Winter Nationals Recap -- Men's Platform

Tanner and Derrick represented MDC ably in a very tough field in this last Nationals before the Olympic Trials.

Derrick opened with a 107B, which was stong and finished high, but a little cut off and short for 6s, while Tanner had a strong smooth top and rip on his 107B for 7-7.5s.

Derrick then did his 407C with the best kickout he's done in a long while, but backed it off a little on the start and ended up short for 5-5.5s.  Tanner did an atypical 407C with his chin down on the start, so it never got moving...and went short for 3.5s.

Derrick's third dive, 207C, had a nice start, but he fell into old habits and kicked loose with a break in form, resulting in 3.5s.  Tanner did the same dive, and made all the corrections we've been working on, and nailed it for 6.5-7s.

Derrick decided to kick right on his 307C, which, even though short, garnered 5.5s (staying with the lineup works!).  Tanner did his 305C with a strong start and kick, but didn't press away enough before lining up, and went long for 5-5.5s.

For their fifth dives, the boys did armstands -- Derrick a 626C which was his highest scoring dive: beautiful armstand, strong start, solid out -- for 6-7s; and Tanner, a 6243D, on which he got the right armstand for the start (another great correction!), but did not control his somersault and went long for 4s.

The guys ended with twisters. Derrick stood up his 5154B and controlled it to a straight up and down entry that was a little heavy for 5.5s.  Tanner faded back a little on the start of his 5253B, did a nice twist and transition into his pike, but left it short for 5-5.5s.

When all was said and done, they were on just the wrong side of the bubble for making it into the semis -- Tanner finished 22nd with a "nationals PB" -- and did better in the nationals than he did in the qualifying meet, a good sign of growth.  Derrick learned the value of staying with kickouts and lineups, and did a good job coming back after a miss, things that should help him in his quest to make NCAAs during this, his senior season.