Numerous Mavs set best times at state

FEDERAL WAY — Moses Lake sent 10 swimmers to last weekend’s 4A State Swimming and Diving Championships in Federal Way, with many of them improving on their season and career bests.

“It was tons of fun,” Moses Lake Head Coach Jason Hart said. “We went several season-best and lifetime-best times, the guys had a pretty awesome attitude.”

The Maverick squad swimmers qualify for four finals events; the 200-yard medley relay, the 100-yard butterfly and the adaptive 50-yard freestyle and backstroke events.

Moses Lake’s 200-yard medley team of junior Dylan Moore, sophomore Josiah Wallace, junior Luke Molitor and senior Carter Beus took 15th in the finals. The team shed nearly three seconds off of their seeding time from districts.

“I think they just got in and they relaxed,” Hart said. “They swam the way they know how to swim; all four of them went faster. There’s pressure at districts to win, but here, it was like ‘We’re going to go out and do our best.’ I think that really helped the four of them.”

Molitor placed 16th in the 100-yard butterfly, swimming a time of 54.47 seconds.

“He had a pretty good time in prelims, and in finals it was tough — he wasn’t feeling his best in the finals,” Hart said. 

Senior Danny Thurman won both of the adaptive events, swimming a time of 28.44 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle adaptive and a time of 36.92 seconds in the 50-yard backstroke adaptive.

“(Thurman) is a young man full of a whole lot of energy, and that energy is contagious to the rest of the guys on the team and in the meet,” Hart said. 

Hart noted senior Damien Paluch and sophomore Sam Molitor as strong performers at the state meet last weekend. The two swimmers set lifetime-best times in Federal Way – Paluch in the 500-yard freestyle and Molitor in the 200-yard freestyle. 

“His 200-free was a season-best, dang near a lifetime-best, and his 500-free was a lifetime best,” Hart said of Paluch. “He had an outstanding meet.”

Despite the swim being disqualified, Hart also noted Sam Molitor’s start to the 400-yard freestyle relay; the sophomore’s time on the first leg was 50.56 seconds.

“His swim on that 400-free relay was awesome,” Hart said.

Junior Dylan Moore took nearly three-and-a-half seconds off of his districts time in the 200-yard individual medley preliminary.

Moses Lake finished 27th overall at the meet and will return the bulk of its state swimmers next season. 

“We have some seriously talented and hard-working people that are coming up behind (the seniors),” Hart said. “We’re going to be better next year, there’s no question, and we’re super excited about it. We won districts by over 100 points because we are so deep.”

That excitement has already started to spread into preparations for next season, Hart said.

“A lot of them are talking about going and hitting the weight room in the off-season, and really being focused on that,” Hart said. “It’s really motivational listening to these guys.”

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

    Moses Lake junior Dylan Moore, left, gets set on the starting platform ahead of the 200-yard individual medley at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.