The Vashon track and field team competed in its first meet of the season last Thursday at Eatonville High School, placing fourth of four teams but putting forward some strong individual performances.

At the four-school meet, Vashon’s 32 track and field athletes went up against the host team, the Eatonville Cruisers, as well sa teams from Bellevue Christian and Life Christian.

Highlights from the first meet included a stellar performance from freshman Annika Hille, who placed second in the long jump with a leap of 14 feet, 4 inches, and then took first overall in the 100 meters as well as the 200 meters. She completed the 200-meter event in 27.71, the ninth fastest time in VHS girls track history.

Junior Maddi Groen took second in the 2-mile race, completing it in 13:30. She also placed third in the mile event, finishing in 5:57, just a second away from her personal record.

Also scoring team points for the Pirate girls was Mary Lawrence, a freshman who placed fifth in the shot put with a throw of 22 feet, 1 inch.

On the boys side, senior Landon Summers placed first in the 110-meter hurdles, completing them in 16.99, a personal best. Summers also placed third in the 100-meter dash in 12.12 seconds.

Senior Olin Nespor placed third in the 800 meeters in 2:21, and senior Elan Peterson also scored team points with a forth-place finish in the boys long jump, where he leapt 16 feet, 3 inches.

The team compete in a meet hosted by Juanita High School today in Kirkland.

The athletes will then travel to Orting for a meet on Saturday.

The Vashon team will is host a meet on Thursday, March 28. The meet will take place at Charles Wright Academy, as the track at VHS is not up to competition standards.

— Kevin Ross is a track and field coach at Vashon High School.