Schools

Warrior Divers Take Varied Paths for State Medal Quest

Deerfield High School divers Sean Scarry and Ryan Church, swimmer Ryan Smith set for State Meet.

Two Deerfield High School divers could be on the medal stand by the time the time the State Swim Meet concludes Saturday at New Trier High School in Winnetka and they have chosen different strategies to make their goal.

according to Coach John Sullivan. Ryan Smith, a freshman, will join them today and Saturday when he swims the 100-yard backstroke.

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The State Meet is nothing new for Scarry and Church. They went a year ago but did not make the top 12 to come out of the preliminary rounds and reach the finals to compete for a medal and team points.

“Last year was the first time,” Scarry said. “It was all new. Now we know what to expect and we’re looking to go to the finals. Last year was for experience. This year we’re going for medals.”

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Scarry accumulated 462.2 points in the Glenbrook North Sectional Saturday for the seventh best statewide finish. Church scored 428.85 points for the 16th best place, 13.25 tallies from 12th.

Church increased his opportunity for a medal by concentrating on the dives he has done all along making them more precise while Scarry has increased his repertoire adding potential points because of the increased difficulty.

“Since last year I’ve been doing a lot of new dives,” Scarry said. “If I do all of them well it will all count toward a medal. I’ve been working really hard and have them down pat now.”

For Church, the path to a medal has not been by adding difficulty to his dives but by meticulously repeating what he has been doing to reduce any possible errors.

“I didn’t develop any new dives. I perfected what I have been doing,” Church said. “It’s all about precision. I have a really good put down now,” he added referring to his entry into the water.

As teammates, Scarry and Church have been helping each other as well the mentoring they get from Sullivan and diving Coach Doug Foerch. That will continue to do that Friday and Saturday in hopes of sharing the medal stand for the Warriors.

“When I see what Ryan (Church) is doing, I’ll tell him to keep it up,” Scarry said. They will also offer constructive criticism to each other and the results have showed.

“We’ve been one and two in every dual meet (except one) this year,” Church said.

When Smith enters the water Friday he will be in the same place Church and Scarry were at the 2012 State Meet. He is looking for experience and a brighter future. His Sectional time of 54.04 is two seconds out of the top 12. “I know I’m coming back the next three years and I’ve going to do everything I can to improve,” he said.

Sullivan believes the experience Smith gets this weekend will benefit the rest of the Warriors as well. “This is for experience and learning to grow,” Sullivan said. “I want him to bring it back to the (whole) team.”

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