Streaks will be on the line when the two-day state swim-and-dive meet begins Friday at Georgia Tech.
Wesleyan diver Lauren Hall will try for a fourth consecutive championship in Class A-AAAA on Saturday, while Alpharetta’s Jack Nyquist will go for a third consecutive in AAAAA.
In Saturday’s swim finals, Marist’s girls will try for a sixth consecutive crown in A-AAAA and Lassiter’s girls a fifth in AAAAA.
“I’d love to get wet Saturday,” Lassiter coach Glenn Meeden said of swimmers typically throwing their winning coach into the pool. “We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to contend for our fifth straight title.”
Hall, who won last year with a state record of 534.8 points, is favored again this year, but is expected to be challenged by a group of divers that includes Marist’s Andrea Demick and Johns Creek’s Caitlin Casto.
“The pressure definitely is on for me,” said Hall, whose record score nipped the 2007 mark of Colquitt County’s Kelsey Goodman by less than a point. “It’s going to be more of a mental game of who can hit their dives all around. It’s not going to be an easy meet.”
Nyquist, who has staved off Parkview’s Sean Piner consecutive times, hopes to do it again. The Alpharetta diver edged his close friend and chief rival by nearly 23 points last year and almost 98 in 2010.
“There’s a lot on the line,” said Nyquist, who’s shooting for Ryan Helms’ state mark of 615 for Colquitt in 2007. “If I dive like I know I can, I know I can get the record.”
Parkview’s boys are favored to win the AAAAA boys meet, and Brookwood’s girls, who last won in 2004, their fourth consecutive title, should rival Lassiter.
Lassiter’s girls, Cobb County champions a fourth consecutive time, are expected to surge because of strong relays, which score double the points of events for individuals. Marist’s girls will have their work cut out against Westminster, the team that won six straight before the War Eagles’ current streak.
“We’re kind of the little engine that could,” Marist coach Terry Blish said. “But unless Westminster gets lost on their way to the pool, I wouldn’t bet against them. They’ll be awfully tough to overcome.”
Brookwood coach Greg Puckett, whose boys captured three AAAAA titles before Peachtree Ridge won last year, warned how competitive state is.
“You have to be on your game,” he said. “You have to go out and earn it.”
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