Mercer Island girls season ends in first weekend of state

The season didn’t hit its stride until it was almost over for the Islanders girls basketball team. After a 8-8 start on the year, the team sat precariously in the league standings. A few losses, and the team wouldn’t make the playoffs for the first time in over four years. But a late season 7-2 run got Mercer Island back into it, earning a fourth-place finish overall in KingCo.

By Megan Managan • February 26, 2011 1:15 am
Mercer Island’s Christina Williamson blocks a Glacier Peak player from the key during the Islanders’ loss to the Grizzlies last Friday in the first round of the state tournament.
Mercer Island’s Christina Williamson blocks a Glacier Peak player from the key during the Islanders’ loss to the Grizzlies last Friday in the first round of the state tournament.

The season didn’t hit its stride until it was almost over for the Islanders girls basketball team. After a 8-8 start on the year, the team sat precariously in the league standings. A few losses, and the team wouldn’t make the playoffs for the first time in over four years. But a late season 7-2 run got Mercer Island back into it, earning a fourth-place finish overall in KingCo.

The Islanders also ended the KingCo tournament in fourth place, and headed to districts, where they upset Cleveland and Seattle Prep for a spot in the championship match against top-ranked Holy Names. The loss to the Cougars was the first of three for the Islanders to end the season. In the first round of the state tournament, the Islanders lost to Glacier Peak on Friday, Feb. 25, and dropped their second game to Auburn Mountainview the next day.

At Marysville-Philchuck High School, the Islanders had a rough start against the Grizzlies last Friday, ending the first quarter down 15-12, but having hit just 34 percent of their shots. In the opening moments, a taller Glacier Peak team plagued the Islanders, who couldn’t find a way to slow them down. Glacier Peak ran up a 22-8 second quarter to end the first half with a 34-23 lead over Mercer Island.
Out of the locker rooms after the break, Mercer Island started the third quarter off with renewed energy, quickly closing the gap with a 21-point run over the next eight minutes. By the end of the quarter, Mercer Island trailed Glacier Peak by just one point, 45-44.

The Islanders ran up a heavy list of fouls, but it didn’t slow the offense, which tied the game at 59 points apiece with 2:28 left in the game. Free throws and lead swapping continued with each position until the foul trouble came back to haunt the Islanders. In the last 50 seconds of the game, Sarah Taylor, Hailey Gullstad and Jae Shin all took the bench for the Islanders with five fouls. Kris Brackmann finished out the game with four of her own.

In the end, there simply wasn’t enough time for the Islanders to find a resurgence with new personnel on the floor. The game ended with a 69-64 Grizzlies win.
Despite fouling out, Gullstad had 21 points during the game, while Shin had 17 points, four of which were 3-pointers. Brackmann put up 12 total, while Savanna Reid and Taylor each added four.

The following day, in a loser-out match, the Islanders lost 72-57 to Auburn Mountainview to end the season. The Lions took control in the first quarter, getting up 23-17, and extended the lead in the second to end the half with a 37-28 score. While Mercer Island out scored the Lions, 17-12, in the third, the Islanders couldn’t make another upset win possible.

In their final game as Islanders, Shin had 15 points, Gullstad had 10 and Taylor had six points. Brackmann put up 14 points, Christina Williamson had six and Savanna Reid had five.