Blue Mountain's Hailey Scheuer adjusts the board at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

LEWISBURG — Oh, so close.

Blue Mountain’s Hailey Scheuer felt that frustration Saturday.

The junior diving standout fell just 0.5 points short of a top-eight medal at the PIAA Girls’ Diving Championships, placing ninth with 362.65 points.

After winning her third straight Schuylkill League crown and third straight District 11 Class AA crown earlier this season, Scheuer had her sights set on earning her first-ever state medal.

She came up just short.

“I’m proud of myself,” Scheuer said. “Ninth is still amazing. Top 16 is what I was going for, a medal would have been nice. Point-five kind of sucks. Next year, you never know.”

Scheuer was competing for the third straight year at states. She finished 20th as a freshman with 227.90 points and 11th last year with 336.05.

Saturday, a poor start ultimately kept her from climbing into the top eight.

After the first round, five dives, Scheuer found herself in 13th with 167.75 points.

“My first five dives were like … I hate them all,” Scheuer said. “Just getting past the first five, I could breathe. And then the last six were fine. The first five were definitely tough.”

Fortunately for Scheuer, the leaderboard looked like a NASCAR race at Daytona International Speedway the divers were so closely packed together.

After five rounds, nine points separated fifth-place Genavieve Hoyle of Derry Area (176.75) from Scheuer in 13th. Another seven points separated Scheuer from 18th place Ella Rakow.

As the rounds continued, those divers from fifth through 18th traded places like an old-fashioned swap meet.

Scheuer was eighth after eight dives, having scored 34.50 points on her eighth dive. She was still in eighth after Round 9 but dropped to 11th after scoring 26.4 points on her reverse tuck in Round 10.

She saved her best dive for last, scoring 35.65 points on her reverse twist dive. Scheuer said she didn’t look at the overall scoreboard.

That would have probably hurt more.

“I didn’t look at my score just once,” Scheuer said. “I look at the score of what I got for each dive, but I don’t look at my overall score or compared it to anyone else. I just want to do the best for myself, do the best dives for myself.

“Ninth place by point-five kind of bothers me.”

PIAA Diving Championships

At Bucknell University

Girls’ AA

Saturday’s results

1. Gabriella Elk, Hampton, 452.75

2. Justine Frantz, Upper Moreland, 414.10

3. Megan Kuzma, Dallas, 400.55

4. Aubrey Kauffman, Interboro, 394.45

5. Charlotte Schwendeman, Schuylkill Valley, 392.45

6. Kyra Guntrum, Harbor Creek, 386.55

7. Carly Crills, Schuylkill Valley, 364.95

8. Ella Rakow, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, 363.05

9. Hailey Scheuer, Blue Mountain, 362.65

10. Gena Hoyle, Derry Area, 358.45

11. Marina Eshelman, Bishop McDevitt, 355.10

12. Paige Van Tassell, Northgate, 342.00

13. Eleanor Carei, Uniontown, 341.65

14. Joy Beck, Freeport, 339.20

15. Brynlee Tabor, Dallas, 336.20

16. Lydia Gamble, Derry Area, 319.80