[Stardust]

Beechwood’s two-time state champion Justin Youtsey walked up to his diving coach, Allyson Heger, following the Region 4 boys’ diving competition and gave her a red gift bag that he and Scott’s Logan Stevens put together for her.

“This is for you; for all you’ve done for us,” Youtsey said.

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Friday was a good day for Heger, who coaches the diving teams at Beechwood, Dixie Heights, Scott and Simon Kenton. It was even better for Youtsey. Not only did Heger receive a dinner gift certificate at her favorite restaurant from Youtsey and Stevens, she watched both put on record-breaking shows.

Youtsey, a senior heading to Auburn on a college scholarship, smashed Evan Stowers’ eight-year-old regional 1-meter record of 569.60 points with a head-turning score of 571.35.

“I never thought I would see that record broken,” Dixie Heights swimming coach Ed Cook said.

Seeing was believing for all in attendance at Scott, including Stevens, the boys’ runner-up with a personal-best and Eagles record score of 526.45 in the 11-dive competition. That automatically qualified him for the state meet Feb. 23-25 in Louisville. Youtsey will head back to state as a four-time regional champion.

“I think it’s awesome Justin set the record,” said Stevens, who has a diving scholarship at Virginia Tech. “Great competition always brings out the best in everybody.”

Dixie Heights’ Bailey Harrison also set a personal-best with a third-place score of 518.75. He will head to state as one of 22 at-large qualifiers.

But Friday’s spotlight shined brighest on Youtsey, who picked up five scores of nine on his first dive, a forward 1½ somersault in the pike position, and nailed three dives with the toughest degree of difficulty, a reverse 2½ tuck, a forward 1½ with two twists and an inward 2½ tuck.

“Justin matched Evan with difficult dives and all those 9s, and he had to if he was going to break the record, and he wanted that record,” said Heger, who coached Stowers at Simon Kenton.

Youtsey, an Olympic Trials invitee for June’s 3-meter synchronized diving competition in Washington, knows all about Stowers. “I’ve talked with him about college,” said Youtsey, a year-round club diver for Redhawk Elite Diving. “It’s a big honor to be with him. It’s a big accomplishment.”

Friday’s girls’ winner, Highlands freshman Carly Hill, narrowly repeated as regional champion, finishing with 488.10 points, which was just 1.85 ahead of runner-up and fellow state qualifier, Kansas recruit Meredith Brownell (486.25), from Ryle.

“I just focused,” Hill said of her second straight neck-and-neck regional battle with Brownell, the 2010 champion. Hill won by less than a point over Brownell last year.

Friday’s third-place finisher, Notre Dame’s Carly Scheper (460 points), will also head to the state meet.

[Stardust]

This young man started in the outfield his Freshman year for the Tigers baseball team. He would have been a D1 baseball player had he stuck with baseball

[Stardust]

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[Stardust]

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[Stardust]

[Image: http://cmsimg.nky.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bil...h=410&q=60]

[Stardust]

[Image: http://cmsimg.nky.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bil...h=410&q=60]