Manta Rays shine at IE Long Course Championships
Courtesy photo Manta Rays swimmer Melody Lake competes in a butterfly race at the Inland Empire Swimming Long Course Championships in Pasco.
PASCO — A team of 23 Manta Rays attended the Inland Empire Swimming Long Course Championships in Pasco.
That is nearly six times the number of swimmers MRA took to this meet last year. Long course refers to the size of the competition pool being 50 meters long as opposed to the short course season where all events are swam in a pool less than half that length, at 25 yards long.
Overcoming the extreme heat over a long three-day meet, the team had many strong swims with a few swimmers making finals in their events. On the girls’ side, Aline Davis placed ninth in the 200 freestyle. Sofia Estudillo dropped nine seconds in her 50 freestyle.
Julia Heaps cut eight seconds from her individual medley, 13 seconds off her 400 free and 10 seconds from her 50 breaststroke. Alli Hines had a tremendous 25-second drop in her 50 butterfly. Kyla Tate cut nine seconds off her 200 individual medley, and Kendall Vance placed seventh in the 50 fly and took five seconds off her 100 breaststroke.
Payton Leeder had a nine-second cut in the 100 breaststroke. Melody Lake swam a perfect meet, cutting time in all of her events, and qualifying for finals in six events. Lake placed eighth in her 100 breaststroke after cutting 12 seconds, 10th in the 50 free, and fifth in the 50 breaststroke. She also dropped 11 seconds in her 50 backstroke and placed 13th in her 50 butterfly.
Lake, along with teammates Kathryn Duvall, Julia Heaps and Britni Reed were part of the girls’ 200 freestyle relay that took fifth place. In the boys’ competition, Marcus Quezada placed eighth in the 50 butterfly.
Cole Lindberg placed fifth in the 200 butterfly. Iver Miner dropped seven seconds in his 100 breaststroke, taking eighth place.
Dylan Moore placed 15th in the 50 butterfly. His brother, Nicholas Moore, dropped eight seconds in the 400 free finishing 12th, and took an in incredible 22 seconds off his 1500 freestyle, placing fifth.
For these swimmers, this concludes the long course season, and they will now prepare for the upcoming short course season that will begin in September.