Pitman’s Sondeno second at Sac-Joaquin Section diving finals
With a clear mind and undeniable talent, Natasha Sondeno is diving better than ever.
The scores are starting to reflect that progress, too.
The Pitman High School senior turned in a career performance Saturday at the Sac-Joaquin Section Diving Finals at McClatchy High School in Sacramento.
Sondeno accumulated 427.95 points, clinching a CIF state berth with a second-place finish.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” Sondeno said. “I tried my best, and that’s all I could ask for.”
She’s definitely improved since last year. More powerful and better technique on her backs and reverses.
Robert Wimberly
Delta Valley Diving, on Pitman diver Natasha SondenoHer score was nearly 17 points better than her program at state last spring, then a personal record.
“She dove very well today, especially compared to last year,” said Robert Wimberly, Sondeno’s coach with Delta Valley Diving in Stockton.
“She started off with her two problem dives and did them well. After that, she dove very confident, and there was little doubt in my mind that she would finish well.”
Molly Wilson of St. Francis edged Sondeno with a 430.60. Merced’s Andrea Arredondo was 15th.
In the boys division, Pitman’s Josh Hamby was seventh overall. The Central California Conference champion was the section’s frosh-soph winner a year ago. Alex Maiz Vallejo of Merced was 12th and Freddy Ceja of Atwater 15th.
The top four divers in each division qualified for the CIF State Swim and Dive Championships at Clovis Olympic Swim Complex at Clovis West High on May 20-21.
Congrats to @PitmanPride Tasha Sodeno 2nd at SJS Diving Championships w/ 427 heads 2 State @loud_eddie @jburns1980 pic.twitter.com/5H8OgnAuOX
— Dave Walls (@PitmanPrideAD) May 7, 2016
“For Natasha to be that close to her, it was pretty awesome,” Wimberly said of Wilson.
Sondeno’s new personal best also qualified her for All-America consideration.
What’s one more award for the former gymnast who took up diving at 10?
Sondeno is the reigning All-District Diver of the Year after advancing to the inaugural state championship with a fourth-place finish at sections. In Clovis, she finished 16th out of 28 divers, but left with no regrets.
Sondeno said she accomplished each one of her goals at state. She advanced to the finals and dove better than she had all season.
Later this month, she will return to Clovis with that experience and the momentum seized at Saturday’s section final.
“She’s definitely improved since last year,” Wimberly said. “More powerful and better technique on her backs and reverses.”
She also benefits from a clear mind.
This time last year, thoughts of graduation and college and her future in diving clouded Sondeno’s thoughts. She dreamed of diving somewhere on scholarship.
Now that she has committed to San Jose State – Sondeno signed her letter of intent in November – diving gets her full attention.
“The fact that I don’t have the stress of having to find a college really does allow me to focus more on my diving,” she said. “Of course, with school coming to an end, there are many finals to stress about. But having the college search done really does help.”
Wimberly can tell.
“This time around, I think it’s less stressful,” he said. “She’s been there before, so there’s more confidence as well.”
James Burns: 209-578-2150, @jburns1980
This story was originally published May 9, 2016 at 10:16 AM with the headline "Pitman’s Sondeno second at Sac-Joaquin Section diving finals."