Chiefs start season with big win over Walla Walla

Moses Lake Chiefs diver Braxton Ford competes during his team's dual against Walla Walla yesterday. The Chiefs recorded a solid 112-67 win to start the campaign while Ford took first in the diving competition.

by Alan Dale<br> Herald Sports Writer
| December 14, 2010 5:00 AM

MOSES LAKE - A strong home performance was just what the Moses Lake Chiefs boys swim and dive team needed to kick off its season.

Last night, the Chiefs pulled away for a convincing 112-67 win over Walla Walla.

"This was a great performance out of the Chiefs to start the season," Moses Lake head coach Tony St. Onge said. "Now we have to really get with it in the training phase of the program and continue to improve."

Three swimmers and one diver captured wins for Moses Lake who outnumbered their visitors by a large number of athletes.

Evan McFarland captured two wins with victories in the 50-yard freestyle (24.13), and 100-yard breaststroke (1:09.28), as the junior record the only double-win for the individual swimming Chiefs.

Cory Bradshaw took two wins for the Chiefs in the 200-yard freestyle (2:01.16) while taking second in the 500-yard freestyle (5:27.70). It was the freshman Bradshaw's first meet with the Chiefs.

Another freshman, Kalen Connacher took first in the 200-meter individual medley (2:14.38) and was runner-up in the 100-yard backstroke (1:00.12).

Moses Lake diver Braxton Ford captured the diving competition with a score of 166.80.

The Moses Lake 200-yard medley relay team of Connacher, McFarland, Parker Merkley, and Damian Cacchiotti took first in the event with a time of 1:50.81.

Other second-place finishes came via Reid Jackson (200-yard freestyle, 2:07.18), Miles Hanson (diving, 139.70), Nick Reed (100-yard freestyle, 58.05), and Merkley (100-yard butterfly, 1:04.64).

The 200-yard medley relay team of Nicholas Phillips, Brandon Emerson, Cody Wilson, and Skyler Gallaway, took second place (2:00.46), as did the 200-yard freestyle relay team of Cacchiotti, Skyler Gallaway, Bradshaw, and McFarland (1:42.30).

The 400-yard freestyle relay team of Bradshaw, Merkley, Daniel Noteboom, and Connacher, also finished second (3:43.43).