Niekamp reaches podium; Cavaliers earn All-Ohio honors

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

A year after breaking into the top 10, Vivian Niekamp wraps up her high school diving career with a podium finish.

The New Bremen senior placed seventh to earn first team All-Ohio honors at the Division II State Girls Diving Championships held Wednesday at Branin Natatorium in Canton.

Niekamp, who finished 10th last season, secured a podium spot by 6.5 points and seventh place by 0.90 points in the 11-dive competition.

"I feel like all my dives were pretty consistent," said Niekamp via telephone on Wednesday night. "I think I had some good dives at the end of my list so I was able to get those in at the end and move up a couple places."

When the final dives were completed, Niekamp had a final score of 395.70 points to clinch a podium spot.

"I was very excited. It was always my goal throughout high school to make the podium," said Niekamp, who will dive at Miami University next season. "It was a good feeling to finally get there."

Courtney Grace of Wyoming was the runaway winner in diving, earning her state title with a final score of 485.80 points, 40.45 points ahead of runner-up Kate Lamonica of Chagrin Falls.

Defiance's Addi Fleischman finished 10th with teammate Lilly Lacey placing 16th.

In the afternoon swimming session, Coldwater earned second team All-Ohio honors in all four events Cavaliers were competing in. The best finish came in the 200-yard freestyle relay where Macy May, Rachel Wenning, Heidi Bruns and Sarah Diller finished ninth with a time of 1:40.57, missing a spot on the podium by 0.33 seconds. The 200 medley relay team of May, Bruns, Diller and Carlee Goodwin, set a school record in finishing 11th in 1:52.31, just over a second out of eighth place. The Cavaliers added two final points as May, Bruns, Diller and Wenning finished 16th in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:44.61. May added a 12th-place finish in the 100 butterfly with a time of 59.19 seconds.

Fort Recovery earned second team All-Ohio honors as Paige Fortkamp, Autumn Burk, Ava Bubp and Teigen Fortkamp finished 16th in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of 1:42.32. Teigen Fortkamp also competed in the 50 freestyle, finishing 18th in 24.61.

St. Marys' Ciera Rupert finished 19th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:09.32.

The Division II boys take to the pool today with diving starting at 9 a.m. and swimming at 4:30 p.m.