Mavs hit top-10 at state three years running

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake girls swim and dive team clinched a top-10 finish at the 4A State Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way for the third-straight season last weekend, finishing sixth in the state with 128 points.

Moses Lake placed fourth last season and seventh in 2021.

“They’re pretty excited about it,” Hart said. “The fact that we went over there with only seven athletes and all four of the girls that placed placed pretty good in their events, and scored points; It was cool having a state champion, I’m not gonna lie.”

Senior Issabelle Parrish continued her strong season at the state meet, bringing home a state championship in the 100-yard freestyle and placing second in the 200-yard freestyle, breaking her own school record in the latter. 

“It’s about something that’s been coming to her for a long time,” Hart said. “I’m so proud of her, so happy for her. It’s cool to see.”

Junior Kathryn DuVall took home a sixth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke and sophomore Bria Bodenman finished eighth in the 500-yard freestyle.

“Kathryn (DuVall), it’s the highest she’s ever been in the breaststroke, and getting sixth at state is seriously good,” Hart said. “Bria (Bodenman) probably had the best swim of the meet in the 500-free; she took off 13 seconds from her seed time and 10 seconds from her lifetime best.”

Moses Lake’s 400-yard freestyle relay team of DuVall, Bodenman, junior Julia Heaps and Parrish placed fifth with a time of 3:40.74 in the finals, a new program best. The 200-yard freestyle relay team, composed of the same swimmers, placed third.

With many swimmers competing in the back half of the meet, it led to quick and “challenging”  turnarounds from event to event for Moses Lake swimmers; Bodenman competed in the 500-yard freestyle, which was right before the 200-yard freestyle relay; DuVall’s sixth-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke was right before the 400-yard freestyle relay. In the prelims, Heaps competed in the 100-yard backstroke, two events before the 400-yard freestyle relay.

“To see that fight in all those races was fun, and I do think we’re going to grow from those experiences,” Hart said.

With three straight top-10 finishes at state, Hart said he hopes the team continues to grow before the 2024 season.

“I just want us to grow, and now just grow as swimmers but grow as people,” Hart said. “You do that, and I think every experience builds us. It’s about how we let it build us, and I think these girls are super smart and they will allow us to build them in a positive manner.”

There were seven new school records set during the 2023 season, five of which were done by Parrish (100-yard, 200-yard and 500-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard butterfly). DuVall set the record in the 100-yard backstroke, and the 400-yard freestyle relay team set a new best time at state last weekend.

Even with Parrish graduating this year — along with fellow seniors in the program Sydnee Campos, Kenadi Hempel, Lizeth Lopez-Casillas, Keera Michie, Hannah Seibel and Lily Shelton — Hart said the chase to pursue more records has already spread among the team. Bodenman, only a sophomore, is less than eight seconds off of Moses Lake’s record in the 500-yard freestyle.

“We’re losing Issabelle, that’s a thing, she was a big reason those records came down, but Kathryn getting the 100-back record says it’s contagious,” Hart said. “And they’re hungry for it, and they’re hungry to go out there and do more.”

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.

    Moses Lake junior Julia Heaps competes in the breaststroke during a Sept. 28 meet. Heaps was one of seven Mavs to travel to the state meet last week.
  

4A State Swim and Dive Championships Results

200-yard medley relay: Junior Alli Hines, sophomore Bria Bodenman, senior Keera Michie and junior Adelaide Jensen, 18th place.

200-yard freestyle: Senior Issabelle Parrish, second place.

200-yard individual medley: Hines, 20th place.

50-yard freestyle: Junior Kathryn DuVall, 15th place.

100-yard freestyle: Michie, 20th place.

100-yard freestyle: Parrish, first place; Julia Heaps, 12th place.

500-yard freestyle: Bodenman, eighth place.

200-yard freestyle relay: DuVall, Bodenman, Heaps and Parrish, third place.

100-yard backstroke: Heaps, 17th place.

100-yard breaststroke: DuVall, sixth place.

400-yard freestyle relay: DuVall, Bodenman, Heaps and Parrish, fifth place.