ELLENSBURG - Moses Lake High School boys swim and dive team continued its dominance in the pool this season as the Chiefs were crowned 4A District 5/6/7 Champion Saturday.

Moses Lake tallied 450 points, Richland was second with 432, Walla Walla (383) placed third, Wenatchee (323), fourth, Davis (175) fifth, Eisenhower (98), sixth, and Eastmont finished seventh with 27 points.

"This was was one of the greatest team performances the Chiefs have had at a district championship in the history of the program, which began in 1979," coach Tony St. Onge said. "We had great competitive team spirit from the beginning of preliminaries all the way through the final splash in finals. This spirit carried everyone to a higher level of competiveness."

Moses Lake indeed not only owned the majority of team events as the Chiefs won two of the three the relays, but broke some district times as well.

Setting a new district standard on the way to a first place finish in the 200 freestyle relay with a time of  1:31.25  was the team of Kaelan Connacher, Ben Breakey, Zack Johnston, and Brenden Eslick. The record was previously set by Moses Lake in 1996. Connacher, Breakey, Johnston and Eslick also broke the district record in the 400 freestyle relay finishing at 3:18.82.

The Chiefs Tristiane Randall, Nick Osborne, Troy Boorman and Madison Molitor placed fourth in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:48.66.

In the individual events it was Eslick placing first and setting a team record in the 200 freestyle finishing at 1:44.47. Johnston placed third at 1:48.93, Molitor (1:56.53), sixth, and Dallin Fairbanks (1:58.61), eighth. Eslick also set a team record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.48, breaking the mark set by Sebastian Weber in 2009. 

Connacher finished second in the 200 individual medley touching at 2:03.96. Breakey took first in the 50 freestyle with a time of 52.48, Boorman was fifth at 23.93, Randall (24.14), sixth, and Reid Jackson place seventh with at time of 24.90. Breakey (56.14) also placed fourth in the 100 butterfly. Nick Osborne finished sixth at 1:00.53.

In the 100 freestyle it was Molitor placing sixth at 52.64, and Jackson (54.92) seventh. Johnston finished second in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:53.14. Fairbanks placed seventh at 5:29.61. Connacher (55.85) came in third in the 100 backstroke. Randall was eighth touching at 1:05.55

Nick Osborne had a strong showing in the 100 breaststroke finishing fourth with a time of 1:07.14. Jacob Price (1:10.58) placed sixth in the event.

And in the 1-meter dive competition it was Tysen Thorneberry placing 10th with 223.30 points, Josh Snook (199.95) took 12th, and      Garrett Widmer (187.05), 13th. 

The Chiefs have qualified swimmers for nine events at the state competition that will be held Feb. 15 and 16 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.

Making the trip to the big stage are the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay team members Kaelan Connacher, Nick Osborne, Brenden Eslick and Zack Johnston.

The team of Ben Breakey, Connacher, Johnston and Eslick will be competing in the 400 freestyle relay event.

In the individual competition the Chiefs will be represented by Eslick who will swim in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly.

Connacher will perform in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke, Johnston in the 200 and 500 freestyle, and Breakey in the 50 freestyle.