The Mercer Island girls golf team finished in third place at the 3A state tournament on Wednesday afternoon in Spokane.

The Islanders had 82.5 team points, behind Hanford with 121.5 points and Mount Spokane in second with 95.

“We lost to the best teams, they were very experienced and very deep,” said head coach Don Papasedero. “Hanford is exceptionally talented.”

Individually, Mercer Island’s Chelsea Saelee was fourth overall, with a two day score of 148. She shot a 78 on day on and 70 on day two.

Teammate Haley Chinn tied with Decatur’s Celia Beyke for 11th place with a 155. Chinn started with an 80 after day one and hit 75 on the second day.

Jacqueline Bendrick also tied, for 29th, with Hannah Davenport from Bellevue with a two day total of 170. Bendrick shot an 85 both days of the tournament.

Jolie Shen finished 37th with a 177 total score, after a 90 on day one and 87 on day two.

Mount Spokane’s Savana Bezdicek won the individual state title after a playoff, with a two day score of 146.

All of the Islanders advanced to the second day, and improved their scores. Conditions were tough during the match, often wet and rather windy, but Papasadero said, everyone faced the same thing.

“They all made a big jump in the second round,” said the coach. “They made a big jump on Hanford, and made up a lot of ground. That says not as much as Hanford, but more about the girls playing their game.”

The Islander girls were the only KingCo team to place as a team.

In the boys tournament, Islander James Gendreau finished tied for 40th with Alec White from Hanford. Gendreau’s two day total was 164, shooting 81 on day one and 83 on day two.

Mercer Island resident, and O’Dea student, Michael Schaloum finished the tournament tied for 28th with Irish teammate Michael McClean with a two day score of 159.

Juanita’s Frank Garber won the boys 3A title with a 135.

The Mercer Island girls team finished the season winning a fifth straight KingCo title, and have gone five years without a dual match loss, 53 straight matches.

“We play everybody and definitely challenge the girls,” said Papasedero. This year’s girls team included four seniors, but Papasedero sees good things ahead.

“The future is very, very bright,” he said. “There is an uber-talented sophomore class coming up.” Papasadero said he also continues to be thankful to alumni who have reached out, hoping to thank them for the work they’ve done in making the program what it is.