Pottsville's Adam Klinger, left, and Blue Mountain's Hailey Scheuer, right, pose with the Schuylkill League champion banner after each winning their third straight Schuylkill League diving crowns Friday at North Schuylkill's Donald Bricker Natatorium (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

Klinger records perfect score, tops 600-point mark

FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — As the announcer read the judges’ scores, the pool deck at Friday’s Schuylkill League Diving Championships roared louder and louder with each one.

10 … 10 … 10 … 10 … 10

Adam Klinger climbed out of the water, stared at the scoreboard in disbelief and was immediately mugged by teammate Colin Kline. A bevy of hugs, high-fives and handshakes followed as he cleared the diving area.

Like a 300 score in bowling or a hole-in-one in golf, the Pottsville senior diver had just accomplished his sport’s rarest achievement — a perfect score on a dive.

“This is something I never expected,” Klinger said. “I never expected to get a 10, either in high school or in college. To get all 10s on one dive is something surreal, something that I’d never thought I would ever see in my lifetime, especially see it from myself.”

Klinger’s perfect score was the highlight of a record-breaking night at North Schuylkill’s Donald Bricker Natatorium.

Klinger and Blue Mountain’s Hailey Scheuer each captured their third straight league crown, breaking their respective Schuylkill League 11-dive record and Bricker Natatorium mark in the process.

The Seton Hall-bound Klinger finished with an amazing 609.30 points, easily surpassing the 494.50 set by Tamaqua’s Dane DeWire in 2011. He’s the first diver in Schuylkill League history to break the 600-point mark.

Kline was second with a personal-best 343.10 points, with Pottsville’s Brayden Tokonitz (202.50) taking third and Blue Mountain’s Kevin Frederick (170.60) placing fourth.

“There are a lot of emotions running around me right now,” Klinger said. “I never thought I would break 600, high school or college. This is definitely one of the best ways I could close out my high school season … This was probably the best way to close out my Schuylkill League career.”

Scheuer, a junior, finished with 436.65 points, breaking the previous league record of 431.35 held by Tamaqua’s Amanda Sandlin since 2007. She also broke the Blue Mountain school record of 379.50 set in 2000 by Lindsey Frank.

Blue Mountain divers went 1-2-3 in the eight-girl competition, as Scheuer was followed by teammates Shyanna White (363.25) and Ana Oettl (315.10). North Schuylkill’s Annabelle Bennett was fourth at 283.75.

“Definitely, today was a great meet for all of us,” Scheuer said. “My team did so good. I’m so proud of them. They’re amazing divers, they’re great teammates to be around, they make everything so much easier.

“I’m so proud of my teammates. Going 1-2-3 is awesome.”

Klinger set the tone for his perfect score by performing crisp, technically perfect dives from the outset. He received a 10 and two 9s on his fourth dive, an inward dive from the pike position (1.5 difficulty), then received a 10 and four 9.5s on his sixth dive, a forward 1.5-somersault from the pike position (1.7 difficulty).

Both of those dives were basic dives in which Klinger got great height off the board and executed perfectly. His perfect score came on a basic dive as well, a reverse dive from the pike position (1.7 difficulty).

All total, Klinger’s lowest score on the night was a 39.20 on his first dive. He followed with scores of 57.50, 52.50, 39.75, 60.00, 48.45, 65.00, 51.00, 64.80, 58.30 and a whopping 72.80 on his final dive to eclipse the 600-point mark. Seven of his dives were rated at a difficulty of 2.2 or higher.

The Schuylkill League’s greatest boys’ diver of all-time?

It’s a title Klinger is OK to hold.

“That means a lot for sure,” Klinger said. “It’s definitely an honor. It’s something I never thought my freshman year when I was on the brink of quitting midseason that I would ever imagine would happen.”

While Klinger has etched his name as the Schuylkill League’s all-time greatest boys’ diver, Scheuer continues to make a case to be the Schuylkill League’s all-time greatest girls’ diver.

The junior captured her third Schuylkill League crown in dominating fashion, scoring 33 or more points on 10 of her 11 dives and 42 or more points on six of those dives. Her best score came on her final dive, when she scored 49.95 points on a back, one-somersault with 2.5 twists from the free position (difficulty 2.7).

It was a change of pace from Scheuer’s title-winning performances the previous two years, when she backloaded her routine and surged late to win. This time, she dominated from the outset.

“Today was a different meet for me,” Scheuer said. “I honestly started off pretty strong, which is different. I knew going into my final three dives I was extremely confident.”

Scheuer wasn’t born when Sandlin was dominating the Schuylkill League diving circuit, earning an eighth-place medal at states in 2007.

Scheuer wasn’t sure what the league record was as the meet was progressing, but was excited when she learned she broke it.

“It’s truly an honor,” Scheuer said. “I’m so proud, I’m so happy. I honestly didn’t think I’d get close to it. I’m super proud.”

Next up for the Schuylkill League divers is the District 11 Diving Championships, which this year are split into two days. The boys will compete Tuesday, Feb. 17, while the girls’ championships are Wednesday, Feb. 18. Both meets will be at Parkland.

Scheuer will be looking for a third straight District 11 Class AA crown, while Klinger was first last year after placing second as a freshman and sophomore.

The top two placewinners at districts qualify for the PIAA Diving Championships, which will be held Friday-Saturday, March 13-14, at Bucknell University.

Schuylkill League Diving Championships

At North Schuylkill’s Donald Bricker Natatorium

Friday’s results

GIRLS: 1. Hailey Scheuer (BM) 436.65, 2. Shyanna White (BM) 363.25, 3. Ana Oettl (BM) 315.10, 4. Annabelle Bennett (NS) 283.75, 5. Molly Stone (BM) 270.70, 6. Lila Evans (Potts) 257.55, 7. Sarah Satterfield (BM) 236.85, 8. Parker Drum (NS) 230.25

BOYS: 1. Adam Klinger (Potts) 609.30, 2. Colin Kline (Potts) 343.10, 3. Brayden Tokonitz (Potts) 202.50, 4. Kevin Frederick (BM) 170.60