Manta Rays keep on sizzling at Moses Lake invite

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Manta Rays showed up in full force last weekend, hosting their annual Sizzlin' Summer Invitational as part of the Inland Empire Swimming season.

Several Manta Rays turned in strong times at the large meet, which took place Friday through Sunday at the Moses Lake Aquatic Center.

The event included many teams from throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada. While 375 swimmers are a typical number for most years, meet director Ken Schuh said 529 competitors were entered this year.

Natalie Polito turned in some of the best finishes for any of the Manta Rays, dominating the 8-and-under girls events. Polito won the 'A' Division 50-meter freestyle in 40.46 seconds, about two seconds faster than teammate Nicole Eslick, in fifth place. Polito was also victorious in the 'B' Division's 50-meter butterfly (49.55) and in the 100-meter freestyle (1 minute, 31.81 seconds)

Polito finished up her impressive weekend by taking second in the 50-meter backstroke (55.83). She also anchored the 200-meter freestyle team, with Polito and teammates Nicole Eslick, Isabella Murrell and Anna Fair swimming to a top time of 3:33.35.

Other first-place efforts from the Manta Rays included Catherine Polito's 33.60-second mark in the 15-and-under girls 50-meter butterfly. Polito finished third overall in the 200-meter individual medley (2:45.79).

Other results are listed below by age brackets.

Girls 8-under

The Manta Rays racked up four top-10 times in the 50-meter breaststroke's B Division. Nicole Eslick was second overall in 1:01.48. Natalie Polito in third, Emma Fairbanks in fifth and Anna Fair in eighth were not far behind. In the A Division of the same event, Isabella Murrell finished eighth in 1:05.19.

In the 50-meter freestyle B Division, Fairbanks was third in 48.70. Murrell (fourth in 50.46) and Krista Hutsell (seventh in 56.10) also placed in the top 10.

With Polito leading the charge in the 50-meter backstroke, Fair and Hutsell also came on strong, finishing seventh and eighth respectively in the B Division. In the A Division, Eslick took fourth (53.23) and Murrell was ninth (1:05.01).

The 50 butterfly event saw Eslick finish seventh among A Division racers. Murrell was fifth and Fair seventh among B Division competitors.

Eslick took sixth in the A Division of the 100 freestyle. Murrell was sixth and Hutsell seventh in the B Division.

Girls 9-10

Jalen Garza was the Manta Rays' top placer in several events. Her best finish came in the 100-meter breaststroke, where she finished third in 1:57.55.

In the 200 freestyle Garza was sixth in 3:23.98. She also finished sixth in the 50 breaststroke (54.63) and 50 backstroke (48.03). Garza took seventh in the 50 freestyle (40.14).

In the 200 individual medley, Joelle Garrett finished ninth in 3:53.11. Garrett also swam well in the 100 breaststroke, finishing seventh (2:00.08).

Cat Linville swam a sixth-place time of 3:11.42 in the 100 butterfly.

The Manta Rays' 200 freestyle relay squad of Hailey Tolliver, Addison Fair, Garrett and Garza was eighth overall in 3:04.16. The 200 medley relay foursome of Garza, Garrett, Tolliver and Fair was seventh (3:32.00).

Girls 11-12

Amber Garrett blazed her way to second place in the 200 freestyle (2:43.94) and was seventh in the 100 butterfly (1:43.61). Teammate Kelly Garrett finished 10th in the 100 butterfly (1:53.91).

In the 200 breaststroke, Kimberly Ledbetter and Angelina Polito put up good showings, with Ledbetter taking third (3:47.85) and Polito hot on her heels for fourth (3:48.45).

Ledbetter also placed high in the 50-meter freestyle, taking fourth in 35.83. Teammate Grace Hochstatter was ninth (37.10).

Hochstatter led all Moses Lake swimmers in the 50 backstroke, swimming a second-place time of 43.23. Angelina Polito was third in the same race (43.82). Hochstatter placed seventh in the 100 freestyle (1:23.94), eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:36.71) and 10th in the 50 butterfly (44.76).

Polito finished up with an eighth-place mark in the 200-meter backstroke (3:37.35).

The 200 freestyle relay team of Garrett, Hochstatter, Ledbetter and Polito completed a run to ninth place, finishing in 2:34.74.

Girls 13-14

Elaura Grant had several top times for the Manta Rays, including a fourth-place time of 1:37.94 in the 100 butterfly. Grant finished the 200 individual medley in 3:12.74, good for fifth place. She was sixth in the 50 freestyle (34.02).

The 200 medley relay foursome of Cari Cortez, Megan Schuh, Hannah Grigg and Catherine Polito finished sixth (2:30.84). The 200 freestyle relay team, featuring Polito, Deryk Gaddis, Cortez and Schuh, took eighth in 2:16.66.

Girls 15-over

Megan Schuh was the first runner-up in the 400 individual medley (6:01.36). Schuh also made a good run in the 200 breaststroke, taking third in 3:12.88. Teammate Kim Kardong was ninth in that event (3:35.82).

Schuh finished her strong weekend by placing fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:19.41), fifth in the 200 backstroke (2:49.43), fifth in the 800 freestyle (10:51.76) and fourth in the 200 butterfly (3:06.16).

Hannah Grigg had a pair of top-10 marks, taking fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:19.90) and ninth in the 200 freestyle (2:38.63).

Cari Cortez and Stephanie McFarland went third and fourth, respectively, in the 50 breaststroke, with Cortez turning in the faster time of 41.12. Cortez took eighth in the 50 backstroke (40.91).

In the 400 freestyle, Catherine Polito and Hannah Grigg both took top-10 honors, with Polito fourth (5:02.68) and Grigg eighth (5:18.11).

Schuh and Grigg were sharp in the 1,500 freestyle, with Schuh third (20:38.47) and Grigg fourth (21:42.06).

Polito and Schuh led the Manta Rays in the 200 medley. Polito was third (2:45.79) and Schuh sixth (2:51.88). Polito had the team's top mark of 29.74 in the 50 freestyle, good for third place. She also finished third in the 100 freestyle (1:04.11) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:31.09).

Along with Polito's winning time in the 50 butterfly, McFarland (fifth in 35.04) and Cortez (eighth in 38.34) also placed among the top 10.