The Durango High School girls diving team played a key role in delivering the team a Southwestern League championship.
Without the 45 points scored by Durango’s divers Saturday, the Demons would have placed fourth at the league championships in Grand Junction. Thanks to those points, Durango took first place with 340 points, six points ahead of runner-up Grand Junction.
“They were a huge contributor to our win,” DHS girls swimming head coach Kathryn Ross said Sunday.
Elise Tidwell took third place, while Sarah Lawton placed fourth and Caroline Tidwell fifth. None of the girls scored quite enough points to qualify for the state meet, but they were invaluable to the Demons in their quest for a conference championship.
“What they did was dramatic. Without having a dive team, there is no way we would have been able to win,” Durango’s diving coach Mark Fleming said. “It was a huge team effort all around.”
Durango began its diving program two years ago, and it has paid off big. Fleming credited the commitment of his divers for their success this season.
“They put in so much effort throughout the season and the entire summer. They went to diving camps and went to the pool on their own time, even when I wasn’t there,” Fleming said. “Their commitment and love for the sport really showed.”
The team also gained attention from other coaches around the SWL.
“We had so many compliments from so many coaches on how good their technique was and how well they performed,” Fleming said. “People knew they were Durango divers by the way they presented themselves on the board.”
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