Capistrano Valley’s Burkholder Consistent, Captures Girls’ 4-A Diving Championship

On a postcard-perfect day at the Rancho Simi Community Park Pool, Joy Burkholder of Capistrano Valley High added her touch to the panorama Wednesday with some beautiful diving in the Southern Section Division 4-A championships.

Burkholder, who last year finished second to Simi Valley’s Daryl Dolan, was the picture of consistency throughout the afternoon, winning the girls’ event with 466.50 points. Amy Palmer of Dana Hills was second with 421.30 points and Dolan third with 417.75.

“Everything worked pretty good,” Burkholder said.

In the boys’ competition, Ricky Wood of Simi Valley Royal High scored 605.05 points to shatter the section record of 576.05 set by Lawrence Roddick of Mission Viejo in 1985. Nate Smith of Dana Hills was second with 565.25 and freshman Tyce Routson of El Toro finished third with 532.95. Irvine sophomore Zack Williams, the defending champion, was fourth with 473.20.

Wood, the meet favorite, missed last year’s event because of academic ineligibility.

“I look at it as a learning year. Actually, a growing up period,” said Wood, the national champion in the platform in the 16-18 age group. “I really wanted to win.”

Though nobody seriously challenged Wood, Palmer had achance to beat Burkholder going into the final three dives. But she got poor marks on a back 2 1/2 in the tuck position--which carries a 2.8 degree of difficulty--on her next-to-last dive and the Capistrano Valley junior put the title away with a back 1 1/2 with a half-twist that got her 51.60 points.

“It was kind of a gamble, but it didn’t work out,” said Palmer.

Things worked out well for Orange County divers, however; eight from the county placed among the top 12 in the girls’ competition and five in the boys’ event. The points for the top 12 spots count toward the points in the swimming championships that begin today at the Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach.

Jennie Maxwell of Capistrano Valley was fourth with 405.85 points and teammate Darcy Stuart finished fifth with 405.00, followed by Dara Jones of Fountain Valley in sixth place (379.60), Marleny Rivera of Edison in seventh (366.90), Jennifer Perri of Irvine in eighth (366.40) and Becky Wilshire of El Toro in ninth (347.60).

In the boys’ meet, Jason Hubbard of Mission Viejo was fifth (460.70) and Jason David of Capistrano Valley was sixth (406.00).