The Mount Si boys’ and girls’ track teams lost some talented athletes in Nick Verbon and Ashley Van Oeveren to graduation, but a young group of freshman sprinkled with some seasoned talent should prove to make for an interesting track season. Last year the team took fourth in league for the girls, and sixth for the boys.

This year’s team has 30 girls and 37 boys taking to the track. Leading the effort for the girls are two state competitors, juniors Piper Sherbon and Kristen Berndt. Sherbon fell a quarter inch short from being the state champion in the triple jump last season and Berndt placed ninth in state in the javelin. Both athletes have their sights set on a championship, but Sherbon has to deal with some early season healing before she can begin her quest.

“I have three stress fractures in my legs right now and I just got back from the doctor and he said I cannot do anything for three weeks,” said Sherbon. Her goal is to get healthy and make another bid for a state title.

“I could try and suffer through the season and do like I did last year, or I could take the three weeks off now, come back after spring break and be ready,” she added.

Sherbon will focus on the triple jump and the hurdles as her events this year. She also likes what she sees in the newer talent the freshman class brings.

“We have a lot of new freshman that are really fast in sprints,” she said.

Berndt also is excited about the season. She placed second in the javelin at league, second at Sea-King and ninth in the state last year.

“I want to improve on what I did last year, in both throwing and the hurdles,” she said.

Berndt plans to run the 100 and 300 hurdles as well as a relay.

Other notable returners for the girls are junior Catlin Braun, who took fourth in league last year in the shot put and just missed state at the Sea-King meet, and sophomore Shannon Posey, who competed at district in the javelin.

Junior Kelly Fletcher will be running the 400 meters and relays and also will likely have a team leader role. Megan Dunklee, a sophomore, also went to league in the hurdles and should do well this season.

For the complete story, pick up a copy of this week’s Valley Record