HHH's Savit puts enough into dives for a win
Half Hollow Hills East senior and captain of the swim team Matthew DeBlasio swims the butterfly stroke during the 200 Individual Medley. DeBlasio came in first place for the race. (Feb. 2, 2011) Credit: Kathy Kmonicek
Each step Ryan Savit takes on the diving board is an exercise in grace. His feet never plod, stomp or lumber. Rather they glide to the edge of the board before he engages in a three-second aerial ballet that ends in splashdown, and then, invariably, applause.
And yet Wednesday was a bad day for Savit. Though he still finished in first place, he didn't reach his own lofty scoring standards.
Savit still scored a 279.52 in the one-meter dive, helping Half Hollow Hills to a 90-86 home win over Ward Melville.
Though the final score appeared close, the Thundercolts (7-0) were never in danger of falling behind. They won the first eight events and got out to an insurmountable 90-36 lead before opting to swim the final four events exhibition, meaning only the Patriots (6-1) could earn points.
Hills' usual suspects were standouts: Matt DeBlasio won the 200-yard IM (2:11.26) and the 100-fly (58.21), Isaac Vingan took first in the 200-free (2:04.76) and 400-free (4:22.55) and Nick Monteleone won the 50-free (25.52) and 100-free (56.84).
But perhaps Savit will end up being the focal point of these final regular season meets after he scored a 296.10 in competition on Monday, the highest mark this season in Suffolk or Nassau. Of course, Savit also dominated the regular slate in 2010 before slipping to third place at counties.
"I was a little unprepared for some of the dives at counties," Savit said. "This year, those dives I struggled with, I practice about five times more than any other dive."
Diving coach Chris Blumenstetter said Savit is improving in the mental aspects of the sport.
"We are working a lot on just turning the page and making the most important dive being his next one," he said.
Now a junior, Savit is growing into his veteran role, taking underclassmen like eighth-grade diver Alex Cohen under his wing. Cohen came in second Wednesday, scoring a personal best 188.85.
"The important thing about Cohen is how coachable he is," Blumenstetter said. "If you tell him to do something new, he'll try it on his next attempt. He's coaching himself and starting to notice his own mistakes."
Sounds like somebody else who gracefully glides his way to the win.
