Chiefs swim team beats Eastmont
Senior swimmers who helped lead the Chiefs to an undefeated league championship. Pictured from left to right are Josh Roberts, Ben Breakey, Jacob Price, Paolo Picele, Reid Jackson, Troy Boorman and Nick Osborne.
MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake boys swim and dive team capped off a perfect season with a convincing 143-32 home win over Eastmont Thursday. The victory preserved an undefeated (10-0) season and crowned the Chiefs Big Nine league champion.
"The highlight of the meet was Brenden Eslick setting a new school record (1:58.59) and state qualifying time in the 200 I.M.," coach Tony St. Onge said. "The previous record was set by Nick Jarman (1:59.11) in 1999. Nick was a standout All-American swimmer, and is a member of the Moses Lake Hall of Fame."
Also setting a state qualifying time at the meet was the 200 medley relay team of Kaelan Connacher, Nick Osborne, Ben Breakey and Eslick who finished at 1:44.37.
As evident by the wide margin of victory, the Chiefs dominated the Wildcats, placing first in 11-of-12 events.
Moses Lake swept the 200 medley relay, taking all three heats to start the competition. Dallin Fairbanks (2:04.09), Logan Osborne (2:09.96), and Calvin Wytko (2:17.39) finished 1,2,3 in the 200 freestyle. Eslick (1:58.59), Connacher (2:05.13), and Josh Roberts (2:39.98) followed suit in the 200 individual medley, and Tristane Randall finished first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.84. Madison Molitor (24.66) took third. The only event the Chiefs failed to finish in the top spot was the 1-meter dive. Moses Lake's best placing was third by Garrett Widmer with 115 points. Jacob Price was out due to an injury. His status for the district tournament is unknown at this time.
The Chiefs bounced back with a clean sweep in the next three events. Breakey (57.98) placed first in the 100 butterfly, Zach Johnston, (58.96), second and Nicholas Osborne came in third with a time of 1:01.99. In the 100 freestyle it was Connacher taking top honors at 51.23, Molitor (55.28) placing second, and Troy Boorman (57.28) finishing third. Fairbanks (5:34.72) took first in the 500 freestyle, Christopher Vidrine (6:10.43) was second, and Wytko (6:11.43,) third.
The 200 freestyle relay team of Molitor, Boorman, Nicholas Osborne and Breakey placed first in Heat A with a time of 1:39.89. Mateo Meija, Wytko, Fairbanks and Logan Osbone won Heat B at 1:49.87. Johnston (58.59) was top swimmer in the 100 backstroke. Randall (1:06.22) placed second, and Devon McCormack took third with a time of 1:26.57.
Eslick swam to a first place finish (1:04.01) in the 100 breaststroke. Nicholas Osborne (1:09.72) was second. And the final event of the meet saw the 400 freestyle relay team of Randall, Connacher, Breakey and Johnston take first in Heat A with a finish time of 3:38.18. In Heat B it was Meija, Vidrine, Fairbanks and Logan Osborne out-pacing the competition finishing at 1:09.72.
The Chiefs took part in an 11-Dive meet at Central Washington University Saturday. Josh Snook finished 10th, and Garrett Widmer, 11th.
Moses Lake is off this week as the team prepares for the district tournament to be held at CWU. The competition gets underway at 12:30 p.m.