Festa, Giraldo, Cousins lead the way for Southwest Ohio diving at 2024 state championship

The Ohio high school swimming and diving state championships began this week at C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton, Ohio with the boys diving competitions on Feb. 20 and the girls diving competition on Feb. 21.

Eighteen divers represented 10 Cincinnati schools in the boys Division I competition and the Division I and II girls competitions.

Here are the divers who advanced to the semifinals and finals, and placed on the final podium.

Vote:Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky high school athlete of the week, Feb. 19

Boys

Eight boys from Cincinnati took to the platform in the one-meter prelims. Milford's Luke Eminger, Anderson's Noah Horwitz and Walnut Hills' Hoyt Noble all made their second appearance at the season's final meet.

But it was West Clermont freshman Bryce Cousins who finished with the highest score among all local divers. Coming off a third-place finish at the district meet, Cousins contended for the podium. He was in ninth place after the preliminaries and the semifinals but fell to 11th in the standings with a final score of 438.25.

Horwitz, the district champion, was right behind his Eastern Cincinnati Conference foe. His score of 437 was good for 12th place, one spot behind his 2023 placement. Just a sophomore, Horwitz has two years left to make a podium in Canton.

Milford senior Patrick Eminger finished in 13th place with a score of 433.80. Patrick's younger brothers Luke (17th place, 288.50 points) and Jacob (32nd place, 136.25) rounded out a trio of brothers to make the state final. According to Milford athletic director Aaron Zupka, it is believed to be the first time three brothers appeared in the diving state championship in the same year.

Other divers who appeared in the preliminary rounds were Walnut Hills junior Hoyt Noble (26th place, 171.05), Mason freshman Juju Nkhumane (29th, 159.80) and Sycamore junior Simon Huth (31st, 151.90).

Girls

Division I

Seven female Southwest Ohio divers competed in the DI championships. Five of them made their second appearance at Branin Natatorium.

Mason's Isabella Giraldo just made it to state, finishing seventh at the district meet, but she made the most of her opportunity. Despite being in 17th place after the prelims, she finished on the podium, scoring 392 points for eighth place.

Mount Notre Dame junior Averie Heizman had a promising start to the championships, emerging in fifth place after the prelims. She was in eighth place after the semifinals, ultimately finishing in 10th place with 388.25 points.

Anderson's Natalie Reising and Bella Basford both improved on their 2023 state placements. Reising, a senior, ends her high school career with an 11th-place finish, a vast improvement on her 24th-place finish in 2023. Junior Bella Basford improved from a 22nd-place finish in 2023 to take 14th place this year with a score of 381.90.

Three divers also competed in the preliminary rounds: Oak Hills junior Zoe Wuerdeman (22nd place, 177.50 points), Milford sophomore Audrey Fox (25th, 173.05) and Walnut Hills sophomore Roya dos Anjos (28th, 183.50).

Division II

Both Indian Hill divers at this year's state championships entered Branin Natatorium looking to end their careers with a bang.

Josie Festa made her fourth appearance this year and already had top 10 finishes under her belt. Coming off a district title, she ended her high school career with a fourth-place finish at state, scoring 391.30 points.

She saved her best for last. She was in ninth after the prelims and sixth after the semifinal round. Festa scored 125.75 points on her final three dives to move up the podium.

After a third-place finish at the district meet, senior Marisol Mason recorded a 17th-place finish at this year's state meet with a score of 226.15.

Mercy McAuley freshman Aubrey Berlag finished in 22nd place with 139.55 points.