ROCK ISLAND – Shannon Long got her first varsity diving experience Saturday. All the Sterling freshman did was win a sectional title and advance to state.

Competing in the morning diving competition at Augustana College in the Rock Island Sectional meet, Long’s 11 dives totaled 234.40 points, giving her a narrow victory over Rock Island’s Alicia Freiburg, whose score was 230.85.

“I came here for my first meet and really didn’t expect this,” said Long, who is the Sterling girls’ first state-qualifying diver. “About the second round, I started to calm my nerves. It just came to me.”