THORNTON — Carson Harrington didn’t need much time to solidify himself as the state’s best in Class 4A. 

One year after finishing third as a freshman, the Evergreen sophomore scored 580.85 points to capture first place at the 2023 4A boys diving championships at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center on Saturday. 

“I was really excited for myself because I worked really hard throughout this year,” Harrington said. “I was just really glad that all my hard work paid off.”

Mountain View’s Tyler Tolerico took second with 507.75 points, Littleton’s Conor Wherry finished third at 501.65 and another young Evergreen diver, freshman Henry Palmquist, was right behind at 500.55. Silver Creek’s Joshua Dowlin, one of five Raptors competing, took fifth with 449.25 points. 

“It was super great competing against all of them,” Harrington said. “Tyler (Tolerico) is super good and talented. It was really good motivation to see him dive.”

Harrington’s title is the second straight diving title for Evergreen; Kian Smith won it last year as a senior. 

Evergreen head boys diving coach Brett Brinkhoff gave all the credit to Harrington for converting his gymnastics background to the diving board. 

“He's a great athlete,” Brinkhoff said. “He came with a lot of gymnastics ability, which made it an easier conversion, but it's honestly all him. Some kids take it, some don't as well, and he took it really well.”

Harrington added that he was most pleased with his forward 2.5 and reverse 2.5 dives. 

Other divers in the top 10 included George Washington’s Coleden Vicars (sixth) and Ashden Vicars (seventh), Northfield’s Dennis Kolesnikov in eighth, Windsor’s Anthony Mascarenas in ninth and Green Mountain’s Britton Hooper in 10th. 

In the Class 5A diving championships on Friday, another sophomore in Cherry Creek’s Luke Ogren took first. 

Evergreen now has 44 points as the Cougars look for their first boys swimming team state championship.