MOULTRIE — Divers preparing for today’s start of the Junior National Championships in The Woodlands, Texas, practiced in rain connected with Tropical Storm Edouard on Tuesday.

And Moss Farms Diving Coach Ed Goodman said following a meeting that meet officials will have to wait to see what today’s weather will bring.

Some 281 divers, including four from Moss Farms, will compete this week at The Woodlands Athletic Club for national junior championships.

Elizabeth Ann Kirkland is scheduled to be the first Diving Tiger to compete when she takes part in the 12-13 girls 1-meter springboard event this morning.

“We’re hoping it will clear up,” Goodman said by phone on Tuesday from The Woodlands. “But nobody really knows.”

The 12-13 girls 1-meter is the second event scheduled for the first day of the five-day event.

Also representing Moss Farms will be Ann Perry Blank and Kelsey Goodman in the 16-18 girls competition and Owen Blank in 16-18 boys.

Diving Tiger Tristan Wells also qualified for Junior Nationals, but did not make the trip.

None of the four are strangers to National competition and Ed Goodman sounds as if he expects them to perform well.

“Everyone who’s diving has a chance to make finals,” Ed Goodman said. “Kelsey probably has the best shot.

“I’m crossing my fingers.”

Kelsey Goodman has had an outstanding year and finished first on 1-meter and second on 3-meter in the Zone D championships, the final Junior Nationals qualifier.

She will dive on both boards this week, competing on 1-meter on Thursday and 3-meter on Saturday.

Goodman was first on 1-meter and second on 3-meter at the Region 7 championships.

She he was first on 1-meter and third on 3-meter at the Spring Region 7 championships and took a silver medal on 1-meter and a bronze on 3-meter in the Spring Junior East Championships.

In the 2007 Junior Nationals, she finished sixth on 1-meter and fifth on 3-meter.

Ann Perry Blank also will dive in the 16-18 girls 3-meter on Saturday after her fourth-place finish in the even at the Zone D championships.

At the Region competition, she was fifth on 1-meter and third on 3-meter.

This is her first year in the 16-18 age group.

Owen Blank, who will be heading to Athens to join the University of Georgia diving team later this month, will dive 3-meter.

He was sixth in the event at the Zone meet and narrowly missed qualifying on the 1-meter. He was second on 3-meter and third on 1-meter at the Region 7 championships.

Kirkland had an outstanding Zone D meet, qualifying third on 1-meter and fifth on 3-meter. She was second on 1-meter and fourth on 3-meter at the Region 7 championships.

She will dive in the 3-meter event on Friday.