As close as it gets
Moses Lake and Southridge tie in Big Nine meeting
The road has gotten a little tougher for the Moses Lake swim team.
Southridge won 10-of-12 events against Moses Lake Tuesday and the Chiefs came out with a 93-93 tie with their Big Nine opponent. Moses Lake's ability to open the match with a win in the 200-medley relay and a first-place finish from Kelly Sandberg in the 100-yard breast stroke prevented the Suns from claiming the victory.
It was nine second-place finishes and eight third-place finishes that allowed the Chiefs to open a lead Southridge later closed.
"I told them ahead of time it was going to be like this," said Moses Lake head coach Tony St. Onge.
Moses Lake started the league season with a 16-point win over Wenatchee, fell by seven points to Walla Walla and tied Southridge in a season that has already proved to be full of contenders.
St. Onge said for the Chiefs to come out on top, Moses Lake is going to have to start putting swimming state qualifying times. He added that the next two weeks will determine how Moses Lake will react the rest of the season.
"The key to us having a great year is getting the girls into shape," St. Onge said.
Moses Lake's Kyle Secrist swam a district qualifying time in the 100-backstroke (1:15.02), Ashley McKean qualified in the 100-butterfly (1:18.29) and Santana Stockman qualified in the 200-free (2:28.29) extending Moses Lake's total district qualifiers to 11.
Results from Tuesday's matchup with Southridge: 200-medley relay: Moses Lake (first) - Stephanie McFarland, Kelly Sandberg, Annalee Bassett and Marielle McKean; Moses Lake (third) - Jamie Almos, Corissa Howard, Ashley McKean, Kylie Secrist; 200-free: Angela Noteboom (second), Santana Stockman (fourth) and Laura Vandermeer (fifth); 200 I.M.: Stephanie McFarland (second), Annalee Bassett (third) and Ashley McKean (fourth); 50-free: Marielle McKean (second), McKenzie McKean (fourth) and Jamie Almos (fifth); Diving: Alexis Curtright (second), Megan Price (third) and Kallie Koefed (fifth); 100-butterfly: Annalee Bassett (second), McKenzie McKean (third) and Ashley McKean (fourth); 100-free: Kelly Sandberg (third), Marielle McKean (fourth) and Corissa Howard (fifth); 500-free: Angela Noteboom (second), Santana Stockman (fourth) and Laura Vandermeer (fifth); 200-free relay: Moses Lake (second) - Angela Noteboom, McKenzie McKean, Annalee Bassett, and Marielle McKeen; Moses Lake (third) - Corissa Howard, Ande Skaug, Kylie Secrist and Ashley McKean; 100-back: Stephanie McFarland (second), Jamie Almos (fourth) and Kylie Secrist (fifth); 100-breast: Kelly Sandberg (first), Claire Goodrich (third); 400-Free Style Relay: Moses Lake (second) - Kylie Secrist, Jamie Almos, Angela Noteboom and Kelly Sandberg; Moses Lake (third) - Santana Stockman, McKenzie McKean, Laura Vandermeer and Stephanie McFarland.