Wolverines nab fourth straight state title

The Bellevue Wolverines boys track team captured the Class 3A state title with 58 team points at the Class 3A state track meet on May 30 at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

For the fourth consecutive year the Bellevue Wolverines boys track and field team reigned supreme.

The Wolverines compiled 58 team points, capturing its fourth Class 3A boys track title in a row on May 30 at the Class 3A state track meet in Tacoma. O’Dea finished in a distant second place with 41 points.

The 400-meter relay team consisting of Sam Richmond, Isaiah Gilchrist, Jack Richmond and Benaiah Ellington took first place with a time of 42.70. The 1600-meter relay team of Jack Richmond, Rezhaun Henderson, Ellington and Gilchrist nabbed first place with a time of 3:22.69.

Tyson Penn earned Class 3A titles in the high jump and triple jump. Sam Richmond attained third place in the 110 hurdles and sixth place in long jump. Gilchrist also nabbed fifth place in the 400. The tradition of excellence on the track doesn’t escape the thoughts of the athletes on the Wolverines squad.

“Our tradition is very important. We have won it the past few years,” Sam Richmond said on the second day of the state track meet on May 29. “The guys on this team know how hard the people before us worked to win these titles. Now we got to go do the same thing. We just got to go out and do it.”

The Wolverines walked away with its fourth consecutive title a little more than 24 hours after Richmond’s statement. Richmond said the strength of the Wolverines roster was in sprints, jumps and relays. The senior believes team camaraderie is what drives the Wolverines track program.

“We have a really strong bond. Usually you don’t see that in track and field as much as you see it in football or basketball,” Richmond said. “We go out there everyday like it’s a team sport because we know the most important thing is to win not just as an individual but to go out there and win as a team. We like to go out there with the mindset and mentality that no matter what I need to do my best not just for myself but for my team. That’s why we come out on top.”

Newport senior Julia Sliwoski collected a seventh place finish in the Class 4A javelin finals. Sammamish’s Nick Martin finished in fourth place in the Class 2A 3200 and teammate Conor Lanning captured seventh in the 800.

Shaun Scott: 424-453-5045; sscott@bellevuereporter.com