NCMP’s Eide claims fifth at district meet to end her first diving season

PLEASANT HILL — Morgann Eide was the first diver to represent NCMP at district diving competition since 2011. The first-year freshman diver represented well Thursday at the regional meet at Southeast Polk High School’s pool.

Two districts competed in the regional meet. Eide finished fifth in the Indianola district, making the district podium. She scored 339.25 points in the 11-dive competition.

“I feel good about my first year of diving. Today, I has some mixups (on a couple of dives), but you just move on,” Eide said.

Fairfield’s Katherine Mueller was the district champion with 465.30 points followed by Jilan Loos of Waukee with 386.20 points. Maddie Piechowski of Waukee scored 346.65 points for third placed and Kristin Burnstedt, Fairfield, was fourth with 341.25 points. All four qualified for the next week’s state meet at Marshalltown.

Each district champion automatically qualifies. There are six districts, which competed at three regionals Thursday. The next 24 diving scores from across the state fill the state meet’s 30 slots.

NCMP’s Aquagirls had to stand down from the diving event at swim meets for two years because of no diving board at their home pool. This season the team had three divers, who spent several days each week working with diving coach Kelly Rose at Grinnell.

“Morgann has made great progress this season. Starting in August, she’s only on the board about three times a week and she’s learned 11 dives,” Rose said after Thursday’s competition. “She’s disappointed in her performance tonight, but she still had a great season. She’s just a freshman and we’re looking forward to what is to come in the next couple of years.”

One disappointment Thursday was a ruling by the meet’s head official that Eide hit the diving board on her way down during a dive. Rose, who was on the judging panel, said Eide was close to the board as she came down but Rose and Eide did not believe the NCMP diver hit the board.

“That’s the sport of diving. The head official made the ruling and that is it. What I talked to her about is we need to make sure in the future that we don’t leave it up to judge to make that decision,” Rose said. Eide had points deducted on that dive.

Eide said she decided to try high school diving because of her gymnastic’s background. Edie, sophomore Chelsea Trotter and senior Anna Barr were the NCMP diving team in 2014.

“I thought this would be fun to do,” Eide said. “My goal is to get the school record and do the best I can each competition.”

Eide came within five points of the NCMP diving record for an 11-dive competition a week ago in the North Central Iowa Conference meet. Her fourth-place finish at conference with 396.85 points helped the Aquagirls record their third straight NCIC championship. The NCMP record is 401.10 points.

“Morgann and Chelsea feed off each other. They push each other and compete well against each other,” Rose said. “Chelsea didn’t quite have her 11 dives, so wasn’t able to compete tonight.”

Thursday’s regional meet featured the top diver in the state. Maggie James, a senior from Ames, goes into the state meet with a top mark of 561.20 points.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at 641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com.