Six is the magic number.

Only six divers from the Southern California regional get the opportunity to compete in the state championships.

This Friday and Saturday, the Warrior dive team will compete in the South Coast Conference diving regionals held at EC, where they can qualify for the state championships.

“Friday and Saturday is do or die,” coach Laurie Dawdy said.

Trophies and awards are given to the top divers in conference. Judges then determine the top six divers from all of the Southern California conferences and those six move forward to the state championships.

“Six divers from Southern California and six divers from Northern California compete for the state title,” Dawdy said

According to both swim and dive coaches, the best divers are in the Southern California region.

“The majority of the good divers showed up at the Pasadena Invitational and things are looking really good for our divers,” swim coach Corey Stanbury said.

The dive team showed its competitiveness at the Pasadena Invitational April 3 and 4 by having three of its divers place in the top six.

“The team dove really well. They are right on track in our conference: exactly where we want them,” Dawdy said.

With captain David Austin having broken his own record on the one-meter board at Pasadena, the team seems to be more on track as it heads for the state championships.

“(Austin) is obviously a shoo-in to make the state championships, because he is very consistent and one of the top three divers in the state,” Stanbury said.

Freshmen Jonathan Franzen and Chris Salgado from Orange Coast College are big competition for Austin.

Franzen and Salgado placed second and third at Pasadena as Salgado beat Austin for first place in the one- meter board dive.

“(Austin) mostly wins first, but lately the (OC) guys having been placing at the top,” freshman Jose Bahena said.

“There is going to be a three-way fight for the title during conference and it will continue to the state championships,” Dawdy said.

Freshmen Kelly Turner and Brill Hernandez continue to struggle with their injuries.

Last Thursday, Turner landed in the water on his shoulder and was unable to compete at Pasadena.

“We chose not to put (Turner) into competition to make sure his shoulder was good for this weekend, which is more important,” Stanbury said.

Hernandez had injured his shoulder early on in the season and has a chronic shoulder injury.

“A shoulder injury is huge in diving. It can’t heal right when you are constantly bothering it,” Dawdy said. “Because we are training everyday, there is no time to recover.”

Although Hernandez has been in pain all season, Bahena said he has gotten better, although Hernandez may not think so.

Freshman Pedro Quinones has also proved to be a state competitor, placing fourth at Pasadena.

Quinones’ Warrior rival, Bahena, broke the 200-point mark for the first time landing in sixth place for both the one-meter and three-meter boards.

“It’s going to be a huge challenge to get both of them in (state championships),” Dawdy said.

“(Quinones) has a good chance. I am pretty sure he is making it to state championships,” Bahena said,

If Austin, Quinones and Bahena make it to state championships, then half of the Southern California state competition will be Warriors.

“If we get three divers to the state championships then that will be a phenomenal accomplishment,” Stanbury said.

“Our divers are the competition for conference,” Dawdy said.