​Rogers dominates competition, takes first in White Conference Championships

by Michael Smith

     There’s dominance and then there’s what Grain Valley senior Madison Rogers did in Thursday’s Suburban Conference Championships.
     Rogers led the diving event in the White Conference from start to finish as she ended up with a score of 371.90 as she easily took first at Belton High School.
     Her score was 102 points ahead of second-place Nina Prince of Belton.
     “I felt pretty good about my diving,” Rogers said. “I tried a dive that was pretty new for me, but I feel like I could do better.”
     “It feels like a good way to end my senior year.”
     That new dive is her front 2 ½, one which she got a score of 5.5 from all five judges. Her best dive was her front 1 ½ pike.
     “I will take it,” Rogers said. “It’s a new dive I just learned this season. I haven’t had much time to work on it.”
     “I got sevens across on the front 1 ½ pike. I just hit it pretty good and felt good about it.”
     Grain Valley diving coach Shelly Pollock said that Rogers had improved since the beginning of the season and is confident her senior can push through to the state competition.
     “She’s been diving for a long time with club divers, which has been good for her,” Pollock said of Rogers. “We are just looking to change a few dives up and working on some things on the diving board.”
     Rogers’ teammate, senior Jadyn Jarman, took sixth with a score of 244.50.
     “They dove really well,” Pollock said of Rogers and Jarman. “We are still working on consistency on our approaches and they changed up a few dives. That is going to make things better for districts next week.”

Grain Valley senior diver Madison Rogers won the Suburban White Conference diving title with a score of 371.90 Thursday at Belton High School. Photo credit: Michael Smith

Grain Valley senior Jadyn Jarman took sixth with a score of 244.50. Photo credit: Michael Smith