AJ Abington Heights

By Adam Roberts aroberts@theabingtonjournal.com
Reporter / Photographer

As the Abington Heights High School swim team prepares for the District II Championships this weekend, March 5 and 6, they can rest a little easier knowing that last weekend their divers built them a cushion.

click image to enlarge

Alexa Dziak, shown above, finished first in the District II Diving Championships.

Abington Journal Photos/ Ellen Bugno

click image to enlarge

Mike Diskin, shown above, finished sixth at the District II Diving Championships.

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

Three boys and three girls earned points at the District II Diving Championships last weekend, earning 30 points for the boys and 32 for the girls.

On both sides, Abington Heights represented three of the six medal positions. Coach Kevin Smith expressed pride in his team members, many who have not even been diving their entire high school careers.

“It really makes me feel like I did my job this year,” Smith said of his team’s production.

Girls diving

The girls team was led by defending district champion Alexa Dziak, who posted a school 11 -dive and district meet record of 399.3. The district meet came just a week after Dziak set that school record and finished first at the Lackawanna County Diving Championships on Feb. 19, where she was followed by Katy Bills, Quinn Gibbons and Marisa Gretz in second, third and fourth place.

At the District II meet, Bills finished fourth, Gibbons sixth and Gretz finished 13th.

Gretz, a first-year diver, surpassed all expectations at leagues and gained valuable experience coming into her junior year.

Though Gibbons struggled early, the 11- dive format, which is five dives more than a normal meet, allowed her to make adjustments. The tweaks came with enough time to hit big dives and earn a sixth place medal.

Bills’ performance was highlighted by her double somersault and back one and a half.

At the last two meets, Dziak has seen her career goal of breaking the school record realized, twice, but she put a large emphasis on her team’s total performance.

Coming in to districts, hopes were high that the senior could repeat as champion.

“For Alexa, my expectations were set at her winning it,” said Smith.

She did so convincingly. Dziak finished 53 points ahead of second-place finisher Kelli Labashisky of Wyoming Valley West; a margin so hefty Dziak could’ve failed a dive and still topped the medal stand.

Dziak built her lead with a combination of difficult dives executed at a high level, including an inward pike, a double and a pair of well -done twisters.

She also nailed a back one and a half that she struggled with all week in practice.

“I compete a lot better under pressure,” Dziak said.

She will go on to compete at states, March 16 to 18, at Bucknell University. Smith’s goal for Dziak is for her to finish in the top 12 and earn all state honors, an attainable goal, as she is diving at a level that could find her in the top 10.

Dziak just wants to continue her record-breaking improvement.

“I just hope to do as well as I have the past two weeks,” said Dziak

Boys diving

The Comets were lead by a trio of second-year divers who all competed at districts a year ago. The team was paced by junior Zach Burns, who scored a 373.8 on his way to a fourth place finish. He was joined on the podium by seniors Josh Frank, fifth and Mike Diskin, sixth.

Frank and Diskin were separated by just .75 of a point. Frank jumped five spots from his finish last year at districts while Diskin improved on his seventh place.

Burns also moved up two spots, and picked up almost 40 points.

Burns used a forward two and a half and a forward double, which both have degrees of difficulty over two, to propel him to a medal.

“Zach had a great meet,” said Smith. “He hit almost all of his dives.”

All of the Abington Heights boys knew who their competition would be coming in to districts.

“I knew the kids I was diving against would be a challenge,” said Burns.

Burns finished behind Ryan Thomas, Hanover Area; Michael Stec, Dallas and Jake Baker, Wyoming Seminary.

Though Diskin and Frank will depart in May, the Comets will be led by Burns and Dan Jasinski, a first-year diver who in his first trip to districts earned experience and a 15th place finish.

Smith was impressed with Jasinski’s first year and looks forward to seeing him next season after a summer diving camp.

Burns is also looking forward to next year, his final as a Comet. This summer he plans to work on his twister and reverse.

Smith would also like to see Burns work on more pike dives, which would further improve his degree of difficulty.