Continuing to make a splash

Polito heads off to senior sectionals to compete against the Northwest's best

MOSES LAKE — Mario Polito is at it again.

After representing the Moses Lake High School at the 4A state swim meet over two weeks ago, Polito now represents the Moses Lake Manta Rays at the senior sectionals at King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way today.

A place, head coach Tony Preston said, where Polito will face some of the fastest swimmers in the Northwest. To make it better, his time in the sport is premature than most his competition.

"He has been swimming all two and a half years now, and to make these times is awesome," Preston said.

Since his freshman year in high school, Polito found his niche at a sport he could do. He said he tried others, but swimming quenched his thirst, plus he wasn't that good at the others.

But now, Polito has put himself in position to swim against Olympians and other top swimmers getting ready for Spring Nationals. Of course, those might be out of Polito's league, but his quest is a little different.

"It is pretty exciting, but kind of tough," Polito said about the competition level. "I don't have to worry about them too much.

"I want to race against those from around here."

Tweaking the competitive nature of the competition to fit his level of swimming has left Polito hungry to continue what he did during the high school swimming season. Polito finished in the top 15 in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-free at the state meet and finished first in the 50-free at the district tournament.

Preston has been trying to keep Polito on top of his taper from the state meet and run it through the sectionals starting today. He said Polito's times didn't improve during the 'A' championships, but that was expected as Polito was training hard in preparation of this weekend.

But on his side, Preston said, has been his physical condition.

"He has been in good shape and solid and that is going to be a big factor," Preston added.