11th dive. She pulled off a one-and-one-half somersault with a one-and-one-half twist. On the dive that carried a 2.2 degree of difficulty, she posted three 9s, three 8.5s and one 9.5 from the judges. On her previous dive, an inward 1.5 somersault pike with a 2.4 DD, she picked up two, 9.5s, two 9s, two 8s and an 8.5.
“Without a doubt this was my best performance,” she said. “I’m real pleased because I worked really hard to perfect my list.”
In addition to her workouts at school, Lohman trains at Pitt, under the direction of Doe and Julian Krug. Her efforts have enabled her to participate in national and worldwide events as well as earn a scholarship to the University of North Carolina.
Of her four district titles, Lohman ranks her senior championship as No. 1.
“This one is the best because it was my best performance and I wanted to go out with a bang.
“Honestly,” she continued, “it feels amazing. I’ve felt that over the past four years I have improved and gotten better and better.”
The local competition certainly has improved as six area divers finished in the Top 20.
Bethel Park’s Brionna Litwin and Maria Capozzi joined Lohman on the podium. Litwin finished seventh (423.15) and Capozzi followed in eighth position (410.25). Their teammate, Ashley Wentz rounded out the Top 20 with a 237 score. All three BP divers are juniors.
Mt. Lebanon’s tandem of Kalli Bicket and Emma D’Orazio placed 11th and 12th with respective totals of 372.85 and 366.50. Bicket is a sophomore while D’Orazio is a junior.
Desiree Kline finished 17th with a 252.35 total. She is a senior from Canon-McMillan.
The top five finishers in the WPIAL advanced to the PIAA championships set for March 12-14 at Bucknell University. Lohman is the defending state champion.