Gateway diver Mears ready for WPIALs

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, February 18, 2018 | 11:15 PM

If the Gateway diving team is going to get on the podium at the WPIAL Class 3A team championships Saturday, it will come down to one athlete.

Senior Jake Mears was the lone Gator to reach the qualifying mark of 175 points and degree of difficulty of 9.5 this season.

“Jake is in third year qualifying for WPIAL,” Gateway diving coach Mehran Hedjazi said. “He is very excited to go. He wants to make it to the second cutoff round. Those are our expectations.”

Mears was one of two divers who qualified for Gateway last season but finished near the bottom.

“He didn't do so well last year,” Hedjazi said. “I will put less pressure on him. He doesn't do well with it.”

Hedjazi, who is in his seventh year as coach, was a diver at Gateway from 2002-06 and then for a year at Clarion.

After this season, Hedjazi and Mears will continue their relationship at the collegiate level when Mears attends Chatham. Hedjazi coaches the diving team there, as well.

Mears hopes to qualify on the swimming side as well — in the breaststroke.

The next up-and-coming diver for Gateway is freshman Callie Better. Better did not qualify for the WPIAL championships, but has continued to improve throughout the season.

“She will be my captain next year,” Hedjazi said. “She has been great. We need to try to start them younger instead of them trying it out for the first time in high school. I am trying to start up a youth program in the summer.”

Drew Karpen is a freelance writer.

Tags: Gateway