SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Molly Wilson won the Sac-Joaquin Section North Diving Trials on Thursday with a personal-best and High School All-America qualifying score of 458.40, advancing to Saturday’s finals with berths to the state championships on the line.

“It feels good (to win this meet),” said Wilson. “I have worked really hard throughout the diving season. I am glad my hard work is paying off.”

Wilson was one of four Troubies in the competition and among three that advanced through all 11 dives and placed among the Top 12. Wilson defeated Rachel Choi of Rio Americano (451.05). The top eight divers from the meet advance to compete against the top eight from the south.

“I did well,” said Wilson. “This was definitely my best meet I have had all year.” She scored more than 50 points on her inward one-and-half tuck.

“Molly ranks among the hardest workers of all the kids I coach in high school,” said Head Coach Dede Crayne. “It is really great when that pays off in a win. It is really nice to see your hardest worker get all the glory. She is always the first person there and the last person to leave.”  

Crayne credited her consistency today to the win and her new back twister and reverse one-and-half dives.

Junior Julia Endicott placed eighth with a score of 330.40 to earn the last spot in the finals.

“I was consistent and nothing was too crazy,” said Endicott. “My best dive was my back twister. I am pretty happy. I have worked hard in practice and Dede is a great coach and she helped me a lot this year.”

Junior Cami Lutes finished 12th overall with a score of 227.00.

“I feel like I did Ok,” said Lutes. “I am usually more consistent. I am happy I made it past both cuts. I don’t think I made it this far last year. It is cool to see how much I am improving from year to year.”

She said her best dive of the day was her reverse flip.

“I am confident with it and it is always my favorite dive,” said Lutes of her reverse flip. “It is cool to say I can do a gainer.”

Crayne was happy to see her Troubie divers do so well, joining Rio Americano with three divers among the top 12 in the results. Sophomore Claudia Campos was 21st overall.

“Cami Lutes is a beautiful diver and one of my more consistent divers,” said Crayne. “She does simple dives but she does them well and to finish in the Top 12 in the North is great. Julia snuck into the eighth place and will help the swimming team with some points heading into sections.”

Wilson and Endicott will compete on Saturday with the top four advancing to the CIF State Championships.

“I just have to stay relaxed and not worry about what everyone else is doing,” said Wilson, who is the defending section champion. She is looking to earn her second consecutive berth in the state championships.

St. Francis also had four divers compete in the Frosh/Soph competition earlier in the day. Freshman Maddy Miles qualified for Saturday with her eighth-place finish with a score of 254.40. Sophomore Calista Stanley was 12th (219.80), while freshmen Allie Belafsky and Maddie Covert placed 14th and 15th overall with scores of 197.70 and 181.95, respectively.

Miles will compete at 8:30 Saturday morning, while the varsity final will start at 12:30 p.m. at Johansen High School in Modesto.