Tag Archives: Mercer Island

Bishop Blanchet vs. Mercer Island-Girls
Game Stats- 3/4/17
3A State Championship

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Varsity Hoops Live
Live Broadcasts of the 3A State Tournament
on www.theFinalScore.TV

Saturday- March 4 2017 3A Girls Championship
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bishop Blanchet 12 11 10 14 47
Mercer Island 8 10 18 16 52

3A Bishop Blanchet Braves
# Player FG 3FG FT REB A F PTS
3 Katie Merrywell 1-5 1-5 2-2 2 5 3 5
11 Maddie O'Neill 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
13 Taylor Chambers 1-8 0-4 2-3 3 2 0 4
15 Ella DiPietro 2-6 1-4 0-1 3 0 1 5
20 Annie Maher 7-11 0-0 0-0 5 0 1 14
21 Jadyn Bush 3-9 0-0 4-6 11 3 3 10
33 Jillese Bush 3-7 0-0 3-4 9 1 5 9

3A Mercer Island Islanders
# Player FG 3FG FT REB A F PTS
3 Jessie Stenberg 1-7 0-5 0-0 3 1 2 2
4 Claire Mansfield 2-5 1-4 4-5 1 3 4 9
10 Kailee Yan 5-15 3-7 1-2 3 2 3 14
11 TorMar Beutelspacher 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
12 Josie Blakeslee 1-5 1-5 0-0 4 0 3 3
20 Anna Luce 8-12 0-0 5-6 10 0 2 21
24 Jackie Stenberg 1-4 1-4 0-0 1 0 0 3

Catch our Live Broadcasts of the 3A State Tournament on theFinalScore.TV all week long.

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Islanders Capture Gritty Win in 3A Title, Top Blanchet

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Islanders Capture Gritty Win in 3A Title, Top Blanchet
By Steve Dion

Saturday- March 4th 2017 Girls 3A Hardwood Classic
Tacoma Dome 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bishop Blanchet 12 11 10 14 47
Mercer Island 8 10 18 16 52

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Mercer Island Islanders

Championship Saturday tipped off with the Girls 3A Title Game between the Mercer Island Islanders & Bishop Blanchet Braves. It wasn’t until February 16th in the district semifinals that the then top-ranked Braves picked up their first loss of the season…to these same Islanders. It’s tough to beat a team once, could Mercer Island do it again with the championship trophy on the line?

The Braves found themselves up early as the Blanchet front court were dominant on both ends of the floor. Annie Maher recorded 8 of her team high 16 in the first two quarters and was complimented by 8 tough rebounds by Jillese Bush. The Islanders countered with a balanced attack, but lacked a clear-cut weapon to carry the weight. The highlight of the half for the Islanders was a buzzer-beating heave from near mid-court by Claire Mansfield. The Braves carried a 5 point lead at the break.

Mercer Island emerged from the locker room determined and began to feed Luce who carried them against BB in their first meeting. An 18 point outburst by MI allowed them to take the lead heading into the final frame. Could they close the deal?

As the clock was reaching the end of regulation and the game was in the balanced, it was time for a playmaker to put their stamp on the game. Enter Kailee Yan. On two late trips, the guard knocked down a deep two followed by a step back 3 to grab the lead. Then, Mansfield converted on a handful of free throws when the Braves were forced to stop the clock. She netted enough to make the final possession moot and Mercer Island captured the 3A state title to begin Saturday slate of games.

The Final Score
Mercer Island 52, Bishop Blanchet 47

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Anna Luce- 21 points, 10 rebounds

Bishop Blanchet
Annie Maher- 14 points, 5 rebounds

Mercer Island Stuns Undefeated Blanchet in SeaKing Semis

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Mercer Island Stuns Undefeated Blanchet in SeaKing Semis
By Steve Dion

Thursday- February 16th 2017 Girls 3A SeaKing
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Mercer Island 13 8 19 10 50
Bishop Blanchet 17 14 3 10 44

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Mercer Island Islanders

The lone undefeated team in 3A Bishop Blanchet fresh off their Metro League championship put their perfect record on the line in the SeaKing semifinal round against a tough Mercer Island team hailing from the KingCo conference. The winner would earn a trip to the Saturday night district final game against West Seattle who punched its ticket earler in the afternoon.

Blanchet wasted no time in securing a lead which was heavily influenced by Annie Maher’s strong performance in the low block. Mercer Island relied on the perimeter jump shot for a big chunk of their point total with Jessie Stenberg knocking down a trio of buckets from beyond the arc. Trailing by ten at the break, could Mercer Island climb back in to accomplish a statement win?

A tremendous full-court effort by the Islanders in the third quarter stunned the Braves and they were never able to fully bounce back. Anna Luce outscored Blanchet on her own in the second half in a 26 point outburst, 15 of which coming in the second half. More impressive Mercer Island’s defensive stance only allowing 3 points in the third quarter to the 23-0 Braves.

Despite a late run to close the gap, Mercer Island held on to send a loud statement win as the playoffs progressively intensify.

The Final Score
Mercer Island 50, Bishop Blanchet 44

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Anna Luce- 26 points

Bishop Blanchet
Annie Maher- 14 points

Audio Recap: SeaKing- Mercer Island vs. Seattle Prep

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Game Recap
SeaKing- Mercer Island vs. Seattle Prep 2-19-16


Mercer Island Islanders

The final berth for a must-win Saturday district playoff match would go the winner of this inter-league contest between Mercer Island and Seattle Prep. Listen as Nic Beckman provides a game recap including post-game comments from Mercer Island head coach Gavin Cree!

To listen to the game recap, simply click on the PLAY BUTTON below.

 

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Nordale, Stenberg Sink Prep with Clutch Threes in Elimination Game

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Nordale, Stenberg Sink Prep with Clutch Threes in Elimination Game
By Steve Dion

Friday- February 19th 2016 Boys 3A SeaKing
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Seattle Prep 9 8 10 12 39
Mercer Island 7 13 14 10 44


Mercer Island senior Josh Stenberg

The second boys elimination game in the SeaKing playoff bracket pitted Seattle Prep from the Metro League against KingCo’s Mercer Island. The low-scoring, defensive affair presented itself early and continued throughout the ballgame.

The battle in the block between Prep’s Nic Lynch and MI’s Andrew Pickles took center stage in the first half as the posts traded buckets. The Islanders leading scorer Sam Nordale was a big factor on both sides of the floor as Prep had difficulty contending with the senior’s athleticism. At the break, Mercer Island led by one possession 20-17.

The Islanders extended their lead in the third frame through the sharp-shooting of Nordale and Josh Stenberg. Collin Welp and Aaron Nettles led Prep’s battle back in the fourth quarter, but Stenberg buried some clutch buckets down the stretch to secure a win for Mercer Island. Coach Gavin Cree echoed the magnitude of Nordale and Stenberg’s buckets by saying they “hit the shots that were open and so we’re real proud of our guys for doing that. It was a grind of a game.” In regards to their game plan for the Vikings, Cree replied “Against Rainier Beach you want to slow the game down. You don’t want to allow them to have opportunities against transition defense because they can be really effective there.”

The Final Score
Mercer Island 44, Seattle Prep 39.

Top Performers:

Mercer Island
Sam Nordale- 14 points

Seattle Prep
Nic Lynch- 15 points

Varsity Hoops Live – Steve Dion – 3A SeaKing

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Varsity Hoops Live Game Recaps- 3A SeaKing

Listen to Steve Dion’s game recaps by clicking on play button below

Game Recap 2/19: Steve Dion from theFinalScore.TV
2-19-16

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3A State Girls Basketball Rankings

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4A State Girls Basketball Rankings
By Steve Dion

As league play is in its final weeks and the playoffs are on the horizon, here at the top ten rankings for the 3A girls classification!

1) Lynnwood: 15-0 (7-0)
This Royals team is having a season that will be remembered for years to come.


2) Bellevue: 14-0 (9-0)
Winning the Tournament of Champions in Arizona as part of an undefeated record shows the Wolverines are firing on all cylinders.


3) Bishop Blanchet: 16-0 (11-0)
If the Braves stay healthy down the stretch, the sky is the limit.


4) West Seattle: 16-0 (11-0)
Will host what appears to be the Metro League title tomorrow against Blanchet
.


5) Arlington: 15-0 (5-0)
Haven’t faltered every time a tough opponent has tried to compromise the Eagles unblemished record!


6) Auburn-Riverside: 16-0 (10-0)
Rare to call a 16-0 a team a “sleeper”, but this year the Ravens are
.


7) Lincoln: 15-1 (10-0)
The Abes edged rival Wilson by a pair to determine South Sound dominance
.


8) Wilson: 13-3 (9-1)
The Rams have put together one of the toughest schedules, and the three losses were by a combined 9 points.


9) Mercer Island: 12-2 (6-1)
Don’t forget about the Islanders that are in Bellevue’s rearview mirror.


10) Glacier Peak: 12-4 (6-2)
Can run with the best, but are slightly outmatched by powerhouses like Lynnwood
.

On the Bubble
Prairie
Stanwood
Lakeside
Bonney Lake
Roosevelt

3A State Basketball Rankings

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3A State Basketball Rankings
By Steve Dion

As league play is in its final weeks and the playoffs are on the horizon, here at the top ten rankings for the 3A classification!

1) Garfield 14-1 (10-0)
Not only the best team in the state, but among the best in the country.


2) Rainier Beach 11-1 (10-0)
While Bethea’s Beach Boys patiently await their anticipated game against Garfield, they continually breeze through their league schedule.


3) Bellevue 14-1 (9-0)
The Wolverines have all the pieces necessary to match up against any team that stands in their way.


4) Peninsula 15-1 (9-1)
If they continue to “Do What We Do”, this team could make a serious run.


5) Lincoln 12-2 (9-0)
The Abes have earned the distinction of Tacoma’s best right now.


6) Wilson 13-3 (9-1)
Tough interstate loss against a strong West Linn squad last week, but still top ten material.


7) Auburn-Mountainview 15-1 (9-1)
Defensive minded Lions have held opponents to 50 or fewer points in 10 of 16 games.


8) Cleveland 13-2 (9-1)
A convincing win over O’Dea on a big stage at the Unity Hoop Showcase showed these rising Eagles are for real.


9) West Seattle 12-4 (8-3)
A polished leader at point guard and a staunch front court is a nice recipe for a well-rounded Wildcats squad.


10) Shadle Park 11-4 (10-3)
The Hilanders are holding their own nicely against a 4A-laden GSL.

On the Bubble
O’Dea
Edmonds-Woodway
Kamiakin
Mercer Island
Seattle Prep

VFL’s Big Game of the Week:
Bellevue vs. Mercer Island

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Game Recap as broadcast on Sports Radio 950 KJR

Listen to Varsity Football Live’s Radio Recap by clicking on play button below

Varsity Football Live’s Big Game of the Week
Bellevue vs. Mercer Island

Big Game of the Week: Bellevue vs. Mercer Island
9-18-15

Bellevue Gets Back to Winning with Islander Shutout

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Friday Sept. 18 2015 3A Boys Football
Mercer Island High School Final
Bellevue 56
Mercer Island 0

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Bellevue Gets Back to Winning with Islander Shutout
By Steve Dion

It’s rare that Bellevue heads into any game with a two game losing streak. Friday night was one of those exceptions as the Wolverines were looking to get back into the win column as the 2014 state championship game and ’15 season opener with Bishop Gorman from Nevada were primed to be put in the rear view mirror. The challenger to this proposition would be rival Mercer Island who found themselves tied 21 apiece when they played at Bellevue last year before eventually losing.

The game started in familiar Wolverine fashion as a quick forced 3 and out on defense was followed by a 55 yard receiving touchdown by Tyson Penn on their first play from scrimmage. This was followed by another forced punt and 35 yard dart thrown by Justus Rodgers to Isaiah Gilchrist up the middle on 4th and six to put BHS up by 14 early. The onslaught had begun. The inability for the Islanders to gain an upper hand on the field position battle left them susceptible to allowing more scoring by the hungry Wolverines. After touchdown runs by Ercle Terrell and Christoph Hirota, Bellevue led 28-0 at the half.

More of the same continued in the final two frames as Justus Rogers scored on a QB keeper adding to the lead and further sealing the fate of the contest. The Islanders fought hard and the Mercer Island faithful showed up loud and proud, but they were unable to find the scoreboard.

The Final Score: Bellevue 56 Mercer Island 0.

Lakeside Controls 2nd and 3rd Quarter, Rolls Against Mercer Island

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Lakeside Controls 2nd and 3rd Quarter, Rolls Against Mercer Island
By Colin Caruso

Friday February 20 2015 Boys 3A Metro
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 13 19 20 16 68
Mercer Island 17 5 11 21 54

Most games in high school basketball do not have the pressure of a loser out game. To both of these teams, a loss marks the end of the season and looking towards next year.

Mercer Island, the underdog in this game, came out in the first quarter with a masterful game plan. Knowing that they would have trouble guarding Daejon Davis and Isiah Brown in transition, they focused on using the duration of the shot clock and slowing the game dramatically. The athleticism favored Lakeside, and Mercer Island’s only hope was to control the tempo.

The Islanders looked great in the first quarter. A 12-2 run in the first gave the Islanders a 17-13 lead going into the second. And then the wheels fell off. Fast forwarding to the second quarter, the Lions began getting into transition and finding Kiki Boyle on open threes; he hit 6 on the day. The closed the quarter on a 12-0 run, and extended that to 19-2 into the third.

16 points in a quarter is a good amount of points for a high school team. When you score 16 points over the course of two quarters, against a team from the Metro conference, you are in trouble. The shots that fell for the Islanders in the first were not falling in the second and third. The turnovers piled up, and the Islanders found themselves down 19 points entering the fourth quarter.

Mercer Island never gave up, they continued to battle in the fourth. Unfortunately, the deficit was insurmountable against a team as defensively strong as the Lions. Lakeside took this game, ending the Islander season, by a final of 68-54

Top Performers:
Lakeside
Isiah Brown – 31 points
Kiki Boyle – 20 points

Mercer Island
Sam Nordale and Andrew Pickles – 14 points each

Juanita Remains Undefeated, Drops Islanders By a Touchdown

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Friday Sept. 26th 2014 3A Boys Football
Mercer Island 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Juanita 0 10 7 7 24
Mercer Island 7 3 0 7 17

Game Recap below

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Juanita Remains Undefeated, Drops Islanders By a Touchdown
By Steven Dion

In a clash of KingCo squads on opposite ends of the standings, the 3-0 Rebels hailing from Kirkland would travel to the Island to take on 1-2 Mercer Island. To MI’s credit, they were knotted up with the juggernaut Bellevue at halftime last week 21-21 before dropping the contest in the second half. The home team was desperate for a win on their home turf to turn their season back in the right direction.

Alfonso Gonzalez was able to connect with wideout Jack Vassau on the opening drive on a ball that was frankly up for grabs to any takers. Juanita responded with a 32 yard score from Dexter Mell to Jared Holden. Mell filled in for injured Tavin Montgomery from early on in the first frame. Each of the first two touchdowns in the game were scored on fourth and long. The game was deadlocked 10-10 at the break after Jackson Clemensen (Juanita) and Michael Crebs (Mercer Island) buried field goals in the second quarter.

The Rebels grabbed this contest by the horns early in the third by handing the ball off to Salvon Ahmed who took the ball 69 yards to the house. Ahmed was not done yet as he punched in another third quarter score: this time from two yards out. The Islanders had a difficult time running the ball on Austin Cole and the Juanita defense. A late touchdown by MI put the Islanders within a score late, but an unsuccessful onside kick was enough to seal the deal for the Rebels. JHS advances to 4-0.

Top Performers:
Juanita
Salvon Ahmed- 2 TD’s (2, 69)

Mercer Island
Alfonso Gonzales- 2 passing TD’s (22, 40)

Rainier Beach Escapes the Islanders, Advances to Final Eight

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Friday Feb 28th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Mercer Island 15 4 20 16 55
Rainier Beach 19 13 15 14 61

Rainier Beach Escapes the Islanders, Advances to Final Eight
By Colin Caruso

When a team plays with passion and intensity on the basketball floor, it captivates your attention and compels you to watch more. When a team has the capability of playing for a national title if they win our state tournament, it compels you to watch them. This was the case in the capstone contest on Friday night at Bellevue College. The first mentioned passionate team, the Mercer Island Islanders (18-7 on the season) battled the undefeated, 25-0 Rainier Beach Vikings.

Throughout this season the Vikings have dominated their opponents, scoring over 100 points nine times on the season. But recently teams have keyed in on their scoring, sat back in zones, played slow basketball, and prayed that the lights out shooting Vikings were somehow cold. Mercer Island took this route, matched the intensity of the Vikings, and made this one a battle until the finish.

A 19-15 first quarter in favor of Rainier Beach can be classified as a Mercer Island win. The Islanders took good shots, played good defense, and senior guard Kaleb Warner scored seven on 3-3 from the field. The second quarter was not as pretty for the underdog Islanders, as a four point effort sent them into the locker room down 13. But Mercer Island did not go away.

A 20-15 third quarter put them in striking distance of the lesser aggressive Vikings. Baskets from Andrew Pickles and Jake Stenberg kept the dream alive for the Islanders, who never stopped fighting for the entire 32 minutes.

The fourth quarter again belonged to the Islanders, who trimmed the mighty Viking lead to just two points with two minutes to play on back to back three pointers by Warner. But the next two possessions resulted in turnovers, and the Vikings scored three points in their next two possessions, pushing this one ever so slightly out of reach.

A phenomenal effort by one of the state’s finest in Mercer Island, but conquering the mighty is such a difficult task. Beach moves on to Tacoma, with action beginning on Thursday, March 6th.

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Kaleb Warner – 18 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists
Andrew Pickles – 12 points, 7 rebounds

Rainier Beach
Djuan Piper – 17 points, 5 rebounds
David Crisp – 18 points
Dejounte Murray – 17 points

O’Dea Cruises to Huge Win Over Islanders

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Tuesday Feb 18th 2014 3A Boys Basketball
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
O'Dea 16 19 20 22 77
Mercer Island 9 3 9 11 32

O’Dea Cruises to Huge Win Over Islanders
By Steven Dion

When you are one of the best teams in the state and seemingly every shot falls, it’s a recipe for disaster to virtually any opponent. The Islanders of Mercer Island were the unfortunate victim to a complete game by the Irish on both ends of the floor. The stifling defense the Irish is capable of throwing at opponents was clicking on all cylinders which translated to smooth offensive sets. Mercer Island earned a first round bye in the SeaKing tourney after solid play in KingCo regular season. O’Dea defeated Nathan hale by a dozen on Saturday. The winner of this contest would take on the winner of Bainbridge versus Rainier Beach.

The first four minutes of the game were the most evenly matched as O’Dea took a few minutes to get rolling. The Islander guards did a nice job keeping the three-point threat Quin Barnard unable to take attempts from the perimeter. Unfortunately, Mercer was unable to capitalize on the slow O’Dea start by only scoring 9 points in the first frame. The second quarter is where the Irish grabbed this game by the horns. Jacob Lampkin was a force in the low block throwing that lanky 6’9 frame around. The senior even drained a triple in that second quarter as part of a strong eight points in eight minutes. Turnovers were plentiful as the Islanders were unable to get any open looks and for that matter shot attempts as the Islanders only scored 3 points in the second quarter! One takeaway in the O’Dea zone led to a Jamie Orme dunk on the other end. At the half, OHS led by 23 points at 35-12.

Not much changed in the second half as O’Dea continued to dominate in all phases of the game. This fighting Irish squad is talented, but even the biggest fan of the red and yellow would admit they will have a tough time replicating this performance time after time. There was a point in the fourth quarter where a handful of O’Dea possession resulted in three after three. It was curious that Al Hairston did not pull out his starters late in the fourth quarter even with a forty point lead and a running clock. A highlight for the Islanders in the second half was Kaleb Warner going coast-to-coast and finishing with a two-handed slam. But a complete game by the Irish earned them a 77-32 win. Up next, Rainier Beach. They’ll need this performance and maybe more to take down the Vikings.

Top Performers:
O’Dea
Jamie Orme, Tyler Kidd, Quin Barnard, David Woodard, Jacob Lampkin (All in double figures)

Mercer Island
Andrew Pickles-9 points (played strong defense against relentless O’Dea attack)

Mercer Island Hangs on Despite Late West Seattle Surge

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Tuesday Feb 18th 2014 3A Girls Basketball
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Mercer Island 11 15 13 13 52
West Seattle 11 8 11 19 49

Mercer Island Hangs on Despite Late West Seattle Surge
By Steven Dion

In the second round of the District 2 3A SeaKing Girls Basketball tournament, Mercer Island was set to face West Seattle. The Islanders received a first-round bye while West Seattle snuck past Eastside Catholic in a loser-out opener by the score of 34-33. The Wildcats have been a tough matchup throughout the season and will continue to do so in upcoming season as the starting lineup consists of three sophomores and two juniors. There is not a single senior on the roster. Mercer Island plays tough perimeter defense and boasts plenty of scoring options. Winner of this game was set to face the winner of Cleveland/Liberty.

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair as neither team was able to build much separation to the opposition. Islander junior guard Jamie Mounger put together a strong first half by knocking down five field goals for ten points, some of which heavily contested. West Seattle countered with their 6’5 sophomore Lydia Giomi. The post was a tough matchup for MIHS on both sides of the floor as Giomi rebounded well and was able to create space and open looks under the hoop. Mercer Island showed tremendous anticipation of WSHS screens which resulted in a number of turnovers going the other way. A scoring spree midway through the second frame gave the Wildcats some breathing room and a seven point lead at the break.

The struggle for both teams to knock down perimeter shots continued in the second half. As a result, this game took place almost exclusively in the paint. The matchup down low between Giomi and Islander forward/center Anna Luce was very physical as they jockeyed for possession aggressively under the bucket. The Islanders were able to carry a double digit lead until midway through the fourth. West Seattle went on a run that brought the Wildcats within two points and a trip to the foul stripe. The shooter missed, but WS recovered and had a flurry of game-tying shots fired at the hoop in the final seconds. The could not connect and eventually fouled an Islander. After making one of two, the Cats fired one last desperation three-ball, but fell short. The Islanders were victorious by a slim margin at 52-49.

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Jess Blakeslee-18 points (6/7 FT’s)
Jamie Mounger-14 points (5 first-half field goals)

West Seattle
Lydia Giomi-20 points (4/4 FT’s)

Bellevue Closes Another Undefeated Regular Season

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Friday Nov 1st 2013 3A Boys Football
Bellevue High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Mercer Island 0 7 0 0 7
Bellevue 7 21 7 14 49

See game recap below
 

Bellevue Closes Another Undefeated Regular Season
By Colin Caruso

In somewhat of a rivalry game, the Bellevue Wolverines were matched with the Mercer Island Islanders to close another undefeated regular season for the Wolverines. The rivalry is much more apparent in basketball, as these two teams battle competitively on the hard-court but Bellevue has had the upper hand on the gridiron.

Bellevue struck fast and early, with a 78 yard touchdown pass from QB Timmy Haehl to sophomore standout receiver Isaiah Gilchrist. The story of this game was Gilchrist, who added another touchdown catch and a blocked FG return for a touchdown, for three scores on the day. The Wolverines scored 28 points in the first half but allowed a late score to the Islanders, a pass from backup QB Alfonso Gonzalez to Eric Kim to trim the lead to 28-7 at half.

Bellevue was again dominate in the second half, scoring 21 unanswered points to secure the 49-7 victory and another undefeated regular season. Mercer Island, after three losses to close the season, will finish with a respectable 4-4 record.

Top Performers:
Mercer Island
Alfonso Gonzalez – TD pass

Bellevue
Isaiah Gilchrist – 3TD (2 receiving, one blocked FG return)
Timmy Haehl – 2TD passes of 78 and 41 yards

Girls- Bellevue tops Mercer Island for fourth time this year, Capture Sea-King District Third Seed

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Saturday- Feb. 16 2013 – 3A – SeaKing District
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Bellevue 9 6 10 16 41
Mercer Island 5 12 7 11 35


Girls- Bellevue tops Mercer Island for 4th time this year,
Capture Sea-King District Third Seed
By Colin Caruso

In their fourth matchup of the season, the Bellevue Wolverines played the Mercer Island Islanders for the 3rd/4th seed in the Sea-King district.  Bellevue won all three matchups coming into this contest, and Mercer Island was looking for something to carry them past the Wolverines for the higher seed in regionals.

Because these two teams had seen each other so many times, both defenses were prepared for the offensive sets from their counterparts.  Both teams combined for 17 turnovers in the first, compared to just 14 points.  Bellevue took a 9-5 lead into the second.

Mercer Island started the second quarter on a 12-2 run, taking the lead over the Wolverines 17-11.  Bellevue responded with a three pointer from Erin McGowan and a one for two showing at the line from Tatiana Steun to cut the halftime lead to two, 17-15.

Capitalizing off of four offensive rebounds early in the third quarter, the Wolverines came back to tie the Islanders at 21.  Bellevue controlled the glass in the quarter and took a 25-24 lead into the fourth.

Both teams were in the bonus in the fourth quarter, and the final few minutes of the ballgame came down to free-throw execution.  Bellevue had a seven point cushion late in the fourth, but failed to convert from the line, allowing Mercer Island to cut the lead to one.

The Wolverines responded, with a late basket from freshman Shelby Cansler and a pair of free-throws from junior Erin McGowan to win by six, 41-35.

Top Performers:
Bellevue
Shelby Cansler (19 points, 8 rebounds, 5 steals)
Tatiana Steun (7 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals)

Mercer Island
Rachael Tessem (9 points, 6 rebounds)
Renae Tessem (4 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals)

Lakeside takes control in second quarter, tops Mercer Island

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Thursday- Feb. 14 2013 – 3A – SeaKing District
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Lakeside 12 25 13 18 68
Mercer Island 22 9 13 17 61


Lakeside takes control in second quarter, tops Mercer Island
By Colin Caruso

In an electric atmosphere in the first semifinal game of the day at Bellevue College, the Mercer Island Islanders took on the Lakeside Lions for a trip to the Sea-King District Final.  Mercer Island came out hot in the first, starting the game on a 13-2 run while capitalizing on three Lion turnovers.  Lakeside could not break into Mercer Island’s 2-3 and 1-3-1 zone, and Mercer Island took a 22-12 lead into the second.

Mercer Island moved into a man to man defense in the second, which allowed Lakeside to heat up from the field.  The Lions went on a 25-6 run in the quarter behind three three-pointers from Tremaine Isabell.  Lakeside took their first lead with 1:52 remaining in the second on an lob dunk from D’Marques Tyson.  Isabell added a pair of free-throws and a layup to take a 37-31 lead into halftime.

Mercer Island came out after the break and matched Lakeside’s intensity on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.  Senior Kaleb Warner knocked down three mid-range jump shots and senior Joe Rasmussen added seven points of his own to lead the Islanders in the quarter.  But Lakeside senior Peter French kept the Lions in front with four offensive rebounds in the quarter and three put-back layups.  Both teams scored 13 in the third and Lakeside took a six point lead into the fourth.

Lakeside continued to keep their foot on the gas in the final quarter.  Six points from Isabell and four points from both Tyson and senior AJ Adekoya were too much for the Islanders to surmount.  Islander senior Kaleb Warner tried to keep his team in the contest with eight points in the quarter, but Lakeside’s 13 point lead with 1:18 to play was too much for Mercer Island, and the Lions closed the contest with a 68-61 win.

Next Match-ups:
Lakeside vs. Rainier Beach- Sea-King District Final
Saturday – 6:30 PM at Bellevue College.
Mercer Island vs. Franklin- 3rd/4th place game
Saturday – 11:30 AM at Bellevue College.

Top Performers:
Lakeside
Tremaine Isabell (27)
D’Marques Tyson (19)

Mercer Island
Kaleb Warner (24)
Joe Rasmussen (14, 8 rebounds)

Mercer Island squeaks by O’Dea, advances to state

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Mercer Island squeaks by O’Dea, advances to state
By Colin Caruso 

Tuesday- Feb. 12 -2013- 3A SeaKing District
Bellevue College 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Mercer Island 10 8 19 7 44
O'Dea 11 13 12 6 42

In an almost packed house at Bellevue College, the #1 seed from KingCo took on the #5 seed from Metro for a guaranteed trip to state.  Both teams came out fundamentally sound, minimizing turnovers, playing good lock down defense, and converting on open looks.  Four players scored for each team, and the O’Dea Fighting Irish took an 11-10 lead into the second.

O’Dea started the second on a 11-1 run in the first 2:25 minutes of the quarter, forcing the Mercer Island Islanders to switch from man to man defense to a 2-3 zone.  Mercer Island answered by forcing four turnovers in the quarter and converting on additional scoring chances from the offensive glass.  O’Dea went into halftime with a 24-18 lead.

Mercer Island began to heat up in the second half, hitting three three-pointers in the third quarter, two by senior Nick Nordale.  O’Dea answered on the interior, with driving layups by Tyler Kidd and Jacob Lampkin.  However, Mercer Island was too much for the Irish offensively in the third, outscoring them 19-12 in the quarter and taking a 37-36 lead into the fourth as Nordale hit a deep two from the corner as time expired.

O’Dea came out strong early in the fourth quarter, taking a 42-40 lead with 3:06 to play.  Unfortunately, O’Dea would not score again in the contest.  Turnovers plagued the Irish down the stretch, coughing up the ball seven times in the final period.

Caleb Warner made the last two buckets for the Islanders in the final 2:20 of the contest to take the lead 44-42.  Neither team scored again after Warner’s baskets and the Islanders squeaked by Metro’s five seed, 44-42.

Mercer Island has now stamped their ticket to state and will play Lakeside at Bellevue College Thursday Afternoon at 3:00 pm.  O’Dea will face off against Seattle Prep in a loser out game on Friday at 3:00 pm.

Leading Scorers:
Mercer Island
Kaleb Warner (12)
Nick Nordale (11 & 4 steals)
Joe Rasmussen (11 & 6 rebounds)

O’Dea
Tyler Kidd (13)
Jacob Lampkin (10)

Bellevue Wolverines Shock Mercer Island Islanders

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Bellevue Wolverines Shock Mercer Island Islanders
By Colin Caruso 

Friday- January 25 2013 KingCo 3A/2A
Bellevue High School 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Final
Mercer Island 14 13 9 14 50
Bellevue 9 17 11 14 51

Bellevue handed Mercer Island their first loss to a Washington state team on Friday night with a 51-50 shocker at Bellevue High.  This rivalry game had a much slower pace than expected, with full half court sets, good passing, and great offensive execution overall.  Mercer Island took the lead in the first quarter by sinking three contested three-pointers, but this fine shooting did not seem to phase Bellevue.  The Wolverines continued to grind and maintained great defensive intensity.  They cut the five point lead at the end of the first to just one at the half on a great three point bank shot at the buzzer by Michael Carlson.

The third quarter maintained a slower, meticulous basketball pace.  Bellevue continued to execute offensively, while Mercer Island settled for mid-range to deep jump shots, not attacking the hoop like they did in the first half.

Bellevue turned up their defensive intensity in the second half, doing a great job of stepping into passing lanes and converting in transition.  The Wolverines took a one point lead at the end of the third quarter, and maintained that lead deep into the fourth quarter, exchanging baskets with the Islanders.  With 24 seconds left, Bellevue held a one point lead and the Islanders had the ball, shot clock turned off.  The drawn up play seemed to break down via Bellevue’s defensive intensity and the Wolverines forced Mercer Island into a deep three that was right on target, but inches long.

Bellevue sealed the victory, 51-50.

Leading Scorers:
Mercer Island
Kaleb Warner (15)
Nick Nordale (14)

Bellevue
Michael Carlson (12)
Timmy Haehl (11)