Moses Lake girls swim and dive second at meet

WENATCHEE - The Chiefs turned in a solid performance Saturday as 12 swimmers made district-qualifying standards at the Wenatchee Invite Saturday.

"This meet tested our teams depth and with our consistent performances, we were able to pull out a second place finish," coach Tony St. Onge said. "And that's a good way to start the season."

The 12 qualifiers are freshmen Joell Garrett (200 freestyle and 100 breaststroke), Megan Washburn (200 IM and 100 breaststroke) and Addison Fair (200 IM and 100 butterfly), sophomores Jordan Richeson (200 IM and 500 freestyle), Kelly Garrett (200 and 100 freestyles), Bailey Hammond (100 backstroke) and Jalen Garza (50 and 100 freestyle). One junior, Alyssa Knutson qualified in the 100 and 200 freestyle.

Senior qualifiers were Victoria Dalrymple (50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke), Mikenna Jones (100 breaststroke), Rosalie Ramsden (100 butterfly) and Amber Garrett (100 butterfly and 500 freestyle).

"We are satisfied our team is starting to pull together and developing an overall positive team attitude," St. Onge said. "They all push each other when needed and pick each other up as well."

Team captains this year are Amber Garrett, Hailey Griffith, Grace Hochstatter and Victoria Dalrymple.

"These four girls seem to complement each other's strengths and are working hard to keep the season headed in a positive direction," St. Onge said.

The Chiefs have a new diving coach this season, Allyson Vanmarren, and St. Onge said he thinks she will be a big addition to the team's development.

"She was really impressed with the performances of our group of freshmen divers (at the invite)," he said. "They have been working hard to learn their dives."

Moses Lake finished third in the CBBN last year and took third at district as well, but will not rest on their laurels this season St. Onge said.

"We are expecting to finish higher this year," he said. "Wenatchee appears to be the team to beat, but we should definitely be in the thick of things."

The Chiefs host Wenatchee in their league opener Thursday at 4 p.m.