Austin Devlin knows the real season is just getting started.

Devlin, a senior diver at Niagara Falls, knows it takes 11 dives to qualify for the state swimming championships in March. Niagara Frontier League dual meets, 14 in all, are just the longest preseason in high school sports.

“It’s basically practice,” Devlin said. “I don’t see them as big meets like the championship meet, where you do 11 dives, that’s where it counts. Six dives is just practice for me.”

The practice, Niagara Falls swim coach Ed Maynard said, has certainly paid off for Devlin.

“He’s proven himself over the last four years and he’s done an amazing job,” Maynard said. “He’s very coachable. He’s always listened to everything we had to say. He trusts in us and he trusts in himself.”

Devlin has qualified for states since ninth grade and has won four straight NFL diving titles. With just three chances to make the state meet —the NFL championships, the Class A meet and at the Section VI championships — Maynard said Devlin’s mental toughness has made the difference on the board.

“A lot of swimmers think they can be divers, a lot of divers think they can be swimmers,” Maynard said. “I always say the diving is a little bit more of a mentally demanding sport. Because you’re the only one up there. You’re the only one anyone is looking at. So it’s a lot of pressure.”

Devlin qualified for states with a 489.10-point performance at the North Tonawanda pool last Saturday. The win wasn’t without drama, however, as Lew-Port’s Ryan Monteleone had a 463.15 total and some tough dives to fend off in the process.

“I knew it was going to be really close at the end so I tried to do everything the best I can,” Devlin said. “It was really close.”

Devlin, whose dives had a lower level of difficulty than the Lew-Port senior’s, needed to stick the last three dives to win it all.

“He’s never faced that before in league competition, where he needed the last dive in the competition to pull it off,” Maynard said. “We pulled him aside and said he needs to pull off something special in order to win and he did. He rose to the occasion. He dove like a champion and he pulled it off for his fourth consecutive title.”

Devlin even helped the Wolverines finish third as a team on Saturday thanks to a bit of swimming. The senior finished fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke “without really training ever,” according to Maynard.

He also led the Wolverines’ 200 free relay team this year. Maynard said he’s the team’s best breaststroker.

“I love it. It’s just something else,” Devlin said. “Instead of being on the boards all the time I can get in and swim a little bit. It’s definitely a lot of fun.”

Devlin likes the physical aspect of swimming over the mental pressure of the diving board. Still, his best performances will come a meter above the pool. Devlin is already looking forward to states next month.

“I’m aiming for top three,” Devlin said. “I got seventh last year so anything better than that will be an improvement.”

After states, Devlin hopes to dive next fall at Niagara University. Maynard said his senior diver can shine on the Purple Eagles’ board. Maybe even in the pool, too.

“Who knows, they might throw him in a breaststroke event here and there,” Maynard said. “I would.”