MOSES LAKE - The road to the state swimming and diving championships starts now. You have to swim well here in order to get there and the best swimmers and divers jockeyed for position in the preliminaries of the NCWAA 4A District 6 boys swimming and diving championships at Tony St. Onge Pool of Dreams on Thursday.

Only the district champion or those who have already met the 4A state qualifying standard are guaranteed a spot in the state championships.

Moses Lake turned in some quality swims on Thursday, qualifying 21 for the finals on Saturday. Senior Kyle Jorgensen had the fastest qualifying time (22.13 seconds) in both the 50-yard freestyle and the 100 freestyle (49.42). The Chief sprinter went stroke for stroke to the wall with Wenatchee’s Braden Dilly, who also clocked 49.42, in the most competitive race of the day. They’ll do it all again in the finals.

The Chiefs 200-yard freestyle relay has the fastest time in the state right now and had the best time of the day in the qualifying round. Ander Molitor, Noah Heaps, Ryan Madrishin and Jorgensen coasted to a time of 1:34.08.

“With prelims, you just have to be as quick as you can (to get to the finals). You don’t want to get disqualified,” said Jorgensen, who has already met the state qualifying standard in the 50 and the 100 freestyles. “Finals is where you want to go for it. I think we’re swimming really good as a team. We have six or eight strong swimmers that swim year round. We have another six or eight that don’t swim year round, but they’re also strong. So we have some depth.”

The 100 freestyle proved to be the most competitive of the day. Jorgensen and Dilly went to the wall in 49.42 and Molitor was a fraction off in third with 49.59, so Saturday’s final promises to be one for the highlight reel.

The Chiefs qualified three in the 200 individual medley. Heaps (2:08.23) finished second. Eric Kemper (2:11.55) was third and sophomore Jordan Pack (2:17.30) positioned himself nicely in sixth.

The Chiefs also have three in the 200 freestyle with Molitor (1:50.76), Dylan Bond (1:54.86) and Garrett Lake (1:57.06).

“We got the job done and we’re set up pretty good for finals with 21 individuals,” Moses Lake coach Tony St. Onge said.

Saturday’s championships will begin at 11 a.m. at Tony St. Onge Pool of Dreams.

Moses Lake finals qualifiers

200 medley relay - 2, Moses Lake (Dylan Bond, Jordan Pack, Garrett Lake, Ryan Madrishin) 1:48.38

200 individual medley - 2, Noah Heaps, 2:08.23. 3, Eric Kemper, 2:11.55. 6, Jordan Pack, 2:17.30

50-yard freestyle - 1, Kyle Jorgensen, 22.13. 2, Ryan Madrishin, 22.68

100 freestyle - Kyle Jorgensen, 49.42. 3. Ander Molitor, 49.59

200 freestyle - 2, Ander Molitor, 1:50.76. 5, Dylan Bond 1:54.86. 6, Garrett Lake, 1:57.06

500 freestyle - 2, Noah Heaps, 5:13.59. 3, Garrett Lake, 5:15.33

100 butterfly - 2, Eric Kemper, 54.62. 8, Tanner Patten, 1:08.56

200-yard freestyle relay - Moses Lake (Ander Molitor, Noah Heaps, Ryan Madrishin, Kyle Jorgensen) 1:34.08