CHS Boys Diving Takes Third at State
By RICHARD SHAW
Sun Advocate general manager Defending a state title that they took last year the Carbon High boys diving team headed to BYU on Feb. 9 with hopes of holding onto the crown.
Unfortunately, East and Highland High schools both had something to say about that as they came in first and second respectively, in the only true state championship sport between all the schools in the state. Carbon took third.
None of the teams that placed in the top three had the top diver however, as Brandon Wilson of Riverton took the individual top honors with 570.15 points.
Carbon's Michael Glasson took fourth individually with 357.90. His teammate, Travis Hobbs placed 10th with 256.95.
The state diving championships is the only sport in the state that doesn't recognize divisions; in other words schools from the largest to the smallest that compete are all vying against each other for the state title.
Carbon only lost the boys state championship by being four points behind East and two behind Highland.
According to Carbon coach Stewart Foster, Glasson did well, but even with his performance the team only got two divers in the finals. Altogether they took five boys.
"Michael hit all his doubles and his two and a half well," said Foster. "He was a lot closer to the third place diver than he had been all year."
As for Hobbs, Stewart said he was very pleased with the young man's performance.
"We were surprised that he placed 10th overall," said Foster. "He had had two bad dives in the preliminaries, but he came back. Travis is not afraid to try anything."
Kent Olsen, Christian Axelgard and Jacob Perez also went to the meet and they just missed making it into the top 16 by a few points.
"All of them had good dives and I thought at least one or two of them would make it," stated Foster.
The Carbon girls team placed eighth in the competition. Chelsey Cloward placed 14th in the finals.
"She failed one dive that she has never failed before," said Foster. "I think she had a touch of something that affected her energy level. She will never admit it even if she doesn't feel good."
Katie Hobbs was ranked 24th coming into the competition, but actually finished 16th overall.
"We didn't think she would place high enough to get into the finals, but she fooled us," stated Foster.
Glasson and Hobbs were also honored during the meet for their gaining Academic All-State honors.
"When you are involved in a sport, it takes a lot of extra work to achieve that type of honor," concluded Foster.
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