Mercer Island, Holy Names are top 3A athletic programs in state for 2016-17
Mercer Island and Holy Names Academy of Seattle had the most successful athletic programs in the state for Class 3A during the 2016-17 school year.
Using a scoring system devised by The Columbian that rates each school based on its success in state tournaments and meets, Mercer Island topped the list in points actually scored. However, Holy Names is an all-girls school and could only score points in girls sports. So if Holy Names’ final number were doubled, Holy Names would top the list by a significant margin.
Mercer Island, with state titles in girls basketball, girls golf and boys tennis, scored 32 points to edge Kamiakin of Kennewick (31). Holy Names tallied 21 points, but if that count were pro-rated, it would rise to 42.
The system awards five points for every team state championship, four for every runner-up finish, three for finishing third or fourth or reaching the state semifinals, two for placing fifth through eighth or reaching the quarterfinals and one point for placing ninth through 16th or advancing to the state tournament.
After Mercer Island and Kamiakin, Gig Harbor had 30 points, followed by Lakeside of Seattle (25), Redmond (23) and Bellevue (23).
Kelso was the best 3A Greater St. Helens League school, coming in at 29th with nine points. Mountain View (7), Prairie (6), Hudson’s Bay (5) and Evergreen (5) followed.
Fort Vancouver was one of seven schools not to tally a point in this system. All five of Evergreen’s points came from its state title in girls bowling. Four of Bay’s five points came from its runner-up finish in bowling.
For a look at the full list of 3A teams, click here. The roundup of 4A schools was posted last week. We’ll look at 2A and 1A schools in coming weeks.
