Mindy Jensen, Adam Gutierrez Win EBAL

Fourteen Divers Now Headed to NCS

By: Danielle Leach

Photos by Bob Kaehms

Saturday, May 5th was a long, but exciting day for the fourteen boys and girls who qualified to compete in the North Coast Section Diving Championships. The girls started the day off as they began warming-up their dives at 7:00 AM. After two hours of practice, five judges took their positions and we began the East Bay Athletic League Diving Championships.

It was a close race between California High and Granada High varsity divers. Mindy Jensen, a junior from California High School, won her first EBAL Championships with a score of 373.80. “Wow! I don't know what to say. I don't know how I pulled that off, but by the grace of God I did. This means a lot to me. I've dreamed of this for a long time now. Going into the meet I felt comfortable and confident. I just told myself to stay focused on each individual dive, listen to your ‘words of wisdom’ and keep smiling. I felt I had prepared as much as I could and I was just wanted to execute each dive to the best of my ability,” said Mindy after the meet.

Not far behind was Emily Andrews from Granada with 360.30 points. Stephanie Neuman took third with 352.75 and Gemma Lewis from California High came in fourth place with a score of 343.15. The additional NCS qualifiers with a score of 290.00 or above were, Sarah Johnson from Foothill (316.75), Giselle Solorzano from California High (307.75) and our first place JV diver, Heidi Andrews, from Granada (305.95).

The boys began warming up their dives as soon as the girls competition was complete at 12:30 PM. The San Ramon Valley High boys showed their strong skills by taking 2nd, Richard Rech (375.90), 3rd, Brian Bernstein (357.95), and 4th, Corey Williams (287.45). Adam Gutierrez, a senior from Monte Vista, took first place with a score of 393.45.

This is only his second year of diving and has proved that he has been working hard since placing 15th at EBAL last year..

“I am still in shock that I won,” said Gutierrez. “I was not expecting that one. I was actually thinking I would get third, behind Brian and Rich, so it's really cool, especially because it's my first win.”

Also qualifying to NCS were Chris Corzett from Granada (270.50), Ben Azevedo from Livermore (262.15) and Mike Pyle from California High (261.70).

These fourteen boys and girls from the East Bay Athletic League will have two weeks to prepare for the North Coast Section Diving Championships which will take place on Friday, May 18th at Campolindo High School in Moraga.


Adam Gutierrez, this year's EBAL boys diving champion	Sarah Johnson (4th girls) qualifies for NCS with a score of 316.75	Brian Bernstein from San Ramon 3rd place (357.95)

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