By: Marc Hardin, (Cincinnati.com)
![2015 Southwest Swimming and Diving Classic]()
(Photo: Jim Owens/For The Enquirer)
Covington Catholic diver Louie Hunt's days as runner-up at the big meets appear to be a thing of the past.
Hunt, the returning two-time regional and state runner-up, won his second area championship in a month Friday night with a record-breaking performance at day one of the Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Swimming and Diving Championships at Scott in Taylor Mill.
Hunt returned to the scene of his Jan. 3 Scott Eagle Classic victory and smashed the 15-year-old conference mark with a winning total of 556.40 points, including a perfect 10 with a 1-meter inward dive in the pike position.
"He had 9 and 9.5 on pretty much everything else," CovCath coach Kevin Bodkin said. "It was exciting. It was beautiful. His dives tonight were absolutely beautiful."
Hunt, a senior, beat runner-up Nick Fox (441.75) of Scott by nearly 115 points. Fox edged third-place Dallas Corsmeier (439.55) of St. Henry. Holy Cross put two divers in the top five with fourth-place Owen Finke (369.80) and fifth-place Gus Staubitz (317.20).
The previous meet record of 539.65 was set in 2000 by Mark Shattuck of Dixie Heights. Friday's record-shattering championship earned Hunt some pizza with teammates at the senior's Lakeside Park home after the meet. The Colonels' swimmers are in action today in defense of their NKAC boys' crown.
"It was awesome. It felt special while I was diving. I've been doing really well lately," said Hunt. He won the Eagle Classic by nearly 100 points with a personal-best score of 558.50. "To get a 10 tonight; every diver wants to get that perfect dive and reach the pinnacle. I'm so happy because I've put in a lot of hard work for eight years."
With 2014 regional and state diving champion Bailey Harrison in college, Hunt believes this is his moment to rise to the top in Kentucky. "Bailey and I were neck and neck at the end last year," Hunt said. "It's definitely my goal to win region and state and show Kentucky that CovCath can win state in diving, too, not just basketball and other sports."
Defending regional and state diving champion Carly Hill of Highlands emerged from a tight three-way battle to repeat as girls' conference champion with 499.25 points.
Scott's Lindsey Fox was runner-up with 485.25, edging third-place Karly Crail, who totaled 482.80 for Notre Dame Academy. That gave the Fox family a pair of runners-up on the day. Lindsey Fox is Nick Fox's sister.
Beechwood's Caroline Schilling (412.75) placed fourth. Francie Case (373.40) made it two Notre Dame divers in the girls' top five with a fifth-place finish.
CovCath placed all four divers in the top 15 of the boys' competition. Caleb Summe was next for the Colonels in eighth. They could have done better, but their other standout, junior Evan Brungs, did not compete. Bodkin said Brungs, runner-up at the Eagle Classic, took one for the team on Hunt's milestone day.
"You can have four divers, and I like to get my seniors in at conference," Bodkin said. "I have three seniors and two juniors I want to have at this meet. One of the juniors is in a tight battle with one of the seniors for the fourth spot at the regional. Evan's a junior, but I know he's in the top four."
While Bodkin was marveling at Hunt's technical prowess, he also got to see his bubble divers go head-to-head in their ongoing battle for the team's fourth regional spot.
"I thought everybody did well," said the coach. "Joe Cahill got 12th and Parker Duell got 14th, so it's really close. Overall, I thought it was a real good day for us."
Results from Friday's Northern Kentucky Athletic Conference Diving Championships at Scott High School in Taylor Mill:
Girls' 1-meter: 1. Carly Hill (Highlands) 499.25, 2. Lindsey Fox (Scott) 485.25, 3. Karly Crail (Notre Dame Academy) 482.8, 4. Caroline Schilling (Beechwood) 412.75, 5. Francie Case (Notre Dame Academy) 373.40.
Boys' 1-meter: 1. Louis Hunt (Covington Catholic) 556.40, 2. Nick Fox (Scott) 441.75, 3. Dallas Corsmeier (St. Henry) 439.55, 4. Owen Finke (Holy Cross) 369.80, 5. Gus Staubitz (Holy Cross) 317.20.
