Latrobe’s Jordyn Miller, Ligonier Valley’s Nick Roddy claim WCCA diving titles
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Friday, January 24, 2020 | 10:06 PM
Ligonier Valley’s Nick Roddy won the WCCA boys diving championship Friday at Derry.
Greater Latrobe’s Paige Kunklemann competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Jake DePietro competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Marissa Fabac competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Ligonier Valley’s Nick Roddy competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Penn-Trafford’s Delaney Lentz competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Franklin Regional’s Carson Yohe competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Derry’s Alison Cowan competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
Derry’s Cameron Washburn competes in the WCCA diving championships Friday, Jan. 24, 2020 at Derry Area High School.
In three of the last four years heading into this year’s diving competition, the Westmoreland County Coaches Association diving title resided with Latrobe’s Taylor Miller.
After a year away from the Miller household, the gold medal returns as senior Jordyn Miller claimed her first county title Friday night at Derry, accumulating 462.36 points.
“Me and my sister were always close. I was happy for her when she would win and she would be happy if I were to ever beat her, which unfortunately never happened,” Miller said. “This year was kind of special. It felt like my year.”
Miller won by more than 44 points over her nearest competition after finishing third and second in the last two seasons. Miller will look to build on the win as she works to improve on her eighth-place finish at the WPIAL Class AAA 1-meter diving competition last season.
“I went into the meet every year very nervous and really concerned that I wasn’t going to hit all my dives. This year, I was easier on myself and I wasn’t pushing myself as hard. I think it really worked out in my favor,” Miller said.
Latrobe’s Lauren Bisignani finished second with a score of 417.50 in the 11-dive format. The Wildcats junior finished third last season behind Penn-Trafford’s Paige Kalik and Miller.
Rounding out the top six for the girls were Derry’s Alison Cowan (362.60), Penn-Trafford’s Delaney Lentz (358.40) and Marissa Fabac (342.95) and Franklin Regional’s Emily Rose (287.80).
Cowan was the only other top-six finisher outside of Miller and Bisignani returning from last year’s WCCA competition. Cowan finished in fourth place last year.
On the boys’ side, Ligonier Valley’s Nick Roddy made a late climb to capture his first gold medal at the WCCA championships in his first year of diving.
The freshman, who was in third place with three dives remaining, finished with a score of 418.90 points, just beating out Franklin Regional sophomore Carson Yohe, who finished with 412.35 points. Yohe improved on his sixth-place finish at the WCCA competition last year.
“It feels pretty good. I had no idea I was going to win,” Roddy said. “I was really nervous for this meet, like over-the-top nervous.
“I had gotten my hard dives out of the way. I was ready to do those dives and do my best. I thought I was going to stay around that place. I had no idea I was going to move up.”
Also placing in the top six were Penn-Trafford’s Xander Lentz (400.60), Derry’s Cameron Washburn (383.30), Latrobe’s Clay McClintock (359.15) and Penn-Trafford’s Jake DePietro (332.00).
The boys diving competition saw a lot of new faces at the top of the podium as the top three finishers — Penn-Trafford’s Logan Sherwin, Franklin Regional Mason Fishell and Hempfield’s Grant Drexler — all graduated last season.
Last year, Washburn finished in fourth place at the WCCA competition, while Lentz finished fifth.
The WCCA swimming championships will start at 10 a.m. Saturday, also at Derry.
Tags: Derry Area, Franklin Regional, Hempfield, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Penn-Trafford
