Expectations change for state swim

Moses Lake tries to improve on district performance

MOSES LAKE — The pool at Moses Lake High School is not empty just yet.

The number of Chiefs in the pool is much less but there are still enough to fill the lanes.

Moses Lake still has seven swimmers in the water after school — Nick Kardong, Brad Reeder, Marshall Goodrich, Federico Bettini, Jeremy Grant, Chad Borg and Eric Butterfield.

"We've upped the expectation level (since districts)," said Moses Lake head coach Tony St. Onge. "Everything — technique, relay starts, faster sprints — is just emphasized that much more."

The Chiefs' 400 freestyle relay swim at districts was a "break out" swim for the team and has helped Moses Lake's team realize their potential.

"We dropped seven seconds to win that race," said St. Onge. "That put us at about the sixth fastest swim in the state. That swim made everyone think, 'What could we do if we trained in the offseason?'"

With the effort exerted at the district meet, Moses Lake has paid the price getting the flu and recovering physically. Despite the recuperation needed, the team is preparing to do what they can to improve upon their district marks this weekend in Federal Way.

"We're not going in with high seeds," said St. Onge. "But we're all in the same boat. Everyone has to improve to score points."

Moses Lake's one swimmer who was able to earn a state berth long before districts is Borg, a diver, and his coach has high expectations for his competition as well.

"I'm expecting him to do very well," said Kris Hendrickson. "I'd like to see him finish in the top 10. A top 10 finish is very respectable."

The weekend will showcase not only the 400 freestyle relay team of Bettini, Goodrich, Butterfield and Grant. The same team also qualified for the 200 freestyle relay.

Individually, Reeder will swim the 200 individual medley and the 100 breastroke; Grant will swim the 50 freestyle; and Goodrich will swim the 200 individual medley. Nick Kardong is an alternate for the relays.

The state meet is held in Federal Way Friday and Saturday.

Going into the meet Reeder is ranked 24th in the 200 individual medley and 17th in the 100 breastroke; Goodrich is ranked 21st in the 200 individual medley; Grant is ranked 21st in the 50 freestyle; Bettini is ranked 22nd in the 200 frestyle; the 200 freestyle relay team is ranked 18th and the 400 freestyle relay team is ranked tenth.