Mar. 14—LEWISBURG — Gabriella Elk left quite a lasting impact on diving at the PIAA-championship level.
The Hampton senior defended her girls Class 2A state title Saturday afternoon with an 11-dive total of 452.75 points at Bucknell.
The Delaware commit led throughout and captured her fourth PIAA medal. She was eighth as a freshman in 2023 and runner-up in 2024 to Dallas graduate Brianne Dempsey.
Her point total this year was 19 better than the 433 she recorded one year ago.
“I was pretty close to performing at my best today,” Elk said. “I’ve been really working on my consistency, and I was really able to show that today.”
Elk, one of eight in the competition from the WPIAL, said she felt the comfort of knowing that she dove in Kinney Natatorium three times prior to this year. At the same time, she said there were some nerves.
“I still get nervous for every meet,” said Elk, her voice raspy from screaming and cheering on good friend and Hampton senior Lainey Sheets in her 100-yard butterfly victory Friday evening.
“I think it is normal. It is a good amount of nerves. It was mixed with a lot of excitement. It’s an honor to be able to dive at states.”
Elk opened a 17-point lead over runner-up Justine Frantz, a senior from Upper Moreland, after the quarterfinal’s five dives.
Her lead over Frantz extended to 26 after the semifinals.
Elk was ahead by 29.50 points heading into the final round. While comfortably in the lead, she executed a front two and a half with a high degree of difficulty.
“I felt pretty confident,” Elk said. “It was a great optional dive to end on.”
She said Frantz, senior bronze medalist Megan Kuzma from Dallas, and the rest of the field gave her added motivation to dive her best.
“It was really close for a while,” Elk said. “They are some amazing divers. I was just concentrating on seeing what I could do to execute the dives the best I could. I just wanted to control what I could control. I don’t pay attention to the scores, but I know my opponents were executing their dives really well.”
Of those eight WPIAL divers, five made the finals (top 16).
Derry junior Gena Hoyle qualified for the finals for the second year in a row. She was 14th last year but rose up to 10th with 358.45 points.
Hoyle was fifth after the first round of five dives and was seventh heading into the three-round finals.
First-time finalists, sophomore Eleanor Carei from Uniontown, senior Joy Beck from Freeport, and junior Lydia Gamble from Derry, placed 13th, 14th and 16th, respectively.
Beck edged Knoch rival, freshman Brooke Kobert, by two points for the 16th and last spot in the finals.
Kobert scored 251.15 points for 17th overall.
Greensburg Salem junior Kadence Keenan landed in 19th overall with 231.80 points, while Mt. Pleasant junior Ella Paul finished 23rd (129.75).
Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.
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