Moses Lake checks coat at door

Moses Lake is completely out of excuses.

The pool has been around for a year, the summer swimming Manta Ray program was in full force during that same year and now the Chiefs' girls swimming team has to step up. That's what head coach Tony St. Onge believes needs to happen.

"We have gotten through the initial year adjustments and now we are stepping up," St. Onge said. "We are stepping up and seeing what we are made of."

Moses Lake only lost two swimmers from last year's team and returns the complete state relay team that placed 15th at Federal Way in late November.

The Chiefs field the entire district qualifying team and the two divers that also qualified for the Big Nine district meet. Everything is place for what St. Onge said is a wide open district.

"We are stronger across the board than we were last year and I think we will have more district qualifiers and more state qualifiers than last year," St. Onge added.

Along with Moses Lake, St. Onge picked Eastmont, Wenatchee, Walla Walla and Southridge to pace each other for the top position in the Big Nine. He said Davis has added some experience, but lacks in the depth to pull out a dual meet win.

The Chiefs get a boost from untested Stephanie McFarland, a Manta Ray standout who starts her freshman year with the team. McFarland also holds various records on the Manta Ray program.

"Stephanie will walk in and be an impact swimmer," St. Onge said. "She won't be the top swimmer in the Big Nine, but she with other girls on the team will be one of the top swimmers in the Big Nine."

Unfortunately for Moses Lake, St. Onge said only three current swimmers were on the Manta Ray program during the summer. He said the first meet starting today in Wenatchee will test the Chiefs in their depth and preparedness for a season that they can rightfully claim.

"We didn't have a lot step up during the summer and now we are going to have to see how they do during the season," St. Onge added.

St. Onge added that the summer is over and cannot effect the season ahead of Moses Lake. The Chiefs already have 13 swimmers and divers who made qualifying times and scores for districts last season, it is this year St. Onge would like to take a full team of 16 swimmers and four divers to districts, and hopefully, more than a relay team to the state tournament.

"What needs to happen for us to be a very competitive dual meet team is, we need swimmers to step up to a higher level than they were," St. Onge said. "We are a pretty good front line team with some stand outs, but you need about 20 varsity swimmers/divers to be competitive at meets."