Boys Swimming and Diving: Lockport’s Tyler Pastore, Jake Voltarel advance in state diving
By Tim Tierney For Sun-Times Media February 22, 2013 9:02PM
Updated: February 22, 2013 11:05PM
Only 12 divers from 48 qualifiers advance to the finals at the state meet, so Lockport’s Tyler Pastore had a little work to do when the preliminary round left him in 14th place.
But after three semifinal dives Friday morning at New Trier, Pastore had earned a spot in Saturday’s state finals.
Pastore and teammate Jake Voltarel finished eighth and 11th, respectively, to advance to the final day of the season.
“I did what I planned to accomplish all season, come out in the state meet and do the best I possibly could,’’ Pastore said. “I had a good double-twisting 11/2 in the semis. In the prelims, I had a really nice 21/2-pike.’’
Pastore, a returning state qualifier, scored 293.65, Voltarel totaled 286.05.
“The beginning of the season I never thought he’d be here with me,’’ Pastore said. “He just powered so hard this year, it’s unbelievable.’’
“Back when I started sophomore year, I didn’t even think I’d be making it down to state,’’ Voltarel said. “This year I set a goal to make it to state, and making it to finals is just outstanding.’’
Voltarel said his best dive Friday was his reverse 21/2, a dive he learned in December.
“I’ve gotten it for 6s,’’ he said. “If I didn’t nail that dive, I wouldn’t be standing here right now. That was the dive that got me in.’’
The school’s two divers won’t be the only Porters competing at Saturday’s finals.
Lockport senior Jake Knowles earned a lane in the consolation final of the 100 breaststroke with the seventh-fastest time (57.70 seconds), falling just short of the time (57.09) that earned the last spot in the championship final.
“I’m really happy, but it’s a buzz-kill going seventh so you don’t get to swim for the state title,’’ Knowles said. “But top 12 in state, All-State, I’m really happy. It was right there.’’
The sectional breaststroke champion is looking ahead to swimming on the last day of the season.
“It’s really cool,’’ Knowles said. “I’m really excited to swim (Saturday). I was talking about it since last year, since freshman year actually. ‘I’m going to swim state finals.’ Now I finally get to do it.’’
Promising Plainfield co-op freshman Brandon Tran won’t get to swim in the finals this year, but he outdid 27 other breaststroke qualifiers. Tran was 22nd (59.20) with only seven non-seniors clocking faster times.
