Mercer Island track and field opened its season opposite Bellevue and Interlake at the Bellevue Jamboree Thursday, March 19 at Bellevue High School. The Islander girls edged the Wolverines 60.33-58.66 for the day’s top spot, while the Mercer Island boys finished third with a team score of 29. Bellevue won on the boys’ side with a team score of 86.

The Islander girls took care of business in the sprints and hurdle events, with Victoria Gersch taking the 100 meters (12.86), Kate Miller beating out teammate Erin Greer to win the 200 meters (29.00) and Piper Casey winning the 400 meters (1:02.09). Kendra Watson won the 100 meter hurdles (18.39) and also placed second in the high jump (4-04). Kayla Lee won two events for the girls, winning the 300 meter hurdles (50.36) and the long jump (14-0.5).

In the longer distance races, Cece Rosenman won the 1600 meters (5:36.97) and Alexa Bauman was second in the 800 meters (2:26.76). Mercer Island’s relay team competing in the 4×200 took second at 1:48.35.

In the field, Katherine Hendrikson won the discus event, throwing for 81-10. Hendrikson also placed third in shot put (25-05) and fourth in javelin (88-05).

Boys top two events in field

The Mercer Island boys had winners in the high jump and triple jump events. Greyson Weltyk tied for first with Bellevue’s Jack Anderson and Sam Smith in the high jump, leaping 5-08. Steven Duchaine took the triple jump, registering 37-01. In the long jump, Jaelin Tate was third at 18-06.

Kyle Hsu finished second in discus, throwing for 98-04, while Dylan Majewski was runner-up in both shot put (36-07) and javelin (121-06).

In the sprints, Luke Bohlinger was a half-second behind Bellevue’s Jack Richmond to finish second in the 200 meters (23.79), while Nathan Gallatin finished one second behind Bellevue’s Isaiah Gilchrist for a second-place finish in the 400 meters (51.8). David Emanuels was Mercer Island’s top finisher in the 100 meters at 12.28, placing eighth.

Andrew Arvish took second in the 800 meters (2:17.57), and Ian Platou placed fourth in the 1600 meters (4:47.29). Willem Debray was fourth in the 300 meter hurdles (56.59) and Mercer Island’s 4×400 relay team took third at 3:59.34.

Next, the Islanders will head back to Bellevue High School for a meet with the Wolverines and Lake Washington at 4 p.m. Thursday, March 26.