Merritt wins 1,600 crown
The Mercer Island High School track team wrapped up the 2009 3A state tournament with a repeat state champion, Bryce Borer, and a title for Phoebe Merritt in the 1,600-meter race.
“It was fantastic to have two state champions,” said track head coach Lezley Smith. “Just to get to state is quiet an accomplishment.”
Borer, a senior at MIHS, won the 3A boys pole vault state title on the first day of the state track competition. His final attempt cleared 15 feet 3 inches for the win, his second in as many years. Borer’s teammate Edward Page, also a senior, finished 11th overall in the boys pole vault competition.
“For Bryce, it was really cool for him to be able to come back to defend his state title,” said Smith.
Borer said there was never a point where he was nervous going into the state meet, but the goal was to win it, and he did, jumping the same height as the winning leap last year.
Senior Phoebe Merritt won the 1,600-meter race to earn the state title with a time of 5:08.82.
“It’s been amazing to see her develop into the smart runner she is,” said Smith.
“It was great,” said Merritt of winning. “Everyone did so well, I was really proud.”
Freshman Lindsay Benster made her Islander state track debut garnering the team five points with a fourth-place finish in the 3,200-meter race. She finished with a time of 11:14.91, 14 seconds behind the leader. Benster also brought home a ninth-place finish in the 1,600-meter race behind teammate Merritt. Senior Monica Lee posted a 14th-place finish in the discus with a throw of 92 feet 5 inches.
The boys 4×400 meter relay team, consisting of Evan Dawson, Evan Sadler, Quinn Chasan and Borer, were sixth in their heat, just two spots shy of qualifying for the finals with a 3:29.17 finish.
Senior Janelle Chow wrapped up her high school athletic career with an 11th place finish in the triple jump. She posted a 34-02.25 leap in the finals.
In the running events, Evan Dawson finished eighth in the preliminaries during the 200-meter dash, while teammates Quinn Chasan and Evan Sadler each finished sixth in the preliminary heats for the 800-meter race. The boys 4×100 team also finished eighth in their heat.
Overall, the girls team finished in 15th place with 15 points, while the boys team was 23rd with 10 points.
“It’s been another really good season,” said Smith, after the competition. She said both teams showed a great amount of hard work and pride throughout the season.
