ELLENSBURG - It wasn't the desired finish, but several swimmers turned in solid performances as the Chiefs placed fourth at the 4 A Columbia Basin Big Nine District Tournament at Central Washington University held Friday and Saturday.

Walla Walla claimed the district title with 428 points. Richland was hot on the Blue Devils tails with 425 points. 

Wenatchee edged out Moses Lake (379) for third place with 397 points. Eisenhower took fifth with 147 points and Davis brought up the rear in seventh place with 146 points.

"We knew it was going to be dog fight between the top four spots,"  coach Tony St. Onge said. "I  would've like to finish higher than we did. But overall, across the board, the guys turned in their best times and as a coach, that's all you can ask for."

Nick Connor  (1:45.97) from Richland out touched the Chiefs Brenden Eslick (1:46.90) to take first in the 200 freestyle event to start the day of competition. Eslick also finished second in the 100 butterfly with a time of 54.39.  He qualified for state in both events and was named  the 4A Swimmer of the Meet.

Andrew Blanchard (53.79) won the race for Richland. Zack Johnston swam well in the 200 individual medley, finishing third with a time of 2:06.58. Johnston (5:04.46) took third in the 500 freestyle as well.

'"The award Brenden received is based on the national power point scale," St. Onge said. "Each individual event a swimmer competes in is rated based on the national high school record and then given  a score and Brenden's combined score ranked him higher than all other swimmers in the 4-A meet.

Zack's finish in both of his events make him a possibility for state."

Kaelan Connacher finished second in the 100 backstroke event for the Chiefs with a time of 57.04. He also took fourth (51.21) in the 100 freestyle. He qualified for state in the 100 backstroke and is a wild card possibility St. Onge said for state in the 100 freestyle.

The Moses Lake 200 freestyle team of Eslick, Johnston, Connacher and Ben Breaky finished second (1:34.89) to Wenatchee and qualified for state in the event. Eslick, Johnston, Connacher and Reid Jackson took second in the 400  freestyle relay and qualified for state in the event too.

The Chiefs Jacob Price placed finished fifth in the 1 meter diving event and is a possible wild card for the state meet based on points. He also finished fifth in the 100 breastroke.

The state meet will take place at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way Feb. 17 and 18. The competition gets underway at 2:30 p.m. Friday and 2:15 on Saturday.