By LISA GAYLE GRAYSON

The Post sports writer

For two weeks this season, Ty Talley no longer was a student-athlete.

After falling behind in his school work and allowing his grades to slip, the junior was forced to re-evaluate his priorities. The Brunswick diver dropped the hyphen and became only a student.

"The week and a half to two weeks away from diving, I stayed home and studied," said Talley, who could not compete until the start of the third quarter. "I think it really was a life lesson for me. I think it just motivated me more to do better in school. I think I came back with more motivation to dive, too."

Although Talley missed the Northeast Ohio Conference Meet, he regrouped in time for the postseason. In only his second year of diving, Talley advanced Feb. 15 from the Northeast Division I District at Cleveland State University by placing ninth with a personal-record 377.65.

The top 11 scores in the 1-meter diving competition at Robert F. Busbey Natatorium qualified to the state championship.

The first-time qualifier snapped Brunswick's five-year drought of sending a representative to C.T. Branin Natatorium in Canton.

Talley was scheduled to compete Feb. 23 at 9 a.m. He was seeded 21st overall.

"I feel like it's really an honor to accomplish this," the 16-year-old said. "Going in, like I did for districts, I'm going to keep an open mind, try not to focus too hard and have fun."

Talley, a former gymnast who also is on Brunswick's football team, upped his 11-dive total by 32 points from sectionals to districts. He said the difference between his two meets was his fifth dive. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound diver botched the attempt at sectionals and became distracted after that.

"I had a mental block at sectionals," said Talley, who was third for the Akron-North Division and sixth overall. "I hit the board on a front 1 1/2 full twist. I wasn't focused. I was sloppy."

Talley brushed that aside for his meet at CSU and came away with the Brunswick's first berth for diving since 2007. That year, then-senior Josh Gonzalez placed 14th (389.4).

Although no one else in the Blue Devils program qualified with Talley this season, the Blue Devils had numerous notable performances at districts.

The girls team, which finished 23rd, broke three school records. The 200-yard freestyle relay (10th) of senior Selena Pasadyn, sophomores Melissa Froncek and Nicolette Crissinger and Lizzy Gehlmann clocked a 1:41.92. Pasadyn bettered the mark in the 200 free to 2:00.09 as she placed 19th, and freshman Mikayla Dostall dropped the 100 backstroke time to 1:00.74 when she finished 12th.

The top two placers for each swimming event earned automatic bids to Canton, while at-large bids were given to the next 16 girls and 11 boys times across Ohio, according to the Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site.

Brunswick's relay missed advancing to state on an at-large bid by five places. The top 24 teams qualified and the Blue Devils were ranked 29th.

The top placement for the boys team, which finished 29th, came from Ben Eyssen in the 200 free. He was 34th in 1:54.39.