SOUTHERN SECTION 3-A DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS : Laguna Hills’ Penny Edges Roberson

SIMI VALLEY â€”  Laguna Hills High School sophomore Jane Penny and Trabuco Hills junior Shannon Roberson didn’t realize how close their scores were at the Southern Section 3-A diving finals Friday at Rancho Simi Community Park. It might have been to both divers’ advantage.

Penny, ahead by 1.35 points going into the final round, won the competition by 0.05 points in the closest section girls’ diving competition since its inception in 1973, according to meet director Judy Weederman.

Penny, who moved from Zimbabwe to the United States with her mother seven months ago, finished the 11-round, one- and three-meter springboard competition with 392.70 points. Roberson was second with 392.65.

“I wasn’t sure how close it was,� Penny said. “I wasn’t trying to listen to any of the other girls’ scores. I didn’t even expect to win.�

Weederman also didn’t know how close it was until Penny was announced as the winner. Said Weederman: “You can’t get much closer than that.�

Rosary’s Angie Dovidio was third with 378.90 points and Upland’s Sheri Takeuchi was fourth with 376.35 points.

Roberson, who finished seventh in 2-A last year, was all smiles afterward. She said it didn’t bother her that no one knew the scores until all the divers were finished. “I try not to worry about it,� she said. “It helps me just think about what I have to do.�

It was Roberson who held a 284.90-272.40 lead over Penny after eight rounds when the field of 18 was cut to 12. That lead was cut to seven points after the ninth round. Penny took the lead for good after her 1 1/2 somersault, one twist dive in Round 10.

On her final dive, Penny approached the one-meter board clinging to the 1.35 point lead. She received one 7 and four 6s from the five judges on her two-somersault dive for 41.40 points after watching Roberson’s 1 1/2 somersault, 1 1/2 twist, which received three 6s, one 5 and a 5 1/2 for an award of 42 points.

Other Orange County divers who made the final round of 12 were Megan Edmunds (367.95) of Santa Margarita, who was fifth, and Judy Levine (324.65) of Laguna Hills, who was eighth. Brooke Ross (270.10) of Woodbridge finished 11th.

Only seven divers competed in the boys’ 3-A, which Damien High’s Sasha Johnson won with 358.80 points. Ben Aaron of Santa Monica High was second with 338.20 points.

Buena Park High’s Brian Lawson (299.70), Sonora High’s David Revere (294.65) and El Dorado High’s Jason Gall (264.05) were third, fourth and fifth, respectively.