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Klebbe Ready To Build On Last Season's Success

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By RICK HARMON Tribune correspondent

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

HUDSON - Megan Klebbe is not your normal high school diver. The Hudson junior only started diving as a freshman and doesn't compete outside the high school season. Yet, she is the defending Sunshine Athletic Conference and Class 2A-District 5 champion.

"I did gymnastics for 11 years, but was looking for something I could do in high school," Klebbe said after her first-place finish at a triple-dual meet last Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Park pool. "Diving was the closest thing to gymnastics."

Klebbe leads the county with a 176.35 score. Her victory at last year's SAC meet came as a surprise to her.

"I was really nervous at the conference meet last year. I had finished second or third my freshman year," she said. "I just went into it trying to do my best. I tried to just focus on myself and not pay attention to any other divers and not worry about scores. I didn't know anything about any of the other divers. I was told I did good."

As the results were announced, she wasn't sure how well she had done.

"I kept not hearing my name announced, and then I heard I was first."

Klebbe, who also swims on three relays for Hudson, went on to win the district meet last year with a 329.40 score, and she was sixth at regional with a 299.55, missing the state meet by 2.45 points.

"Awesome performance by Megan," Hudson coach Juliann Heise said. "She dives consistently and then jumps in the pool and swims on three relays."

Klebbe enjoys doing inward dives. She has perfected one with a somersault, but she is working on adding a half somersault to it. She stays away from reverse dives after hitting the board trying to execute the dive during her freshman year.

She plans to give club diving a shot this summer in hopes of attracting a college to attend after she graduates. Until then, she has one goal.

"My No. 1 goal is to make it to states this year," she said.

HURRICANES READY: The Bishop McLaughlin girls team - 12 strong - has finalized its regular-season schedule. The team now calls the Word of Life Enrichment Center home for practices and will host three meets at Veterans Memorial Park in Hudson.

Their schedule: Sept. 27 - Florida Catholic Swimming and Diving Championships; Oct. 1 - at St. Petersburg Catholic and Canterbury; Oct. 7 - Home vs. Hernando and Springstead; Oct. 14 - Home vs. Nature Coast and Oct. 23 - Home vs. Brooksville Central.

The girls also will compete in the Class 1A-District 3 meet Oct. 28 at The Villages.

SEASON'S BEST: A third of the Mitchell swimmers posted their best times of the season last Wednesday against Land O' Lakes. Jillian Green won the 100 breaststroke for the second consecutive week with a time of 1:28.53. The boys 200 medley relay, consisting of Gavin Hunt, Andrew Wert, Colin Callahan, and Gavin Rynard, finished first with a time of 2:05.48.

NOT HAPPY: Ridgewood's Joe Geschke led the county in the 200 and 500 freestyle at the triple dual meet last Wednesday at Veterans Memorial Park, but Rams coach Melissa Welch said the sophomore still wasn't satisfied with his performance in the 500 free (5:14.73).

"He wasn't very happy about it," Welch said. "He wanted to go 5:05. He doubled some of the other swimmers. It was great for us, but he wasn't happy."

Geschke was second in the Class 3A-District 5 meet last year with a 5:09.02.

TONIGHT'S MEETS: Zephyrhills vs. River Ridge at Veterans Memorial Park; Sunlake vs. Land O Lakes at Land O' Lakes Recreation Center; Hudson vs. Mitchell at Gills YMCA; Pasco vs. Wiregrass Ranch at New Tampa YMCA and Gulf vs. Wesley Chapel at East Pasco YMCA.

Keyword: Prep Sports, for this week's honor roll and a report from Wednesday's Sunlake at Land O' Lakes meet. Coaches wishing to contribute to the weekly notebook should email information to Rick Harmon at tampabaystringer@gmail.com

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