Jumping-Off Point

Allison Brennan was on the verge of advancing to the semifinals of the U.S. National Indoor Diving Championships for the first time. She clung to the 12th spot, the final qualifying position.

But when her older sister, Kellie Brennan, hit her last dive, Allison dropped to 13th.

It was nothing new for Allison, a senior at Edison High. For the past four years her performances have often been overshadowed by someone else.

When Kellie won four consecutive Sunset League titles while at Edison, Allison became known as “Kellie’s little sister.”

When Allison won two consecutive Sunset League titles, and the Southern Section Division I title--something Kellie never did--she reaped little praise. Local papers credited her victory to the absence of defending champion Erica Sorgi. Her own high school didn’t recognize her performance until more than a year later, when she said she was finally awarded her letter.

Then Allison contemplated a full-ride scholarship to USC, where she would join Kellie, the three-time Pacific 10 conference champion. Her scholarship was later dropped to a partial when her close friend, El Toro’s Kaitlin Sandeno, an Olympic bronze medalist in the 800 freestyle, signed with the Trojans.

Today at 3 at the Marguerite Aquatics Complex, Allison will take aim at defending her Division I title.

Whether Allison regains the title, the 18-year-old is intent on starting her own path to success.

She did sign with a USC--the University of South Carolina--after being impressed by Coach Todd Sheritt’s moral and religious background. Allison turned down several of the nation’s top diving programs, including Florida, Texas and Arizona. A devout Lutheran who is “very into church and my religion,” Allison said she and Sheritt, a minister, clicked immediately.

“It’s time I get away from everything,” she said. “This will help me grow as a person, and I won’t be living in my sister’s shadow anymore.”

Today’s competition will be tough. Tiffany Manning of Capistrano Valley and Leanne Dumais of Ventura Buena will make a repeat difficult.

In last year’s final, only eight points separated the three divers. Allison held off Manning despite a shaky last dive and scored 518.80 points. Manning finished with 515.65 and Dumais scored 510.45.

Manning, who partners with Kellie in synchronized diving competitions, defeated Allison earlier this year in the Mission Viejo Invitational.

At the Junior Nationals last month, Allison took fourth on the three-meter and sixth on the one-meter, while Manning was second on the one-meter and seventh on the three-meter.

Allison enters today’s meet after winning her third-consecutive Sunset League title, by more than 180 points. She scored 548.75 points but fell short of breaking the league scoring record of 575.75, which was set by Kellie.

Fortunately, the competitiveness between the two is all good-natured.

Cathy Ferguson, their mother, was a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the backstroke and 400 medley relay. Larry Brennan, their father, coaches the Edison diving team and was an All-American diver at Cal State Los Angeles.

Both agree their daughters couldn’t be better friends.

“Kellie is Allison’s biggest advocate,” Ferguson said. “She comes to as many meets as she can.”

When she knocked Allison out of the indoor diving semifinals, Kellie appeared to take it harder than Allison.

“That was really rough for me,” said Kellie, who recently completed her junior year at USC. “I’m her biggest fan. We are always on the same team, even when we are competing against each other.”

While she knows that moving across the country is the best thing for her little sister, Kellie isn’t overjoyed. She recalled the years when Allison would tag along after her.

“I used to hate it,” Kellie said. “But now we are best friends. I want to spend time with her and she isn’t going to be around.”

Despite her previous disappointments, Allison doesn’t begrudge the others their successes.

Of Kellie, she says: “We are competitive, but only in a good way. Nothing makes us happier than to see the other one win. We are best friends.”

Of Sandeno: “She’s No. 3 in world and I’m No. 10 in the nation. USC only had one scholarship left. I couldn’t be happier for Kaitlin.”

Of Sorgi: “She helped make me better. It was nice to have the competition because it made me a better diver.”

Of Manning: “If she wins [the Southern Section finals] this year, I’ll be ecstatic. It’s a pleasure to watch any of my friends win.”

And Allison said she’ll have hugs all-around, whatever the outcome. But it’s time to move on.

“Allison is the up-and-coming one,” Kellie said. “She came in as my little sister, but I think now she is just going to be Allison.”

If you have an item or idea for the swimming report, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at melanie.neff@latimes.com or paul.mcleod@latimes.com.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

SWIMMING TOP 10

Orange County Coaches’ Final Poll

GIRLS

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Pos. School League 1. Irvine (1) Sea View 2. San Clemente (2) South Coast 3. Newport Harbor (3) Sea View 4. Santa Margarita (4) Serra 5. Laguna Hills (6) Sea View 6. Esperanza (7) Sunset 7. Canyon (8) Century 8. Foothill (5) Century 9. Capistrano Valley (9) South Coast 10. Sunny Hills (10) Freeway

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BOYS

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Pos. School League 1. Irvine (1) Sea View 2. Santa Margarita (2) Serra 3. Capistrano Valley (3) South Coast 4. Fountain Valley (4) Sunset 5. Edison (5) Sunset 6. Villa Park (6) Century 7. Newport Harbor (7) Sea View 8. Mission Viejo (8) South Coast 9. Canyon (NR) Century 10. San Clemente (10) South Coast 10. Dana Hills (9) South Coast

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Last week’s rankings in parentheses