Grabau wins ACAC diving

There wasn’t much distance between Julia Grabau and the rest of the field. But after grabbing the lead earlier, she never relinquished it.

Grabau, a South Adams High School senior, captured the Allen County Athletic Conference girls diving championship Friday evening with 271.95 points at Jay County High School.

Her effort resulted in 16 points for the Starfires heading into today’s swimming events, which begin at 10 a.m. 

Bluffton’s Evan Kitt won the boys competition.

Grabau took control in the first five dives against Bluffton’s Hailey Lewis and Jay County’s Mackenzie Knisely, holding a 14-point lead over Lewis at the break. That advantage slipped to 4.7 points after eight dives, but she was able to stay strong to win the title.

Lewis took the runner-up spot with 260.05 points, and Knisely was third with 249.25.

Kitt trailed teammate Hayden Craighead after the first five dives before pulling ahead in the semifinals. He had an 8.3-point lead over Tyler Yoder of South Adams with three dives remaining, and pulled away to win with 331.05.

Yoder was the runner-up with 297, and Craighead placed third with 279.25 points.

Gabe Blankenship led Jay County’s contingency of divers with 243.2 points for third place. Patriots Orlando Castro (235.8) and Giovanni Perod (212.25) were sixth and seventh respectively.