Etterman's transition to No. 1 smooth

As a sophomore Katy Etterman was the Brainerd Warriors No. 3 diver.

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She still qualified for state and finished 27th in Class 2A. Graduated teammates Samantha Smith (eighth place) and Tiffany Etterman (12th), Katy's sister, combined to give Brainerd its best state diving finish.

Katy has made a virtually seamless transition to the Warriors' top diving spot this fall, as shown by winning seven of the first eight meets. She attributes her start to an offseason camp and to her teammates.

"This summer I went to a diving camp at the University of Minnesota," she said. "Also, my teammates, Allison Reuer, Beth (Etterman) and Becky Walker, are really pushing me."

Warriors diving coach Mary Streiff said Etterman rising to the top spot has been a natural progression.

Katy Etterman

"Katy has really stepped naturally into our No. 1 position, especially after diving behind her sister and Sam," Streiff said. "She has a lot of competition under her belt. Whether it's gymnastics or diving, Katy can step it up.

"I'm anxious to get to the (section) True Team meet Saturday because there's going to be some competition for Katy that she hasn't seen since the Sauk Rapids meet. It's a pretty important competition for her."

Streiff said Etterman quietly goes about her business in workmanlike fashion.

"I sometimes fail to recognize her accomplishments because she's cruising through here," Streiff said. "We saw a tough Sauk Rapids team right off the bat, the only team Katy was second to, but it was very close.

Katy Etterman

Sport: Diving

Year: Junior

Age: 16

Height: 5-foot-1

Weight: 100 pounds

Other sports: Gymnastics

Career highlight: All three divers making it to state in 2008

Grade-point average: 4.0

Favorite class: AP Language

Favorite food: Fruit

Favorite movie: Baby Mama

Favorite TV show: Project Runway

Favorite Web site: Facebook

Hobbies: Gymnastics

Future plans: Attend college, compete in diving or gymnastics

Favorite gymnast: Olympian Shawn Johnson

Parents: Jim and Stephanie Etterman

"What's fun about Katy is she's so talented, she does so much just effortlessly. She's the kind of kid who puts in hard work at everything. She's a great student, puts in a ton of time at gymnastics and on the diving board she's making great gains there too."

Etterman has thrived despite not attempting many different dives.

"At the end of last year I threw in most of my new dives," she said. "This year I added a couple new ones, but I'm just working on perfecting the ones I already have."

In her first trip to the state meet Etterman went with a positive outlook.

"I wasn't really sure how I would do," she said. "I just wanted to have fun, and I did. My dives weren't that great. It was just a different environment."

Etterman hopes to experience that environment again.

"I want to place first at sections," she said. "The girl that snuck into third from Maple Grove (Olivia Evanson) is still in our section, so there will be some competition there.

"I want to make it to state, make it to the finals (top 16)."

Streiff said the ceiling for Etterman is limitless.

"The amount of talent that girl has, whether I can tap into it, is always a question in my mind," Streiff said. "I don't know that I've ever gotten everything out of her because of the talent level she has. It's pretty exciting that she's only a junior, yet she's still building on all the skill that she has."

Other notable efforts:

• Sam Pagel, football, had 16 tackles against Apollo and leads the team with 75.

• Reid Mimmack, football, completed 9 of 10 passes for 171 yards and three TDs against Apollo.

• Kyle Crocker, football, had 109 yards in receiving and scored two TDs against Apollo.

• Laura Goll, swimming, won two events against Little Falls.

• Siri Smith, swimming, won two events and was on two first-place relays against Apollo.

• Alice Widmark, volleyball, had 25 kills, eight aces and 21 digs in the Pierz tournament.

MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.