Franklin Regional’s Fishell grabs final PIAA diving spot

By: Karen Kadilak
Saturday, March 2, 2019 | 10:06 AM

Franklin Regional senior Mason Fishell hopes to do better at the PIAA Class AAA boys diving championship meet March 16 at Bucknell than he did the last time.

Fishell (492.3 points) placed fifth at the WPIAL championship Feb. 23 at North Allegheny for the final spot.

Fishell also finished fifth in 2017. He was eliminated in the state preliminaries.

“I would like to at least make it to the top 16 for finals, if not the top 10,” he said.

Fishell was satisfied just to qualify again. He placed eighth in the WPIAL last season.

“I don’t think I did as (well) as I could have,” he said. “I had some dives I was hoping to do better on.”

Fishell is trying to stop a habit of going to the right side of the board, which he said kills his scores.

Franklin Regional diving coach Frank Nelson said Fishell needs to stay in the center of the board in approach and entries.

“(We are) trying to adjust his feet,” Nelson said. “He’s thinking (if he goes to the side), he doesn’t hit the board.”

Fishell also qualified for the WPIAL swimming championship, where he had a good shot of advancing to the PIAA championship March 15-16 at Bucknell on a relay team, Franklin Regional coach Vic Santoro said.

Fishell was seeded 19th in the 50-yard freestyle (22.63 seconds).

Results were not available before this edition’s deadline.

Fishell plans to continue his diving career at Kenyon or Lafayette and possibly swim.

Nelson said Fishell ranks among Franklin Regional’s top divers.

“He is a student of the game,” Nelson said. “It’s going to be gnashing of teeth (when he leaves).”

Tags: Franklin Regional