Tomorrow is Christmas and sports fans in Washington have had their fill of coal. Nothing has gone right, from the Sonics moving to Oklahoma City and the Mariners losing 101 games, to the Seahawks’ frustrating year of injuries and both Division I football teams in the state finishing with a combined 2-23 record.
High school sports on Mercer Island have fared a little bit better — the volleyball team finished fourth at state, and the girls cross country team wrapped up the state title. But the box with the biggest bow under the Islander Christmas tree is normally labeled ‘basketball.’ This year’s boys team began the year on the naughty list with a thumping by Ballard. But the team has not lost since the opener, including a big victory over Juanita High School. If the Islanders have their eye on the biggest present of them all, a 3A KingCo title, they will have to have all of their reindeer working together on Jan. 9 when they visit No. 3 state-ranked Bellevue. The only remaining undefeated teams in KingCo are Bellevue, Mercer Island and Mount Si. The Islanders won’t see Mount Si until the Wildcats come to the Island on Jan. 20. While Bellevue is expected to become the Grinch that stole KingCo, the Islanders have begun to look like a contender behind seniors Jon Poli, Peter Zajac and Robbie Taylor. Sophomore Quinn Sterling has shown that he may be the future of boys basketball. His play against Juanita during the second half may have quelled a comeback from the Rebels.
While boys basketball coach Ed Pepple has been the Mercer Island sports fans’ version of Santa Claus through the years by producing winning seasons for four decades, girls coach Jamie Prescott is quickly becoming the ghost of Christmas future. Prescott’s Islander girls began the season by taking second place in the league behind the surprise of Liberty. The Patriots defeated the league favorite, Bellevue, 52-51 on Dec. 12. That win has opened the chimney for Liberty or Mercer Island to come barreling into the 3A KingCo championship living room. Mercer Island will head into a critical week this January, traveling to Bellevue on Jan. 9 and hosting Liberty on Jan. 16. I am sure that the team would appreciate every little Islander elf who shows up to cheer.
The Islanders currently have a sweet candy cane-like record of 3-1. That record would be enviable for any of the Mercer Island girls basketball teams that have played during the past decade or more. But the fact that Mercer Island’s only loss was by three points to a 4A school is extremely encouraging, even if it is Christmas Eve. The biggest surprise this year, though, is how well the team has played during starting point guard Hannah Lilly’s absence. The junior’s sophomore understudy, Hailey Gullstad, has proven to be more than a last minute stocking stuffer and possibly one of the best starting guards in the league. Mercer Island is positioned to get Lilly back toward the end of the season. Two big wins in January could set the team up for a magical finish, the kind Frosty the Snowman would be proud of. The Islanders won’t face Liberty or Bellevue for a second time until the final two weeks of the season.
A black magic hat has been placed on Islander boys swimming coach Jeff Lowell’s head for three seasons. The heat of Mary Wayte Pool hasn’t been able to melt the Islanders’ place, frozen on top of the state title trophy during the past three years. This year has been no different. With enough individual state contenders to fill a car on the Polar Express, Mercer Island’s dominance is only eclipsed by eight senior swimmers being placed on many university and college teams’ wish lists. The buzz around the team is not about a fourth state title in a row, but around being a possible contender for a national title.
The Islanders will leave the snow of Washington for the snow of Minneapolis, Minn., participating in a national invitational meet on Jan. 2 and then looking toward the state meet.
Just how good wrestling and gymnastics will be by the time the 3A KingCo meets come around is still up in the air. Both teams lost key seniors from last year’s squad but both are ahead of schedule, as we all hope Santa will be tonight. The recent weather came in the form of Ebenezer Scrooge, forcing the cancelation of Mercer Island’s first ever wrestling tournament. There may be a Miracle on 42nd St. after all as organizers discuss rescheduling the huge event.
One wrestler with very few questions surrounding him is Colton Knebel. The sophomore took the league by storm last year, with a white out of nearly all his opponents. Knebel doesn’t have a red nose or hooves but he is definitely lighting the way for the team.
Mercer Island gymnastics coach Lenny Lewis is not wishing for a Red Ryder BB gun but rather for a healthy team. With all the Islander gymnasts healthy, despite the lack of experience, Mercer Island could surprise some teams at the KingCo gymnastics meet on Feb. 7.
