Freedom High Divers Dominate at EPC No. 2 Meet

Cody Smith and Hayden Taylor claim first place in boys and girls events ahead of District 11 championships.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Freedom High School seniors Cody Smith and Hayden Taylor continued their impressive seasons by winning the boys and girls 1-meter diving events at the EPC No. 2 meet held at Parkland High School. Smith set a new school record with 580.15 points, while Taylor won by over 130 points with a score of 560.00. Both divers have been dominant throughout the season and are now preparing for the upcoming District 11 championships.

Why it matters

The EPC No. 2 meet served as the final tuneup for the top divers in the region before the District 11 championships. Smith and Taylor's performances solidify them as the top contenders in their respective divisions and demonstrate the strength of the Freedom High diving program.

The details

In the boys event, Smith's 11-dive score of 580.15 points broke his own previous school record of 558.80 set two weeks ago. Parkland divers took the next three spots, with Charlie Epstein, CJ Denton, and Ari Levin finishing 2nd through 4th. On the girls side, Taylor dominated with a 560.00 score, over 130 points ahead of Emmaus freshman Addie Cornish in second place.

  • The EPC No. 2 meet was held on Saturday, February 8, 2026.
  • The District 11 Class 3A and 2A diving championships will be held at Parkland on Tuesday, February 17 (boys) and Wednesday, February 18 (girls), both starting at 5:30 PM.

The players

Cody Smith

A senior at Freedom High School who has committed to dive at Arizona State University. He won the boys 1-meter diving event with a school record score of 580.15 points.

Hayden Taylor

A senior at Freedom High School who will be diving at TCU next year. She won the girls 1-meter diving event with a score of 560.00 points, over 130 points ahead of the runner-up.

Addie Cornish

A freshman at Emmaus High School who finished second in the girls diving event, establishing herself as the heir apparent to Hayden Taylor next season.

Charlie Epstein

A junior at Parkland High School who finished second in the boys diving competition.

CJ Denton

A sophomore at Parkland High School who finished third in the boys diving event.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

The top 16 divers in each division who have achieved a qualifying 11-dive score during the season will compete at the District 11 championships, with the points earned added to their schools' total in the district team swimming competition.

The takeaway

Smith and Taylor's dominant performances at the EPC No. 2 meet cement their status as the divers to beat at the upcoming District 11 championships, showcasing the strength of the Freedom High diving program and setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the season.