Erik Boal
GLENDALE -- Many of them have traveled all over Southern California
and, in some cases, as far as the southeastern United States.
They've won league crowns, prestigious invitationals and age-group
national titles.
But as impressive as the resumes are for a number of local divers,
none of that will matter when today's competition commences.
Because for three hours and 11 dives, nine local athletes will have to
put forth their best efforts on either the one- or three-meter
springboard at the CIF Southern Section final in order to distance
themselves from the competition.
Seven female divers -- including four from Crescenta Valley High --
will compete for the Division II title at 3 p.m. at
Claremont-McKenna-Scripps College, and another, Flintridge Prep junior
Charlotte Butler, will travel to San Luis Obispo to compete in the
Division III final at 2 p.m. at Cuesta College.
The lone male diver, CV senior Joey Castellani, is the odds-on
favorite to capture the Division II crown at Claremont-McKenna-Scripps
College at 10:30 a.m.
Castellani, the runner-up to Irvine University's Louis Gagnet last
season, boasts an entry score more than 20 points better than his closest
competitor, Michael Copeland of La Habra Sonora.
A diver's final score is calculated based on its 11-dive schedule at
either height, with each dive being awarded a score ranging from zero to
10 and possessing a degree of difficulty from 1.7 to 3.3.
On the girls' side, Falcon junior Cassidy Farwell will attempt to end
the three-year reign of Chino Don Lugo's Kristin Littell, who won the
competition by more than 60 points last year.
Also in strong contention for top-three finishes are Flintridge Sacred
Heart Academy freshman and Mission League champion Marisa Samaniego,
junior teammate Jennifer Fayollat and CV junior Jennifer Miller.
Juniors Rachel Russell and Christina Youm will look to contribute
valuable points toward CV's bid for a second straight team title, and La
Canada sophomore Alexis Mintz will try to improve her sixth-place showing
last season.
