The 2008 Hoopfest in Spokane, Wash., again played host to many Islander basketball teams, families and fans. The annual 3-on-3 basketball tournaments, held on the streets of downtown Spokane, garnered 25,000 players, 3,000 volunteers and 175,000 fans.
Earning 27 consecutive victories is tough in any sport or league. The Mercerwood Shore Club reached that mark with a 439.5-249.5 victory over Newport Hills, despite being shorthanded on Thursday. The mark continues a Midlakes swim league record.
Meg Elston is stepping down as the coach of the Mercer Island High School girls lacrosse team and moving to Boston, Mass.
United wins Skagit soccer tournament
The 2008 3-on-3 basketball tournament, as a part of Summer Celebration!, drew a record 33 teams on Saturday. The increase of eight teams, compared to last year, was not the only change as the event moved to downtown Mercer Island to the parking lot of Farmers Insurance for eight hours of hoops.
During the Mercerwood Shore Club swim team’s 27-meet winning streak, one rival has always challenged the Manta Rays. Edgebrook has nearly 100 more swimmers than the four-time Midlakes champions. Each meet during the past four years has been close, and Thursday’s match-up was no different in competition level or outcome as the Shore Club won number 28, 389-323.
The 9-and-under Thunder baseball team took third place during the Wenatchee Eastmont Tournament on June 20-22. The tournament consisted of 12 teams from across the entire state.
Cloud 9 — Jessie Stenberg, Claire Mansfield, Macy Mounger, Jackie Stenberg
Ryan Moline was one of 20 Beach Club swimmers to earn an individual first-place finish on July 8 during the team’s victory against the Mercer Island Country Club. The complete story can be found in sports. The Midlakes championship meet will take place on Saturday at the King County Aquatic Center as the Beach Club and Country Club look to knock off the four-time defending champs, the Mercerwood Shore Club.
For Island resident Michael Choe, the past few months have been like a lacrosse game — non-stop action. Choe recently graduated from Mercer Island High School, helped guide the varsity lacrosse team to the state semifinals and played for the Korean National team in the world lacrosse championships in Coquitlam, British Columbia.
Two seasons ago, the Mercer Island Beach Club swimmers competed in division II of the Midlakes swim league and were awaiting the remodel of their home pool.
Islanders Sean and Tess Johnston recently competed in the 2008 USA Taekwondo Junior Olympic Championships, held in Detroit, Mich. Sean Johnston won gold in the 12- and 13-year-old boys blue belt forms competition and silver in the sparring event. Tess Johnston won the 8- and 9-year-old girls blue belt sparring competition. The siblings train with Coach Lionel Lee at Yi Sport Taekwondo in Seattle.
Two things have been constant in Hugh Miller’s life — Mercer Island and bowling. And while he has drifted away from each at one time or another, he has returned to both.