LJ diving: CIF Finals

Jackie Real tucks her knees as she

performs a 1 1/2-somersault in her

sixth and final dive.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Senior Jackie Real closed out her CIF San Diego Section Finals career by racking up an exquisite score of 255.20 on her six dives as she finished third in the event held in the rain at Mesa College's pool Fri., May 15.

Real competes in the state meet for the first time next Fri., May 22, at Clovis in central California.

She was pleased with her dives and score when congratulated later in the day Friday, after the sun had stopped around 3 p.m. The rain during the girls event, held in the morning, made conditions on the diving boards slick and contributed to a 54-minute delay in the start of the event with the computer system down.

Judges, as a result, used a manual system, showing Real's and the other girl divers' scores on cards they held up. The scores then had to be entered manually into the CIF software.

Spencer Elliott, the sole LJHS diver in the boys finals held in the afternoon, also competed. He is a ninth-grader. By the time the boys finals began, the computer system was up and he judges submitted their scores on each dive electronically.

Real's and Elliott's teammate Brooke Kaufman scratched after warm-ups and did not compete in the girls finals in the morning. Another Viking, Heloise Carion, qualified for the finals, according to coach Janelle Sherako, but did not attend the event.

A score of 155.05 was required to qualify for the finals for girls, 151.20 for boys. Kaufman recorded a score of 174.35 for 10th place in the City Championships prior to the finals. Carion achieved a 154.4 score for 13th place in that event. Elliott finished at 175.1 for third place. Real set a City record for high score for a six-dive championship with 265.85.

Both Real and Elliott finished their league seasons undefeated this year. Real did not lose a dual meet after her freshman year, according to a source.

Taylor Pamplin, a diver from Escondido Charter High School, set a San Diego Section record with 317.20 points in the Divison II finals. The only other diver finishing ahead of Jackie was Shelby Steiger of Mission Vista High with 261.60.

Real, who has competed for LJHS head swim coach Tom Atwell all four years of high school, will dive next year for Cornell University in New York. Her father, Jon Real, also coaches Jackie, along with Sherako.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper