One of the best track and field athletes in the history of Mercer Island High School finished her career last weekend.

Mercer Island senior Laura Vogel showed four underclassmen the way to Pasco, Wash. the site of the state track and field meet as she competed at the highest high school level for the third consecutive year.

“She has had quite an amazing career,” said Mercer Island High School track and field head coach Chris Twombley. “She has high standards and she is tough on herself but she is an amazing athlete.”

But the trip to Eastern Washington was not just to pass the torch, as she placed seventh in the long jump with a distance of 16-feet, 6-inches. Vogel placed seventh last year and sixth as a sophomore in the event.

The senior also won the state title in the 400 meters as a sophomore and took third last season.

But Vogel was not the only Islander female to place at the meet as sophomore Phoebe Merritt placed eighth overall in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:29.

Islander sophomore Bryce Borer continued to surprise his coaches by finishing eighth in state in the pole vault with a height of 13-feet, 6-inches.

“He had three attempts at 13-9 and he nearly got it,” said Twombley. “But for him to make it to the podium is huge at this point.”

Islander sophomore Janelle Chow competed in the triple jump but did not qualify for the finals. Mercer Island’s Ethan Spiro also competed but did not qualify for the finals in the long jump.

But the showing by his underclassmen makes Twombley excited for the 2008 season. “On the girls side we are young and we will definitely miss [Vogel],” said Twombley. “It feels good because they now know what it takes to get to state.”