By Ryan Mink
rmink@digitalsports.com
Paint Branch senior Logan Shinholser became a level 10 gymnast as a high school freshman.
But before Shinholser never competed at that extremely high level, he quit because of injuries and time demands.
Now, after just two years of full-time diving, Shinholser’s decision seems to have paid off. Shinholser won the Metros one-meter diving championship Wednesday night with a score of 501.70 compared to 494.35 by St. John’s senior Chris Hoppler.
Churchill senior Michael Stanton finished third (457.7) and Bulldogs freshman Timothy Faerber took four with 441.00 points.
“I got invited to come dive here [at the Germantown Indoor Swim Center],” Shinholser said. “When you get invited to come here, you come.”
Shinholser, who already has a 60 percent diving scholarship to Virginia Tech, dove in summer league since sixth grade. But he only trained at the high school level for six months several years ago before focusing on gymnastics.
Once coming back to diving, he excelled very quickly. He placed fifth at Metros last year, behind both Hopper and Stanton, but continued to progress this season. He beat Stanton in the Montgomery County championships as well and traded the lead with his friend, Hoppler, all Wednesday night before pulling it out.
Hoppler had a 6.35 point lead after the ninth round of 11, but Logan scored a 58.5 on his next dive compared to Hoppler’s 40.5 to retake the lead. He headed into the finals with the pressure of making that stand up.
“I was dying,” Shinholser said. “I was thinking, ‘Don’t mess up.’ There’s been many times when I got into the last dive about to win or make finals and I’ve fallen on my face.”
Shinholser botched his finals dive after having the lead at Zones in June, then went flat on his stomach at Nationals this past August, which barely cost him a spot in the finals.
This time, he planned a bit of a safer dive for the end, one in which he still posted a 45.1 score. Hoppler, saddled with the pressure of notching a 56.75 on the final dive to tie, hit a 49.40.
It was a bittersweet moment for both divers as they are good friends and train together on a daily basis. They even text message each other with tips and new moves they learn and clap for each other during the meet.
“It was anybody’s game,” said Hoppler, who was competing on the one-meter boards for just the third time this season. “Logan and I go back-and-forth every single meet. It really depends on who’s going to hit it that day.”
“We knew this one would be a nail-biter,” Shinholser added. “I was nervous, but I guess I pulled it through. It was one of those things where you go big or go home and I guess I went big.”
Churchill’s Stanton and Faerber also had standout meets. Stanton finished third for the second time in his career while Faerber showed why he may be the favorite next year and beyond. As just a freshman, Faerber is already one of the most dedicated and talented divers on the board.
“Honestly, the next three years, he’s got it in the bag,” Stanton said.
“He’s got three years of winning,” Shinholser added. “I couldn’t let him win this year.”
FINAL RESULTS
1. Logan Shinholser (Paint Branch) – 501.70
2. Chris Hoppler (St. John’s) – 494.35
3. Michael Stanton (Churchill) – 457.70
4. Timothy Faerber (Chuchill) – 441.00
5. Eric Sachs (Rockville) – 390.50
6. Jordan Lesser (Wootton) – 386.60
7. Noah Levine (Whitman) – 322.70
8. Brian Doremus (Wootton) – 282.60
9. Colby Shinholser (Springbrook) – 280.95
10. CJ David (Landon) – 280.90
11. Brian Hack (Georgetown Prep) – 280.25
12t. Michael Vlahakis (Rockville) – 279.35
12t Noah Richter (Magruder) – 279.35
14. Thomas Fergus (Gonzaga) – 269.85
15. Christopher Kittleberger (Springbrook) – 258.60
16. Luke Winkler (St. John’s) – 246.40
17. Patrick Belaga (Landon) – 246.25
18. Todd Singer (Whitman) – 245.55
19. Andy Goldschmidts (Magruder) – 244.00
20. Bobby Schmitz (DeMatha) – 233.10
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