What began as an ordinary diving event during Freedom’s swim meet against East Stroudsburg South turned into an extraordinary one when Patriot divers Hayden Taylor and Cody Smith broke two school records and one pool record on Jan. 7 at Freedom.

“I noticed when the beginning two or three dives started, the scores were very accurate, I would say, and also, when I saw the first 8 1/2, I don’t think either of them have ever scored 8 1/2, so when I saw that, I was like, all right, we might be going somewhere tonight,” said Freedom diving coach Mark Parry, “and then, as they kept coming in consistently, I was like, OK, we’re close. My whole goal throughout the meet was just keeping them calm.”

Taylor and Smith are juniors, so there was no rush in setting new records, but the third-year divers were already on the brink.

“Going into today, I wasn’t specifically, like, I’m beating the record today,” said Taylor. “I’m just thinking let’s go one dive at a time and see where it takes me. After the first few rounds, when I saw the eights popping up, I was like, today could very well be the day.”

Taylor’s final dive was a front 2 1/2 pike with a 2.6 degree of difficulty that scored 7 1/2, 7 1/2, 8.

“That is a brand-new dive. I didn’t do it last season, and going into this year, that’s probably the one I had to work for the most, and as soon as I took off the board, I could feel it, and I knew I had it,” Taylor said. “When I hit the water is when I knew for sure.”

Taylor hesitated climbing out of the pool, overcome with emotion on her accomplishment.

“I don’t know if I can (put it into words),” she said. “We put a lot of hours in every week, and it’s amazing to have all of our hard work pay off.”

Taylor’s record is 286.7, 22 points above the school record and 18 points above the pool record, both set in 2015.

Said Parry, “Going into both of their final dives, I was able to mental math, and all they had to do was get 40 points on a dive, which sounds simple enough, but two years ago when they started, they were barely breaking 29, 30, so when I saw the 40s, if they just put it in the way I know they can, they’re gonna get higher than 40s, but I had to keep levelheaded and try not to count the chickens before they hatched.”

Smith’s final dive was also a front 2 1/2 pike with a 2.6 degree of difficulty that scored 8 1/2, 8 1/2, 8 1/2.

“Once I hit the water, I knew it was a good dive,” Smith said. “I didn’t know it was eight-and-a-halves good, but it was definitely a good dive and it was definitely enough to get the record. It’s one dive that I know I can do really well. It’s just that at pretty much every other meet of the season, it’s been just a little bit off, and today was the first time I really hit it.

“Honestly, I realized [setting the record] was a possibility on my first dive because I saw sevens and eights on that one where usually my first dive sees more six-and-a-halves, sevens. And since I had been so close in some of the other meets, just that little difference could have easily pushed me over.”

Taylor was first to congratulate Smith when she ran across the pool deck to hug her teammate.

“Really, the whole season, that’s been my goal so far because most of these meets, I haven’t been competing against anyone, so it’s just been trying to beat my best and get that record,” said Smith. “It’s mostly relief because it’s been something I’ve been working for and looking at for a long time.”

Smith’s record is 288.1, 29 points above the school record set in 1976 and 6 points short of the pool record set in 2020.

The Patriot pair plan to continue their quest for diving excellence.

“Going to away meets and trying to break some pool records around the district,” said Smith, “and to break the 11-dive records as well.”