ST. PETERS • Last season, then-Parkway West junior Mary Kate Hardy pulled off something of an upset by winning the 35th annual MSHSAA one-meter diving championship with 417.20 points.
This time around, Saturday at the Rec-Plex, Hardy showed she is the model of consistency by scoring 417.35 points to defend her crown.
"I was definitely consistent this year, but there were a few dives that I know I could have done better," Hardy said. "I think that I have improved last year, but today I just wanted to show that (the 2010 title was no fluke). This feels awesome."
Hardy's point total easily outdistanced Parkway North's Natalie Gray, who finished in second place with 402.15 points.
The rest of the top five was: Nerinx Hall's Meg Lenger in third with 395.00 points; Blue Springs South's Bre Schlenger in fourth with 390.95 points and MICDS's Nealey Wallis in fifth with 371.65 points.
The final three spots on the championship podium belonged to: Lindbergh's Kellen Hope in sixth with 357.80 points; Blue Springs' Patty Pampolina in seventh with 350.15 points and Notre Dame de Sion's Mary Tutera in eighth with 314 points.
Hardy shook off a slow start to sit in third place after the preliminary five-dive round.
For her, it was dives No. 3 and 4 where things started to heat up and where Hardy felt back on top of her game.
Those dives were a good thing considering what had started to creep into the back of her mind.
"I was preparing myself (for the possibility of defeat) after I started off rocky," Hardy said. "But on those two dives, my back one-half pike - I hit the board (well) on that one -- and my reverse one-half tuck, I hit that one and I knew I was still in the game."
Entering the final three-dives, Hardy still trailed Wallis and Schlenger.
That, though, is when she saved her best for last. Hardy overtook Wallis and Schlenger on dive No. 10 and cemented her victory with a strong back one and one-half on her last dive to seal the victory.
The back one and one-half drew raves from her coach, Gayle Hutchens.
"I really liked all of her voluntary dives today, the ones that it's really form showing over degree of difficulty," Hutchens said. "She nailed that last dive. It was great."
Hardy said she had plenty of reason to feel both confident and comfortable as the competition moved along.
She said instead of stocking her rotation with difficult dives toward the end, she went with dives that gave her a certain comfort factor.
"I felt confident in my entire list," Hardy said. "I was very impressed with myself (about the finish). I have never hit a dive as well as I did on that last dive."
For Hardy, looking back at her second straight state title was something she did with fondness in its immediate aftermath.
"I was the underdog last year, so there was a lot more pressure this time around," Hardy said. "It came out of nowhere last year, but this year all eyes were on me and it was great to come through."
