MOSES LAKE – The Manta Rays Aquatics team hosted the Sizzlin Summer Swim Meet at the Moses Lake Surf n’ Slide Water Park over the weekend. The event began Friday evening and lasted until Sunday afternoon. 

“It went great for us,” said Manta Rays coach Bonnie Washburn. “We had a large turnout, and the swimmers did very well.” 

Over 500 athletes and families from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada traveled into town for the event and made it one of the largest swim meets ever hosted by the Manta Rays. Despite the size of the tournament, Washburn said this was something the athletes are used to. 

“This is nothing new to them. We go to meets all the time out of town that are big, so they were probably completely unfazed by that,” she said.  

Coming into the meet, each individual swimmer had set their own goals to go their best times in the tournament. Washburn said that she felt like the team members each achieved the goals they had set for themselves. 

The coach said the Manta Rays had some notable top-eight finishes throughout the event as well. 

David Gough earned sixth in the 400 Individual Medley (I.M.) event. 

Noah Gough earned eighth in the 200 I.M., sixth in the 100 Breaststroke and sixth in the 50 Breaststroke.  

Elias Jackson swam in the 100 Breaststroke, where he earned sixth. 

Lennox Leeder placed top eight in a variety of events, earning fifth in the 200 I.M., 100 freestyle, and 200 freestyle and earned sixth in the 400 freestyles, 200 backstroke and 50 freestyles. 

Earning the most top-eight finishes was Cameron Lopez. He earned third in the 200 I.M., fourth in 50 freestyle, fifth in 50 breaststroke and 100 freestyle, sixth in 200 freestyle, 50 backstroke and 100 butterfly and eighth in 50 butterfly. 

Dylan Moore took home both a gold and silver over the weekend, earning first in the 200 backstroke and second in the 100 backstroke. 

“That’s one of his best events,” said Washburn. “It was a good race for him.” 

Ezra Nehila placed fourth in the 50 backstroke.  

Sydney Stevens finished the weekend earning third in both the 400 freestyle and 100 breaststroke events, fifth in the 200 breaststroke, sixth in 200 freestyle and eighth in 200 individual medley. 

Following their successes at the Sizzlin Summer Swim Meet, the team is now preparing for the end-of-season IES LC Championships meet in two weeks, said Washburn. This meet will be from July 25-27 at Memorial Pool in Pasco.  

“Manta Ray Aquatics would like to thank the City of Moses Lake and the Surf n’Slide water park for their continued support of the team over the years,” she said. 

    A group of swimmers from around the Pacific Northwest compete in one of the events during the Sizzlin Summer Swim Meet. The event was hosted by the Manta Rays at Surf n’ Slide Water Park and featured teams from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Canada.
  

    Swimmers practice their backstroke prior to event 10 at the Sizzlin Summer Swim Meet. Each Manta Ray swimmer set an individual goal for themselves, and coach Bonnie Washburn said they achieved their goals.