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Anderson keeps the Faith alive

East Palestine’s Faith Anderson celebrates after qualifying for her fourth state diving meet last week. (Submitted Photo)

EAST PALESTINE — After coming so close to reaching the podium at last year’s Division II girls state diving meet, East Palestine senior Faith Anderson took a week-and-a-half off than got right back to work. There was no doubt which goal was foremost on her mind.

“Getting on the podium is motivating me a lot,” Anderson said. “I’ve been thinking about it all year.”

Anderson will get her final chance to achieve that goal when she competes in her fourth consecutive Division II state diving meet at 9 a.m. Wednesday at the C.T. Branin Natatorium at Canton McKinley High School.

Last season, Anderson was holding down the eighth position after three semifinal dives off the 1-meter board before slipping to ninth and missing the podium by one spot and less than eight points. She finished 15th as a sophomore and 19th as a freshman.

“I spent the summer really working on my technique and trying to perfect everything,” Anderson said. “I’ve also come back with a couple of newer, more difficult dives.”

Anderson knows she will have to be on her game to make it to the podium. She is seeded eighth out of 24 dives after finishing third in the Cleveland State Division II district last Wednesday with a score of 425.90. Dayton Oakwood’s Sara Parker is seeded ninth at 425.10. Eight of last years top 12 finishers (including Anderson) are back this season.

“I feel conformable,” Anderson said. “I know a lot of the girls competing, so I know what to expect. All I can do is focus on what I can control.”

Although she has no teammates at East Palestine, Anderson–who trains in Youngstown–has gotten close with several swimmers from other schools during the past four seasons.

“The first thing I’m going to remember from my high school career is the amazing people I’ve met,” Anderson said. “Being the only one from East Palestine sometimes can get a little lonely, but the Canfield and Boardman swimmers really took me in and made me feel like a part of the family.”

Anderson, who also carries a 4.0 grade-point average, has consistently kept improving since her freshman season and her effort was rewarded in the fall when she signed a letter of intent to compete for James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, next season.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Anderson said. “I’ve gotten to know the other swimmers through social media and I’m excited to be joining the team.”

Before she leaves East Palestine though, Anderson hopes she can close her high school career with a flourish.

“It would mean everything to me to be able to reach the podium in my final high school event,” Anderson said. “It would be the culmination of all my hard work and all the support everyone’s given me.”

Notes

¯Wednesday’s format includes five preliminary dives after which the field of 24 divers will be cut by four. After three more dives, the field will be further trimmed by four more. Sixteen divers will compete for the final eight podium spots on the final three dives.

¯ Anderson said she is planning on majoring in forensic psychology and minoring in criminal justice at James Madison.

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