AURORA | Jessica Mitchell likes winning.
The Gateway junior diver liked even more what came as a bonus to her victory at Saturday’s Aurora Public Schools Championships.
Competing at her home pool, Mitchell racked up a score of 340.55 points with the 12.2 degree of difficulty she needed to qualify for the Class 5A girls state swim meet for the first time. In the process, she claimed her third APS meet title in as many seasons.
“The highest I scored last year was 320; the harder dives I was throwing, I improved on them,” Mitchell said. “I’m really happy to qualify junior year.”
Mitchell is one of a handful of divers to qualify for the Feb. 13-14 5A state meet so far, joining the Regis Jesuit trio of junior McKensi Austin (the defending 5A state champion), senior Kellyn Toole and freshman Anna Marie Kenny, Eaglecrest senior Indiya Williams and Grandview junior Isobel Griffin.
Though Mitchell has qualified for the first time, it hasn’t been long since Gateway’s had representation on the diving board at the 5A state meet.
Cassie Brozek qualified four times between the 2008-09 and 2011-12 seasons, placing ninth on two occasions in that span. The Olys had a swimmer qualify for the 2013 state meet in Barbara Barocio and coach Dan Ambruso is looking forward to being onhand for the diving competition Feb. 14 at the Edora Pool & Ice Center in Fort Collins.
“It feels good when you get to represent Gateway at state,” Ambruso said. “We have great kids and athletes in the school, but it’s really nice when we get to go up and represent the school and Aurora. It’s exciting.”
The Olys swept the top three spots in the seven-diver competition at the city meet, as Mitchell finished well in front of teammates Anna Ristvey and Alli Rosales, who finished with 271.55 and 255.65 points, respectively.
Mitchell was disappointed that she didn’t get to go against budding rival Brooke Connelly of Hinkley, who missed the meet due to an outside commitment.
Connelly — a converted gymnast in her first season of diving — edged Mitchell by a mere half point at a six-dive dual meet before winter break and the two have become motivations to each other. Mitchell is glad to finally have a nearby peer on the diving board.
“Even since seventh grade, there’s been noone around here that has pushed me or been at the same level,” Mitchell said. “When I saw Brooke dive at the Hinkley meet I was surprised. I was upset she wasn’t diving today because I wanted to beat her. I hope she dives at leagues.”
Indeed the two should square off Feb. 6-7 at Adams City High School at the EMAC Championships, where Mitchell is the defending champion.
While Connelly still hasn’t posted a state qualifying-score yet, Mitchell already knows that the league meet won’t be her last competition of the season. She and diving coach Jason Cordova will lay out a plan for the state meet, but she has one goal immediately in mind.
“I wouldn’t say my goal is to place because I don’t know if I’m at that level yet, looking at the girls that are diving,” Mitchell said. “I do want to at least make it past first cuts. I think that would be really cool for my first time at state.”
If she’s able to make it through the prelims, meaning she’d be in the top 16, Mitchell would be able to put Gateway on the scoreboard in the finals.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
