ST. PETERS • Even as a freshman, Zumwalt West diver Marissa Green knew not to get too keyed up at any point during the diving finals of the MSHSAA 37th annual swimming and diving championships at the Rec-Plex.
So, when it ostensibly came down to one final dive between Green and Parkway North senior Natalie Gray, the freshman came out on top.
"I felt like my diving list was set up pretty well, and that was a key," Green said. "I had some dive set up at the beginning I knew I could hit. After that, I had some (compulsory dives), and then, I finished with some dives I felt good about. It feels great to wind up winning this."
Green's scores ranged from 5.5s to 6.5s on her inward one and one-half dive with a summersault from a pike position, which included a 2.4 degree of difficulty, to overtake Gray.
Green wound up with 435.90 points for the meet, which consisted of 11 dives.
"I put a safety dive as one of my last three dives," Green said. "It was one of those dives I could usually hit. I knew that it had to be really, really good today. I still felt like that one could have been better."
As it turned out, it was just good enough. Gray finished with 433.75 points, just 2.25 off Green's pace.
For Gray, a University of Ohio recruit, finishing second in the state for the second consecutive year is nothing to hang her head about.
While she would've liked to win, Gray still feels good about what she did Saturday in leading through the preliminary and semifinal rounds.
"It's all good," Gray said. "I went out there and gave it my all. It (back-to-back second place finishes) isn't bad. Now, it's on to the next chapter."
The rest of the divers who earned state medals Saturday as one of the state's top eight included:
MICDS freshman Kat Friese (412.90 points)
Nerinx Hall's Meg Lenger (397.70)
Parkway West's Francesca Giganti (393.45)
Blue Springs South's Bre Schlenger (392.55)
Note Dame De Sion's Mary Tutera (378.80)
MICDS' Nealey Wallis (377.15).
For Zumwalt West coach Jeri LaBrot said Green's performance came down to the freshman showing the poise and strength she'd seen from her all season.
"I could see on the board when she got ready for that dive her chest was heaving a bit," LaBrot said. "She was nervous. No one else could tell, and you sure couldn't tell it during that dive. She went out there and hit it."
Green said that while the whole experience is one she'll never forget, she has set a bar for herself.
It's a bar she would like to see topped a few more times.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Green said. "I want to win the title again."
