Moses Lake boys swimmers set 2 district records, win 7 championship races at 4A District 6 meet 

MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake coach Tony St. Onge went wheeling by nine events into Saturday’s NCWAA 4A District 6 Boys Swim and Dive Championships in Moses Lake.

“Well, that’s it. We don’t have the depth to hang with them from here on out,” he said.

Sure enough, the Wenatchee went one-two-three in the 100-yard breaststroke and closed out with a championship swim in the 400 freestyle relay to win the District 6 team title with 554 points at the Tony St. Onge Pool of Dreams.

But what a day it was for the Moses Lake Chiefs. They set two new district records and qualified a third relay for the 4A state meet. The had five individual district championship swims, qualified four more guys to the 4A state meet. If that isn’t enough, diver Isaiah Zeller set the new Moses Lake 11-dive record (394 points), erasing Braxton Ford’s 2011 record (389.5) to finish fourth on the one-meter board.

“We did as much as we could have hoped for,” St. Onge said. “They were all quality swims. Our 200-yard freestyle relay time is the best in the state right now. Wenatchee’s time was the third fastest. Competition brings out the best and we responded today.”

It was game-on from the gate. The Chiefs medley relay was just trying to get to the state meet, but they turned loose the dogs to set a new district record in the very first event of the day. St. Onge changed up the lineup and went with the top guns. Kyle Jorgensen, Noah Heaps, Eric Kemper and Ryan Madrishin responded with a time of 1 minute, 42.47 seconds to erase a 14-year record time of 1:43.68 set in 2003.

“It was pretty intense with everybody swimming next to us. I swam the anchor (freestyle) and I was ready to go,” said Madrishin. “I went off in a crowd, but I had a good swim.”

The Chiefs 200-yard freestyle relay had the fastest time in the state for much of the year, but saw Camas take over the top spot last week with a 1:29 and change. They’re back on top with the fast time going into the 4A state meet, riding on a new District 6 fast time of 1:29.02. Molitor, Heaps, Madrishin, Jorgensen erased the old record of 1:29.51 set in 2015. (See the race on CBH Facebook).

St. Onge rearranged his 400 freestyle relay lineup as well. They finished behind a strong Wenatchee team, but Eric Kemper, Garrett Lake, Dylan Bond and Molitor clocked 3:24.48 to slip in under the state qualifying mark (3:24.50).

Jorgensen had championship swims in both the 50 freestyle (22.09) and the 100 freestyle (48.53). Freshman Eric Kemper will be making his first trip to the 4A state meet, winning a district championship in the 100 butterfly in 53.89. Noah Heaps won both the 200 individual medley (2:02.27) and the 500 freestyle (5:04.12).

“My goal was to get qualified. The key today was the turn. You have to get in and get out as fast as you can,” Kemper said. “I swim year round, so I feel like I’m ready. Today was a good swim, but there’s always more to accomplish.”

Zeller broke Ford’s six-dive record last week in the final Columbia Basin Big Nine meet. Now, he owns both the six and the 11-dive records.

“Breaking those records were my only goals this year,” Zeller said. “With 11 dives it’s all about staying focused and being comfortable on my approach and I did that today.”

Madrishin finished second in the 50 freestyle (22.39), qualifying for state in the process. Molitor was second in the 100 freestyle (49.29) and also came under the standard.

Team scores: 1. Wenatchee, 554. 2. Moses Lake 521. 3. West Valley 265. 4. Eastmont, 196. 5. AC Davis 179. 6. Eisenhower, 159.

Moses Lake District 6 placers 200 medley relay - 1 Moses Lake High School (Kyle Jorgensen, Noah Heaps, Eric Kemper, Ryan Madrishin), 1:42.47 (new district record, replacing 1:43.68, 2003) 200-yard freestyle - 2. Ander Molitor, 1:48.26; 6. Garrett Lake, 1:57.24 200 individual medley - 1. Noah Heaps, 2:02.27; 3. Eric Kemper, 2:04.55; 6. Jordan Pack, 2:15.76 50 freestyle - 1. Kyle Jorgensen, 22.09; 2. Ryan Madrishin, 22.39 Diving - 4. Isaiah Zeller, 394 100 butterfly - 1. Eric Kemper, 53.89; 8. Tanner Patten, 1:08.26 100 freestyle - 1. Kyle Jorgensen, 48.53; 2. Ander Molitor, 49.29; 6. Ryan Madrishin, 51.45; 7. Dylan Bond, 52.93 500 freestyle - 1. Noah Heaps, 5:04.12; 4. Garrett Lake, 5:15.66; 6. Nathan Aronsohn, 5:54.53; 7. Tanner Patten, 6:02.89 200 freestyle relay - 1. Moses Lake (Ander, Molitor, Noah Heaps, Ryan Madrishin, Kyle Jorgensen), 1:29.02 (new district record, replacing 1:29.51, 2015) 100 backstroke - 5. Brett Jorgensen, 1:02.20; 7. Adam Owensby, 1:06.58 100 breaststroke - 5. Jordan Pack, 1:07.67 400 freestyle relay - 2. Moses Lake (Eric Kemper, Garrett Lake, Dylan Bond, Ander Molitor), 3:24.48