Season of diving excellence brings Cedar Rapids Kennedy’s Jayden Lovell to state meet

MARSHALLTOWN — The athletic ability and talent were there, but what Jayden Lovell lacked was consistency.

After finishing no better than 16th at the high school diving state championships over the past two seasons, the Cedar Rapids Kennedy senior returns with a couple of new dives and the fruits of year-round commitment.

Lovell is seeded fourth when the diving portion of the girls' swimming state championships begin Friday at 5 p.m. at the Marshalltown YMCA.

'New dives really push you as a diver,' Lovell said. 'This year I just wanted to perfect the dives I did have just so I could just perform them well and not have to stress out about each dive. Just take one at a time.'

Early in the season, Lovell added the challenging 'inward double' to her diving repertoire in which she stands with her back to the water, leaps and completes two forward rotations. The dive has become a staple of her 11-dive routine, which has remained constant throughout the season. By closing with the inward double and a back one-and-a-half twist, Lovell believes she saves her big point-scoring opportunities for her final dives.

'Most of my dives now I just don't really have to worry about the dive itself and I just have to think about one specific thing,' Lovell said. 'The muscle memory really helps.'

Lovell has visited Minnesota State-Mankato and has scheduled a trip to Northern Iowa next weekend as she decides on a collegiate diving destination. In the offseason, she attended the summer diving camp at Iowa State, as well as diving clinics at Iowa and Coe.

Those experiences have helped produce a season full of highlights.

In September, Lovell edged defending diving state champion Claire Park of Pleasant Valley at the Kennedy Invitational, then claimed her first Mississippi Valley Conference crown Oct. 13, which jump-started the Cougars in the team points race as Kennedy won the MVC for the first time since 2007.

'It's a huge confidence-builder for the team,' Kennedy Coach John Ross said. 'The fact that she scores so high and immediately we're already in the team competition. … Her dedication to improving herself and then the consistency this year has really made the difference.'

Lovell's second regional diving championship in two years delivered her to the state meet with a high seed, which gives Kennedy its best chance at a diving state champion since All-American Megan Sievertsen won the last of three-straight championships in 2004.

Through the bevy of accolades, the one that perhaps stands above them all for Lovell was her election as one of three team captains by her Kennedy teammates, which she called "a huge honor."

'I work out on the other side of the pool,' Lovell said 'And for them to nominate me, it's really humbling because I knew that they didn't forget about me over here.'

Iowa City High senior Andrea Adam is seeded fifth in diving.

The swimming portion of the state meet begins at noon Saturday. Linn-Mar senior Kelsey Drake is the top seed in the 100-yard butterfly – which she won in 2014 – and is seeded second in the 100 breaststroke.

Kennedy — which will be vying for a second-consecutive top-10 team finish — has a trio of swimmers who will compete in the final heat of individual events. Senior Jessica Williams is seeded fifth in the 100 backstroke, sophomore Kassidy Lovig is sixth in the 500 freestyle and senior Maddie Bagby is the No. 7 seed for the 100 freestyle.

Kennedy will swim in the final heat of all three relays, while Washington will join them in the 200 medley relay.

AREA STATE QUALIFIERS

Diving —

Jayden Lovell, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Andrea Adam, Iowa City High; Brooklyn Corey, Linn-Mar; Katie Culver, Linn-Mar; Anna Penning, Cedar Rapids Jefferson; Lauren Fasnacht, Linn-Mar; Amara Taylor, Cedar Rapids Washington; Skylar Meyers, Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

200 medley relay —

Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Cedar Rapids Washington, Linn-Mar, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Decorah, Iowa City High.

200 freestyle —

Maddie Bagby, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Jenny Hughes, Cedar Rapids Washington; Kassidy Lovig, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Carly Weigel, Iowa City High; Allenya Thomas, Iowa City West.

200 individual medley —

Melanie Housenga, Iowa City West; Lily Ernst, Iowa City West; Jill Hughes, Cedar Rapids Washington.

50 freestyle —

Darby Manternach, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Emma Bachelder, Decorah; Lauren Havertape, Cedar Rapids Washington.

100 butterfly —

Kelsey Drake, Linn-Mar; Jessica Williams, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Lily Ernst, Iowa City West; Lauren Havertape, Cedar Rapids Washington; Mackinzee Macho, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Josie Thompson, Cedar Rapids Jefferson.

100 freestyle —

Maddie Bagby, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Madelyn Jermier, Decorah.

500 freestyle —

Kassidy Lovig, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Melanie Housenga, Iowa City West; Jenny Hughes, Cedar Rapids Washingtno; Jill Hughes, Cedar Rapids Washington; Trinity Sadecky, Iowa City High; Allenya Thomas, Iowa City West; Sarah Gannon, Cedar Rapids Kennedy.

200 freestyle relay —

Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Decorah, Linn-Mar, Iowa City West, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Cedar Rapids Washington.

100 backstroke —

Jessica Williams, Cedar Rapids Kennedy; Carly Weigel, Iowa City High; Ellie Bryant, Cedar Rapids Washington.

100 breaststroke —

Kelsey Drake, Linn-Mar; Emma Bachelder, Decorah; Caitlin Sievers, Cedar Rapids Washington

400 freestyle relay —

Cedar Rapids Kennedy (5), Decorah, Iowa City West, Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Cedar Rapids Washington.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com