Bell qualifies for first state meet

CEDAR RAPIDS ? Fairfield?s Jaci Bell will be joining 35 other divers at state after topping her own personal best at the regional diving meet in Cedar Rapids Thursday evening.

The junior scored 320.45 points to finish fourth overall and set a new Fairfield High School record in the process. Bell?s previous best was 316.55.

The top four divers from six regional meets automatically qualify, plus 12 additional divers earn spots by the next highest scores.

?What keeps Jaci in the competition is her consistency,? said Fairfield coach Jane McMahon. ?If you look at her scoresheets, it?s just very consistent no matter who is judging.?

Sam Wagner (409.20), Adelia Clark (348.35) and Alyssa Deuso (320.45), all of Linn-Marr, took first through third place. Fifth place went to Cedar Rapids Kennedy?s Tori Spaulding, who scored 297.30 points.

McMahon said she wasn?t surprised at all that Bell qualified for her first state meet.

?The toughest thing we knew going in was Linn-Marr has three really good divers, so we knew there would probably be just one spot left,? she said.

The Fairfield swim team will be looking to send even more student-athletes to the state meet when they compete in the swimming portion of regionals Saturday in Cedar Rapids. Events are scheduled to begin at noon.

The state meet will be next Friday in Marshalltown.