MOULTRIE — Six Moss Farms divers will head to California next month to compete in the National Junior Diving Championships, including two who turned in top-3 finishes in Rockville, Md., last week.

Eight Moss Farms divers took part in the Summer East Championships held last Thursday through Sunday at the Montgomery Aquatic Center in Rockville with berths in the Aug. 7-11 Junior Nationals in Mission Viejo, Calif., on the line.

The meet brought together the top young divers in the eastern part of the country. The Summer West Championships also were held last weekend in Dallas, Texas. The top 12 finishers in each event from both the East and West Championships qualify for Junior Nationals.

Elizabeth Ann Kirkland, Anna Aguero, Ann Perry Blank, Hannah Moore, Kelsey Goodman and Ryan Helms took top-12 finishes in Rockville, allowing them to advance to Mission Viejo.

Helms had an especially strong meet in the 16-18 boys, finishing second on the 3-meter springboard and third on the 1-meter board.

On Saturday, he took the silver medal on 3-meter with a 527.55, trailing only Blue Devil Diving’s Nick McCrory, who was first with a 535.85.

On Sunday, Helms finished third on 1-meter with a 429.65.

Adam Booher of the Montgomery Dive Club, the event host, was first with a 436.60. Brent Eichenseer of U.S. Elite Diving of Columbus, Ohio, was second with a 432.95.

Coach Ed Goodman said he has seen Helms better on the 1-meter.

“But that just shows you where he is right now,” Goodman said. “Even on a bad day, he’s in third place.”

Goodman said he believes Helms’ best shot for a gold medal at Junior Nationals is on the 1-meter board.

Last year at Junior Nationals in Indianapolis, Ind., Helms finished fourth on 1-meter and seventh on platform. He did not make finals on 3-meter.

Helms has not competed in platform events this summer after undergoing wrist surgery on February.

Ann Perry Blank also brought a bronze medal back from Maryland after finishing third on the 1-meter board in the 14-15 girls age group.

Team Orlando took the top two spots in the event, with Cherie Hammond scoring a 312.60 and Niki Reich turning in a 293.70. Blank had a 288.45.

And Blank placed third despite becoming ill about halfway through her list, Ed Goodman said.

“She toughed it out,” Goodman said, adding that the illness affected her 3-meter performance as well and caused her to scratch from the platform event. “She really showed some character.”

Blank was taken to the hospital and received intravenous fluids before returning to Moultrie.

Blank also qualified on the 3-meter board with her 10th-place finish.

She was 10th on 1-meter at Junior Nationals last year.

Kelsey Goodman also had a strong weekend. In the extremely competitive 16-18 girls age group, she was sixth on 1-meter on Saturday and eighth on 3-meter on Sunday.

Goodman competed in a 14-15 girls last year at Junior Nationals and was fourth on 3-meter and eighth on 1-meter.

“I think she can do better,” Ed Goodman said. “She needs to be more consistent on her voluntaries.

Hannah Moore will return to Junior Nationals after finishing 12th on 1-meter on Saturday with a 319.50 and 11th on 3-meter on Sunday wit ha 346.65.

Last year, she was 10th on platform and 11th on 1-meter, but did not reach the finals on 3-meter.

Goodman said he expects Moore to perform better at Nationals.

In girls 13-and-under, Elizabeth Kirkland qualified on both springboards, finishing 10th on 1-meter with a 213.70 and 12th on 3-meter with a 234.45.

She just missed qualifying on platform. Her 210.10 left in her in 13th place, although Ed Goodman said there is a chance she could dive in the event at Nationals if one of the top 12 elects not to participate.

“I am really proud of her,” Goodman said of Kirkland.

Anna Aguero qualified for Junior Nationals on platform, scoring a 320.10 to finish eighth last Friday. She was 14th in both 1-meter and 3-meter springboard events in the 16-18 girls age group.

At last year’s Junior Nationals, Aguero was 10th on 3-meter, but did not reach finals on 1-meter or platform.

Aguero is the first alternate on 1-meter and still could compete at Junior Nationals on that board as well.

Ali Lepech, who also dives in 16-18 girls, did not qualify for Junior Nationals, although she finished 13th on both the 3-meter springboard and in the platform event. She, too, still has an outside chance of being allowed to compete at Junior Nationals as an alternate.

“She really scrapped on 3-meter,” Goodman said. “She never gave up.”

Jillian Braun competed on both springboards. Her top finish was 15th on the 3-meter board.

“She missed just one dive,” Goodman said.

Braun likely has competed for Moss Farms for the last time. She and her family are moving from the area. Goodman said she has improved over the last year her loss would be a blow to the team.

Ten Moss Farms divers qualified for the East Championships at a pair of region competitions last month. Henry Norman elected not to compete in Rockville and Owen Blank was ill and did not make the trip.

The Junior National qualifiers will train hard for the next 10 days or so, Goodman said, and taper off as the trip to California nears.