SHORELINE — Diving programs are going under all over the Western Conference South Division map.

Everywhere but Shoreline, that is.

While districts like Edmonds and Everett have scrapped their dive programs due to budget constraints and facilities issues, the two Shoreline District high schools are seeing an increase in interest.

Shorecrest, Shorewood, Kamiak and Mariner are the only Wesco South schools that currently offer girls diving. Divers from the four Edmonds District schools have the option of participating in a co-op dive program with the Mukilteo schools.

Last year, diving was offered by all 10 Wesco South schools.

“There isn’t a lot of diving anymore. It’s sad,” Shoreline District dive coach Keela Carter said. “I guarantee it’s not because of a lack of interest. We see a lot of the kids who used to dive and now they’re swimming. They all say they miss it.”

Shorecrest is fielding a full dive team for the first time since Carter has been affiliated with the school, either as a diver or coach.

“It’s wonderful for me as an alum to see that,” said Carter, who was Shorecrest’s only diver the four years she competed for the Scots. “We’re turning some heads.”

Most of the double-takes — along with the usual “oohs” and “ahhs” that follow — are initiated by Shorecrest’s Samantha Young and her exquisitely-executed repertoire of forward and backward twisters.

“I’ve got a lot of new dives. I think I’ve changed a lot,” said Young, who practices four nights a week with her club team, Pacific Northwest Diving, at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

The sophomore standout has been phasing out her tuck dives to make room for more pike selections, which carry a higher degree of difficulty and enable Young to achieve better scores.

At an 11-dive, championship-style meet, competitors complete the same five required dives and six optional dives. The latter is what separates the big-shots from the bellyfloppers.

Optional dives are a chance for seasoned divers like Young to up the ante and toss in another somersault or half-twist to wow the judges. With the adjustments she’s made over the past year, only one of Young’s six optional dives rates lower than a 2.3 degree of difficulty.

Put simply, Young is choosing increasingly more challenging dives and she’s knocking them out of the park, er, pool.

“I really think she’ll break 400 points this year. That would put her up with the state’s top divers,” Carter said. “I’d like to see her averaging in the 420s by her senior year. It’s possible. But she’s got to increase her list between now and then. That’s the challenge.”

Young placed third at last year’s Class 3A state diving championships as a freshman behind a pair of seniors. Her form is even sharper and her point totals are much higher this year.

She’s averaging 260 points per six dives at Shorecrest’s dual meets — up from a season-high of 247 in 2002 — and her 11-dive score of 347.15 was far and away the top mark at the first of two Northwest District 3A zone diving meets two weeks ago.

Young was a cinch to lock up a state berth at the zone meet, but inadvertently omitted one of her optional dives. She has two more shots at qualifying for state.

“It’s a lot of pressure,” Young sighed.

Unlike swimmers, who can post state-qualifying times at any regular-season meet, divers are limited to three chances to earn a state bid: two zone meets and districts.

“There’s just not enough time at dual meets to get in 11 dives,” Carter said. “I’d love to see the league add more 11-dive meets. We’re really limiting our kids.”

Young regularly competes for Pacific Northwest Diving in the 1-meter and 3-meter springboard categories at the regional and national level and hopes to qualify for the junior world championships.

Her determination has rubbed off on her siblings — Katrina, 11, and Eddie, 8, have been diving “since they were born,” Young noted — as well her Shorecrest teammates.

“The girls look up to her,” Carter said. “One has joined Samantha’s club team and a couple others are talking about doing it. They all want to dive year round.”

Young’s second shot at securing a return trip to next month’s state meet comes tomorrow at the second Northwest District 3A zone meet at Bellingham High School. The top three finishers at the district championships receive automatic state berths.

Most of the field at last year’s state meet was underclassmen, but few divers put up scores as high as Young, who should contend for the crown again this year.

“There’s a couple girls on her tail,” Carter said, “but I think she’s the favorite.”