NP’s Wenzel, GMA’s Caputo dive to district gold

TOWAMENCIN >> She was third as a freshman and now, gold medalist as a sophomore.
Diver Meghan Wenzel delivered an inspired performance Saturday afternoon at the District 1-3A Diving Championships.
“This meet, I was really more confident and I was trying to dive for my aunt (Judy), who just passed away last week,” Wenzel said. “And I was just doing it for her.
“(Getting the gold is) really nice. I wasn’t expecting it because I was just trying to come in and do my best any way I could.”
Wenzel rose to the top spot in Class 3A while Gwynedd Mercy Academy senior Katie Caputo made her final districts performance her finest, seizing the gold in Class 2A.
Several locals punched their tickets to states in a competitive afternoon of diving at North Penn’s Rick Carroll Natatorium.
Wenzel compiled a score of 501 over the 11 rounds, earning her the Roy J. Moose Diving Award.
“I don’t even know how to describe it,” she said of her excitement.
North Penn placed four divers in the top nine, giving the team 59 points heading into next week’s swim portion. Rachael Fisher dove to ninth for the Knights with a 409.35, Madalyn Freece got sixth with a 455.05, and defending district champ Paige Burrell racked up 495.85 points, good for the silver.
Wenzel locked up the top spot when she nailed her double twister in the finals.
“I was kinda nervous for that one but it went well,” she said, “so I was happy with that. (This performance is) gonna make me confident going into states.”
The Knights have a bunch — Wenzel, Burrell and Freece will all be going to Bucknell University.
“I really like that pool so I think it’ll be fun,” Wenzel said, “especially to go with my team. It’s pretty cool to have a team that can do so well. We all push each other to do better.”
Caputo and friendly rival, Kaylee Hermann of Upper Moreland, have been pushing each other for years. Caputo came out on top Saturday, scoring 424.15 to edge Hermann’s 414.40. Both will be headed to Bucknell.
“Kaylee and I have been close competitors for two years now so it’s been good,” Caputo said with a smile.
“I don’t like to look at the scores,” she said of the tight battle. “It just freaks me out more. I was just focusing on myself and doing my best.”
As a sophomore, Caputo was coming back from a broken ankle and didn’t get to dive until districts that year. She then was awarded the silver as a junior and finished with the gold as a senior.
“I felt — definitely — that all my hard work is finally paying off so I’m excited,” she said.