Mercersburg took the top two spots in the boys' competition and secured second and third on the girls' side in the Hill Diving Invitational February 11.

Blue Storm diver Alex Van Ess ’24 won the boys division with 356.4 points, besting teammate Davis Noone ’23 who finished second with 291.45 points.

In the girls division, Luntu Radebe ’25 (380.9 points) was the runner up, losing by less than four points—a razor thin margin in a championship format (11-dive) meet.  She was followed immediately by team captain Clare Ip ’23 (282.9 points).

Also diving were Olivia Short ’23 and Océane d’Arabian ’23.  Short finished sixth, while d’Arabian withdrew after the semifinal round.

Interim head coach Frank Betkowski P ’19, ’21, ’23, ’24 said, “I am thrilled for Alex, but I am equally proud of Luntu, who closed the gap between herself and the winner, from more than 20 points after prelims to less than five by the end of the meet.  I am also truly grateful for the leadership Clare has provided this year and last.”

Van Ess’s win is the first for a Blue Storm diver at the Invitational since Maggie Betkowski ’21 won the girls event in 2020.

The Hill School Invitational is the traditional warm-up for the Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships, which will be held on February 17 and 18 at Franklin & Marshall College (swimming) and Germantown Academy (diving).