Bethlehem Catholic senior Anna Petke was crowned the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference diving champion on Feb. 11 at Parkland High School.

“My dives felt great on Saturday and I performed very well,” Petke said. “I’ve been working very hard on all of my dives, and now that everything is back into the swing of things since COVID, I’m able to dive more and practice hard at a sport that I really love.”

Petke led in scoring for the entire six-dive meet and ended with a total of 254.10.

“Her front twist was one of her best dives of the meet,” said diving coach Emily Kocis. “She’s been working very hard on that dive, as far as controlling it, not whipping it around, and really cleaning up the entry, and I think it finally clicked.”

Petke’s dives were back dive pike, double, inward one-and-a-half, reverse, front one-and-a-half full twist, and back somersault one-and-a-half twist.

“We had a couple difficult practices, as far as some of her takeoffs and techniques go,” Kocis said. “That sometimes weighs on her, and I just have to move her forward from that.”

In Petke’s quest for a way to calm her nerves, Coach Kocis, off the top of her head, suggested Petke channel her inner playful seal.

“I think after the first two dives she did kind of take a break from thinking about where she was but also was able to stay focused,” Kocis said.

The District XI Diving Championships are scheduled for Feb. 25 at Emmaus High School where Petke will compete in Class 2A.

“She’ll do the same six dives at districts that she did at EPCs,” said Kocis. “My plans for her at this point are to keep focusing on those dives and keeping them very consistent and working on topping her EPC score.”