Freedom High School’s diving team is returning last year’s District XI Class 3A girls champion, senior Hayden Taylor, and District XI Class 3A boys champion, senior Cody Smith, to the Patriots’ lineup this winter.

Joining the district champs are returning junior Emma Pitsilos and newcomer freshman Cassidy Taylor.

“My expectations for this team moving into the season are ones of both success and rebuild,” said Freedom diving coach Mark Parry, “having our newer divers start to kick it into high gear and learn some new dives, whereas, for Cody and Hayden, I would love to see some more broken records at some different pools rather than our own, and of course, a district championship to follow. We are aiming for [each], a state championship as well.”

Taylor and Smith’s off-season work included competing at nationals for their club team.

“I would love to break all of our records again and make them very hard to break, as well as going to schools like Parkland and Emmaus and breaking their records as well,” Coach Parry said. “I expect another good showing at EPCs and Districts, and the main goal is to win States and bring home Freedom’s first diving state championship.”