Colquitt will chase a third straight state diving championship sweep
Jan. 14—MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County High diving team will travel to the Westminster Schools in Atlanta on Friday for the Metro Diving Meet to tune up for the Class 7A state championships, that will be held there on Feb. 6.
Ten Packers and Lady Packers have already qualified for the state championships, including Bo Bridges and Ruth Anne McCranie, who will be seeking their third straight titles.
Moss Farms Diving coach Tom Gimm said both have excellent chances to "three-peat."
"They are training hard and looking real good," he said.
But they are just the most-experienced of a strong group of divers who could take aim on the state's 1-meter title.
Joining Bridges in qualifying are Colquitt County boys brothers Trip and Tuck Gregory and freshman Judson Taylor.
In addition to McCranie, Lady Packers who have qualified are Jewel Hart, Maggie Strange, Kendall Deloach, Elizabeth Ann Hobby and Jewelia Chambers.
Although all have qualified, it is unsure yet how many will compete after the GHSA sets the field.
Last year, each team was allowed just four divers to compete.
Colquitt County has won 52 GHSA state diving championships and former Packer and current Indiana Hoosier Carson Tyler holds the state record with the 878.95 score he turned in in 2021.
Three Colquitt County divers — Brad Bell, Adam Terrell and Ryan Helms — won the state championship four times.
Four others — Tonya Mims, Kelsey Goodman, Todd Murphy and David Howard — won three titles.
Bridges and McCranie have a chance to join that latter group next month.
Not only will Bridges, who has committed to dive at the University of Georgia, be seeking his third-straight title, a win would be the fifth in a row for a Colquitt County diver.
Tyler won in 2020 and 2021.
Bridges's 853.50 ranks second in state history behind the 878.95 Tyler posted three years ago.
The Gregory brothers also have performed well the last two years.
Tuck was second last year and third in 2022.
Trip was fourth in 2023 and third the year before.
McCranie, who has committed to Purdue, was injured and did not compete when she was a freshman, but has been outstanding the last two years and scored a 626.00 last year.
Chambers was eighth last year and Strange, as a freshman, was 12th in 2023.
All 10 Colquitt County High qualifiers are members of the Moss Farms Diving program.
