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Bridges, McCranie repeat state championships

wayne grandy, the moultrie observer, ga.
·2 min read

Jan. 31—MOULTRIE — Colquitt County divers Bo Bridges and Ruth Anne McCranie won their second-straight Georgia High School Association Class 7A 1-meter state championships on Tuesday at the Westminster Schools in Atlanta.

Both are juniors.

Colquitt also had two state runners-up when Tuck Gregory placed second in the boys event and Shannon Icard came in right behind McCranie in the girls championship.

Bridges's performance resulted in the fourth-straight boys state diving championship for Colquitt County.

Carson Tyler also won back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021 before heading off to dive at Indiana University.

Bridges did not equal Tyler's state-record score of 878.95 set in 2021, but he was close with an 853.50.

"He really did a solid list," Moss Farms Diving coach John Fox said. "And his reverse dives had sort of been his 'sore thumb.' But he ended up doing that group of dives really, really well."

McCranie scored a 626.00 for her second state title in a row after missing the championships as a freshman when she was injured.

Before last year, a Colquitt County girls had not won the state championship since Kelliann Howell took the title in 2016.

Neither McCranie nor Icard were in the top two following Tuesday's prelims.

"They both had to step it up in the finals and they did," Fox said.

Icard, a senior who will dive at Liberty University next season, scored a 573.75.

She was third in the state meet last year.

Jewelia Chambers, a junior, placed eighth with a 536.40.

Maggie Strange, a freshman diving in the state meet for the first time, had one bad dive, but otherwise was impressive and finished 12th, said Colquitt County High coach Elizabeth Ann Barber.

"There was a lot of good competition this year, especially in the girls," Fox said.

Gregory, a sophomore who was third in the state meet last year, scored a 721.70.

"It was good to see Tuck dive well," Fox said. "He is really coming into his own."

Tyler Hoard of Walton was third with a 699.25.

Colquitt County's Trip Gregory, who was third last year, was fourth with a 646.75.

"They all were very solid," Fox said of the seven Colquitt County divers. "They are all still growing.

"And it's never easy. It's always a challenge."

Four other members of the Colquitt County High girls team — Jewel Griner, Elizabeth Ann Hobby, Nyla Thompson and Mackenzie Smith — qualified for the state meet, but were unable to compete because each school is allowed just four members.