SECTION IV DIVING: OWEGO'S KATCHUK THIRD AT JACK MATHERS INVITE (2021-04-18)

Tioga County Sports Report
ELMIRA — Owego 8th-grader Kaelyn Katchuk captured third-place honors at the 2021 Jack Mathers Diving Invitational here Saturday.

She finished with an 11-dive score of 450.15 points, trailing only Kailee Payne of Ithaca (535.95 ) and Brooke Terwilliger from Corning (511.8). 

All three competitors surpassed the New York State Meet qualifying standard of 440 points. Unfortunately, the New York State Public High School Athletic Association has canceled all state championship events for the 2020-21 school year.

"Kaelyn was solid except for her third-round dive, a balk on a forward one somersault with one twist and lost 14 points on deductions," said her coach, Roger Katchuk.  "She came right back in Round 4 with 53.9 points and judges' scores of 8s on an inward 1 1/2 somersault.  She was mostly 7s, 8s and 9s from judges the rest of the way."

Kaelyn Katchuk was the only diver who did not come from a Class A school.

All three divers should move up in the state rankings, according to the coach.

Kaelyn Katchuk will compete in the Section IV Class B diving finals Friday. She will also participate in the swimming preliminaries with her teammates Thursday with an opportunity to qualify for Saturday's finals. All three day's events will take place at Owego Free Academy.

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Results
1. Kailee Payne, Ithaca 535.95
2. Brooke Terwilliger, Corning 511.8
3. Kaelyn Katchuk, Owego 450.15
4. Emma Bachert, Horseheads 401.8
5. Lydia Benjamin, Elmira 392.4
6. CC Cowan, Horseheads 340.5

7. Liz Robbins, Elmira 333.75
8. Emma Beach, Elmira 316.8
9. Nicole Gaskievicz, Corning 311.15
10. Sofia Sterbenk, Corning 310.7
11. Iylan Fowler, Horseheads 298.4
12. Allison Huff, Corning 255.9
13. Lexi Thibault, Corning 245.45

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Photos courtesy of Roger Katchuk.