August 10, 2007

Speedo Junior National Championships: Cook, Jones repeat; Dantin, Hixon win first titles
 
MISSION VIEJO, Calif. –Harrison Jones (Spring, Texas) and Kassidy Cook (The Woodlands, Texas) won their second titles this week, while Michael Hixon (Amherst, Mass.) and Vennie Dantin (Conroe, Texas) won their first Friday at the Speedo Junior National Championships.

Jones dominated the boys 16-18 platform competition, scoring 579.50 points to beat his Woodlands’ teammate Drew Livingston (The Woodlands, Texas) by nearly 60 points. Livingston won the silver with 521.05 points. Brothers Michael and Tom Neubacher (Windermere, Fla.) were third and fourth, respectively, with 488.95 and 472.75 points. Brent Eichenseer (Columbus, Ohio) was fifth at 465.40.

“I was really relaxed about my diving today. After my first two dives, I was pretty confident and got on a roll,” said Jones, who won 1-meter earlier this week. “I’m not sure if I’m going to do juniors next year, so this is a great way to go out if I don’t. I’m stoked.”

Cook won her second title in two days, this time scoring 321.65 points in the girls 13-under 3-meter contest. Annika Lenz (Altadena, Calif.) picked up the silver with 297.25 points, and Mary Ann McCain (Ballwin, Mo.) won the bronze with a score of 291.50. Lilly Hinrichs (Lincoln, Neb.) was fourth with 285.50 points, followed by Margaret Denison (Pasadena, Calif.) with 283.85 points.

“I felt really good. Springboard is my favorite event, and I’m happy and overwhelmed. This is my first time winning 3-meter,” said Cook, who won 1-meter on Thursday.

Hixon, competing in his first junior national championships, received scores as high as 9.0 on his last dive, an inward 1 1/2 , to win the boys 13-under 1-meter title with 269.45 points. Bryce Klein (Southlake, Texas) won another silver medal with 261.40 points a day after placing second on 3-meter. Aidan Scribbick (San Antonio, Texas) scored 247.45 points for a bronze medal, and Andrew Whittington (The Woodlands, Texas) was fourth at 243.30. Dashiell Enos (Studio City, Calif.) rounded out the top five with 242.20 points.

“I’d won the east championships before, but this is my first time at summer nationals. I’d never competed against kids from the west before, so I didn’t really know what to expect,” Hixon said. “I kind of missed my first dive, but I knew if hit my inward, I’d have a chance. It feels pretty good.”

Dantin topped the girls 16-18 platform field with 415.55 points, beating out teammate Kara Cook (The Woodlands, Texas), who took silver with 383.05. Christine Petrilli (Newport Beach, Calif.) scored 378.70 points for bronze, followed by Maren Taylor (Arlington, Va.) at 364.55 and Felicitas Lenz (Altadena, Calif.) at 364.30.

“It still hasn’t sunk in. I don’t even know what to think,” Dantin said. “After each dive, I felt like I probably did the best I could. I tried not to get distracted on earlier dives and just tried to focus on the dives to come.”

The Speedo Junior National Championships continue through August 11.

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