Swim Jamboree

EPHRATA - It was a sunny Saturday at the Splash Zone in Ephrata for the 2013 girls swim jamboree. The event was attended by 13 schools from the region including Moses Lake, Ephrata, Prosser, West Valley, Clarkston, Eisenhower, Davis, Cheney, Sunnyside, Wapato, Selah, Toppenish, and Grandview. While no team scores were kept at the event, great team efforts were on display both in preparation and in the pool. The event began with the 200 yard medley relay in which West Valley High School set the tone for the event behind the leadership of Caitlin Quaempts, leading her team to a first place finish and a time of 2:04.14. Cheney took second place with a time of 2:05.99 followed by Moses Lake in third place with a time of 2:12:30.

Quaempts was just getting started with the opening relay as she would go on to lead her team to another first place finish in the 200 yard freestyle relay and multiple first place finishes of her own including three state qualifying times in the 100 yard butterfly (1:02:56), the 100 yard freestyle (54:20), and the 100 yard backstroke (1:00:91). While racking up personal accomplishments, Quaempts displayed great sportsmanship and teamwork both in relay events and cheering on her fellow swimmers during their events.

Moses Lake showed up to the jamboree with a great team effort behind the leadership of outspoken coach Tony St. Onge. The Chiefs dove into the first event of the season head first and their determination paid off during competition. The Chiefs placed in both relays, coming third place in the 200 yard medley relay and the 200 yard freestyle relay. The team of Megan Washburn, Morgan Calder, Jordan Richeson, and and Jalen Garza posted a time of 2:12:30 in the 200 medley to begin the day and the team of Jalen Garza, Alyssa Knutson, Jordan Richeson, and Megan Washburn finished the 200 freestyle in just 1:59:28. In individual competition the Chiefs dominated the 10 yard IM event with Washburn finishing in first place with a time of 1:11:61, followed by Jordan Richeson who finished the event in 1:12:64. Saturday was a total team effort for the Chiefs as they prepare for the season ahead.

The home team Ephrata Tigers also took home some hardware from the girls swim jamboree as Kelsi Flynn had a great individual performance, taking first place in three events. Her first victory came in the fifth event of the day, the 50 yard freestyle, finishing with a time of 34:23. She then went on to take first place in the 50 yard backstroke, finishing in 38:78 and closing her day with a win in the 50 yard breaststroke with a time of 39:21. The Tigers also finished seventh in the 200 yard medley and eighth in the 200 yard freestyle. Ephrata also got top 10 finishes from Hannah Robinson, who placed seventh in both the 50 yard backstroke, 50 yard freestyle and 50 yard breaststroke and Catherine Selleck who finished eighth in both the 100 yard backstroke and 100 yard IM.

While no team awards were handed out at this years Jamboree all thirteen teams involved seemed to leave the event with more confidence and commitment as they now prepare for the regular season.