Schroeder's Suchla Wins State Championship

 

Racine Park's Andrew Suchla diving to be the best

Racine Parkýs Andrew Suchla, the defending Division 1 state diving champ, hasnýt lost in two years.

Gary Porter

Racine Park’s Andrew Suchla, the defending Division 1 state diving champ, hasn’t lost in two years.

By Dave Boehler, Special to the Journal Sentinel
Feb. 14, 2013
 
  • Andrew Suchla is not only in position to break a record at the swimming and diving state meet this weekend, he's trying to erase the oldest one.

On Saturday, the Racine Park senior has a chance to eclipse the Division 1 diving record of 549.80 points set by Nicolet's Mark Gabos in 1984.

"I didn't know it was the oldest one," Suchla said. "I'm not trying to break a record. I'm just going to try to compete like I know how."

The reigning state champion, Suchla qualified for the meet in Madison by finishing with 609.20 points at sectionals this past weekend.

Another performance like that would also smash the record for all divisions - 582.8 points set in Division 2 by Madison Edgewood's Ryan Jefferson in 2006.

Official records are only set at the state meet, and Suchla has already finished with at least 600 points twice this season.

But breaking a record isn't a given.

"It's absolutely not," said Park diving coach Andy Kortendick.

That's because it's well known judges are tougher at state.

"Yeah, a lot tougher," Suchla said. "People have asked me that. I really don't know why."

At state, seven judges watch each athlete attempt 11 dives. The two highest and two lowest scores are thrown out. The middle three are used and then multiplied by the degree of difficulty.

So could Suchla reach 600 again?

"It'd be very difficult at state," Kortendick said. "It's one of the reasons 549.80 has been up there since 1984. But if he dives like he's been doing, I think he could. It depends on how the judging is."

Suchla has a chance because he has the most difficult list of dives Kortendick has seen as Park's coach for the last 25 years.

The harder the dive - such as a reverse 1½ somersault with 2½ twists or an inward 2½ somersault - the higher the score will be.

The coach says the highest degree of difficulty is a 3.4 and most of Suchla's are around 3.0. Boys at the high school level are usually attempting dives in the 2.2-2.3 range, according to Kortendick.

"He's doing much harder dives than most of the other guys," Kortendick said. "That raises his degree of difficulty, which raises his score."

Suchla was a gymnast but had hip surgery shortly before his freshman year of high school. So he started diving three months before his first season began.

"Right away I was like, 'Holy cow!' " Kortendick said. "I was thinking, 'Wow! He's going to go far.' As the season went on, he just proved it. He took third as a freshman at state."

Suchla was fourth as a sophomore and won last year with 455.40 points. He is undefeated in his last two seasons, has won every meet this year by at least 140 points and will compete at Wisconsin next season.