Senior Michael Peterson is the last of a talented trio of Perry Meridian High School divers. Peterson said he, Isaac Stapleton (2011 graduate) and Michael Woodall (2012 ) pushed each other.
"A lot of it was competition, wanting to be first in each meet," Peterson said. "We were all close as friends so we also supportive."
Stapleton recently started training with the IUPUI divers after going to a junior college and expects to compete for the team next year. Peterson said he hopes to go to IUPUI next season and redshirt. Perry Meridian coach Julie Carey said spending a year at a junior college also is a possibility.
Peterson qualified for Tuesday's Bloomington North regional by winning the Franklin Sectional with a school-record of 489.65 points . Peterson finished sixth in his first state meet last year after placing third in the Bloomington North Regional. Indianapolis-area divers will also be competing at Hamilton Southeastern and Avon at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
"I feel confident going into the regional meet because last year I had tough competition and they graduated," Peterson said. "Hopefully I can set a meet record and another school record."
The top eight divers in each regional advance to the state finals.
"He's come such a long way in four years," said Carey, noting Peterson started diving in middle school. "He's really got a lot of natural talent and has grabbed on to that. He dives with the Indy Starz (club) so he's really made the effort to improve beyond what he could do out of three months of the year (in high school)."
While Peterson is seeking to make his second state meet, Cathedral senior Andrew Cramer, who is diving in the Avon Regional, is competing for a chance for a fourth consecutive Top 5 state finish. Cramer placed fourth in the state his first two years and third last year.
Brebeuf volleyball coach
Anna Nies has been named volleyball coach at Brebeuf Jesuit. Nies has spent the last five seasons as an assistant volleyball coach at Miami (Ohio). Nies, a former University of Evansville player, replaced Brian Murray, who resigned after 14 seasons to devote time to his club, Team Indiana, and its facility. Brebeuf won three Class 3A titles under Murray.
One key returnee for Brebeuf is right-side hitter Amber Seaman, who was recently named honorable mention to the Prep Volleyball Frosh 59. The 5-11 Seaman, who had 192 digs, 60 kills and 33 aces, was the only freshman on the Braves' roster last season.
Etc.
Ben Davis football coach Mike Kirschner has been named the South head coach for the Grange Insurance North-South All-Star Classic set for July 19 at North Central. Winamac's Tim Roth was named the North head coach. ... The National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association announced Bishop Chatard athletic director Mike Ford has been recognized by the organization as a certified master athletic administrator.
