Day, Zubrin Steal Show in Diving

MISSION VIEJO —  A familiar diver had the most points, but a sentimental favorite won the most applause.

Cassie Day of the Mission Viejo Nadadores wasn’t having a banner weekend before the girls’ 16-18 platform competition commenced at the U.S. Diving Zone D championships on Sunday at the Marguerite Recreation Center Diving Complex.

Day, who must wear a back brace when she is not diving because of a July 4 diving injury, finished 23rd in the one-meter field and 20th in the three-meter event.

“I wasn’t planning to do this well,” said Day, who received enthusiastic applause while earning 310.70 points to finish third in the platform event.

Teammate Sandy Zubrin, who had already won twice in as many events, made it a triple play with her victory in the platform event. Zubrin’s 355.55 points put her out of reach of McCormick Divers’ Dawn Marie Burton (336.15).

Day, who broke a wrist at nationals last summer and still wears a wrist support, knew the platform was her last chance to qualify for next month’s Junior Olympic nationals and put everything else behind her.

“I put them out of my mind,” said Day, who knew it was her day after her inward 2 1/2, her first optional dive.

Kenesha Jespersen had her mind on winning either the girls’ 14-15 three-meter or tower events, but had to settle for third in Sunday’s three-meter competition. Earlier in the weekend, the El Toro High sophomore was second in the one-meter and the platform championships.

“I wanted one of those, but I’m ready for nationals,” she said. “I should have done better on my optional (dives). They just weren’t happening.”

Jespersen was a close third to winner Emerald Diving’s Sarah Fields, who finished with 378.70 points and Rose Bowl Aquatics’ Kristine Taylor, who had 373.45 points.

Diving Notes

Amelia Price had to leave the county to reach goals she wasn’t able to achieve here. Price, who moved to Cincinnati from Laguna Niguel in June, decided she wanted to finish the diving season for the Crown Valley Divers, then join an Ohio club in the fall. Sunday she turned in one of her finest performances as she qualified for Junior Olympic nationals for the first time. Of the five divers who qualified, Price was fifth and kept pinching herself after the awards ceremony. “I can’t believe it. I didn’t even do good,” she said. . . . Nadadores divers were double-event winners: Erica Sorgi won the girls’ 13-under three-meter event Sunday to go with Friday’s platform championship and Tyce Routson added a runaway victory in the boys’ 16-18 platform meet Sunday to Friday’s three-meter title. Troy Dumais of Rose Bowl Aquatics matched Sandy Zubrin’s triple championship performance by sweeping the boys’ 13-under boards. Visiting double-event winners were Gamal Jones of Cougar Divers and Sarah Fields of Emerald Diving. . . . Nadadores diver Janae Lautenschlager, who will compete in the Olympic Festival later this week, had her first broadcasting experience Sunday as a guest commentator for Dimension Cable. It was a brief career departure for Lautenschlager, 23, who is a nursing student at UCLA.