Manta Rays swimmers California bound

MOSES LAKE -Zackary Johnston, Brenden Eslick, and Amber Garrett are participating in the 2011 Western Zone Swimming Championships which began yesterday in Clovis, Calif.

The meet will take place through Sunday.

This particular trio represent the Moses Lake Manta Rays swim team which has enjoyed a very successful summer.

The swimmers joined elite competitors from Washington, Idaho and Oregon for a practice on Sunday in Spokane before boarding their flight bound for California the next morning.

 Only 44 swimmers from the 16  Inland Empire Swimming League teams, a division of USA swimming, were able to make the time standards necessary to compete. 

Moses Lake has not sent more than one swimmer to these championships in the past, but  this year- four swimmers qualified. Moses Lake High School's Courtney Schwiesow qualified, but will not be able to attend.

 Manta Rays head coach Jerry Johnston, for the last year, has been preparing his swimmers for these national level competitions. 

The swimmers train approximately four hours in the water every day, and 30-60 minutes of dry land training each day.

At the Inland Empire championships last week, all three California-bound swimmers swam the best times of their careers, and placed in the top seven against over 450 swimmers.

For most of the long course season, which is swimming outdoors in meter pools, these swimmers have been ranked among the top of the standings.  

Garrett and Schwiesow will be leaders on the upcoming  Moses Lake girls high school swim team while Johnston and Eslick will be freshmen, joining the Moses Lake boys high school team in the winter. 

For more information on the Manta Rays program or to follow their performances while in California, please visit mlmr.org.