The Mercer Island track and field team did not have its best season this year.
But at least five district-placing athletes will have a chance to take what has become a silver lining and turn it into gold — individual state championship gold. Islander senior Laura Vogel, sophomore Janelle Chow, sophomore Pheobe Merritt, sophomore Bryce Borer and junior Ethan Spiro all placed in the top five of their respective events to earn a trip to the state meet this weekend in Pasco, Wash.
The Mercer Island girls team finished the district meet tied for 10th overall with West Seattle. Chow and Vogel accounted for all of the Islanders’ 21 team points.
Vogel, a 2005 state champion in the 400 meters, will return to Pasco to compete in the long jump as the No. 2 seed from the Sea-King district. The senior set a personal record (PR) at districts, with a distance of 17 feet, 7 1/2 inches.
“Usually our district is the toughest in the state,” said Vogel, who has competed at state in the long jump during the past two seasons. “The PR was more exciting than the place. But in years past, I haven’t been able to jump very well at [the stadium where the state meet is held].”
Vogel also competed in the 400 meters but placed seventh.
“I could really tell I wasn’t in the best shape,” said Vogel, who has been hampered by an Achilles injury all season. “Not being able to train hurt my performance.”
Chow will also compete at state for Mercer Island in the triple jump. The sophomore’s best performance was a distance of 34 feet, 3 1/4 inches, placing her third overall at the district meet. This will be Chow’s first time to compete at state.
Merritt is headed to state in the 800-meter run despite placing sixth overall. Merritt’s time of 2:19 was good enough to give her a state qualifying time which automatically gives her a lane at state. The time is a personal best by two seconds.
“I was pretty excited when I broke 2:23, because that was my goal for this season,” said Merritt, who is confident she will compete at state. “I am just going to have fun.”
Boys team sends two
Spiro shocked the field on Friday by placing second overall in the triple jump. The distance of 43 feet, 7 3/4 inches, was a personal best for the junior by 10 inches. But this is not the first time Spiro has bested his own distance by such a large margin.
“It has kind of been happening all season,” said Spiro, who also placed sixth in the long jump. “This is my first year in the event and I hope I can PR again at state.”
If Spiro does set another personal record, he may be looking at gold.
Another Islander with a chance at gold is Borer, who placed fifth at the district meet by clearing 13 feet in the pole vault.
Mercer Island junior Trevor Powell placed sixth in districts in the javelin with a distance of 157 feet.
“I wasn’t throwing very well,” said Powell. “My KingCo [meet] distance would have gotten me to state.”
There are no alternate spots selected for the state meet but Powell, and Spiro in the long jump, could each be selected to compete at state if an injury spot were to open up.
