CANTON — North central Ohio’s contingent of divers took center stage during the opening day of the state swimming and diving tournament Tuesday morning.
Ashland’s Owen Lemon and Lexington’s Mason Trittschuh both earned top-10 finishes in the Division II boys 1-meter diving competition.
Lemon finished sixth with a score of 352.05. Trittschuh was ninth with a score of 324.15.
Seven area divers qualified for the 32-person field.
Ashland’s Altin Rowland finished 13th with a score of 309. Lexington’s Owen Roth (207.15) was 19th, while Lexington’s Deven Goodman (129.20) was 22nd. Mansfield Senior’s Nash Nicholson (116.20) was 27th and Ashland’s Brian VanBremen (113.50) was 28th.
All 32 divers completed five preliminary dives before the field was pared to 20 for the semifinals.
The 20 semifinalists then completed three more dives with the top 16 advancing to the finals for three additional dives.
Bexley freshman Jackson Monus won the event with a score of 483.05. Bay junior Charles Vatolin (419.85) was runner-up.
The Division II girls diving competition will take place Wednesday morning at the C.T. Branin Natatorium.
Mansfield Senior’s Macey Wade and Crestview’s Audrey McPherran will be in action. A senior, McPherran is seeded 18th. Wade, a junior, is seeded 20th.
The Division II swimming preliminaries begin at 5 p.m. Thursday. The finals are scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday.