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Mercer Island Islanders 138-pound grappler Eli Pruchno, who is one of the Islanders three team captains, is determined to advance to the Mat Classic Class 3A state wrestling tournament this February. Shaun Scott, staff photo

Sports

Mat Classic aspirations in the mat room

Mercer Island senior wrestler Eli Pruchno is determined to attain an elusive goal.

Mercer Island 195-pound junior Donnie Howard earned second place at the Mat Classic Class 3A state tournament on Feb. 17 at the Tacoma Dome. Photo courtesy of Billy Pruchno

Sports

2018: The year in sports on Mercer Island

Islanders athletes display skills in their respective sports.

Mercer Island Islanders junior Adam Parker, left, looks for a teammate to pass to against the Juanita Rebels. Parker finished with a team-high 20 points against the Juanita Rebels on Dec. 11. The Islanders defeated the Rebels 56-49. Photo courtesy of Rick Edelman/Rick Edelman Photography

Sports

Islanders display grittiness in victory against the Rebels

Mercer Island hits clutch shots down the stretch against Juanita.

The Mercer Island Flames U-11 girls soccer team won the Washington Youth Soccer Regional Recreational Cup on Dec. 2. The Flames finished the 2018 season with an undefeated record of 16-0. Members of the Flame roster included Sophia Kinkead, Sabina Leveque, Scout Bates, Quincey Eskridge, Ciela Turner, Ashlyn Belden, Avery Oliver, Mia Sung, Chloe Mar, Bryanna Denmarsh, Amelie Swift, Gianna Tubach, Elianna Weiss and Cate Thomas. The team was coached by David Tubach, Adam Kinkead and Scott Weiss. Photo courtesy of David Tubach

Sports

Flame earn a coveted title on the soccer pitch

Local soccer team finishes the 2018 season with a 16-0 overall record.

Mercer Island Islanders senior swimmer James Richardson (pictured) captured first place in the 100 fly and 100 back at the Class 3A state swim and dive meet during his junior season. Richardson wants to lead his team to a Class 3A state championship in February of 2019 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. Photo courtesy of Scott Richardson

Sports

Richardson is a rising star in the pool

Mercer Island senior is striving to lead his team to a state title.

Perfection in dual meets was attained during the 2017 season for the Islanders boys swim team in KingCo contests in the pool. The Islanders picked up where they left off last season, cruising to a 105-55 win in the season opener against the Bellevue Wolverines on Nov. 29. The Islanders swim program has now won eight consecutive KingCo dual swim meets since the 2017-18 season. Mercer Island has a wealth of experience returning to the varsity roster during the 2018-19 season. Alex Edwards, Daniel Gao, Jake Headrick, Evan Hill, Gabriel Neale, John Novak, Collin Rallston, James Richardson, Killian Riley, Nate Robinson, Ethan Schwartz and Kieran Watson were all on the varsity roster last season and return this year. Islanders athletes capturing first place against Bellevue in their respective events consisted of Justin Robinson (500 free, 50 free, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay), Schwartz (100 free, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay, 100 back), Rallston (200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 200 IM), Riley (200 free relay, 400 free relay), Carter Whipple (200 medley relay, 200 free relay), Connor Hanson (200 free relay) and John Novak (400 free relay). Photo courtesy of Scott Richardson

Sports

Islanders conquer rival in the pool

Mercer Island swim team defeats Bellevue in season opener.

Mercer Island Islanders seniors Stew Vassau, left, and Donnie Howard, right, signed their letters of committment on Nov. 19 to continue their lacrosse careers at the collegiate level. Vassau will play lacrosse for the University of Utah and Howard will continue his lacrosse career at Boston University. Mercer Island boys lacrosse head coach Ian O’Hearn, center, is pictured with his two collegiate bound players. Photo courtesy of Don Howard

Sports

Howard, Vassau sign on the dotted line

Mercer Island Islanders seniors Stew Vassau, left, and Donnie Howard, right, signed their letters of committment on Nov.…

Mercer Island Islanders senior guard/co-captain Will Lee (pictured) said the goal for his squad this season is to win the 2A/3A KingCo Division and clinch a berth in the Class 3A state tournament in March of 2019 at the Tacoma Dome. Photo courtesy of Don Borin/Stop Action Photography

Sports

Islanders are confident on the hardwood

Mercer Island boys basketball team is looking to take the next step.

Mercer Island Islanders senior girls basketball player Angelina Barokas (pictured) dove for a loose ball against Bellevue in a game during the 2017-18 season. Barokas, who was a member of the Class 3A state championship squad two years ago as a sophomore, is determined to lead her team back to the Class 3A state tournament this March. Photo courtesy of Don Borin/Stop Action Photography

Sports

Mercer Island girls hoops team has high expectations

Dennis Black is in first season leading the Islanders program.

Mercer Island football player Hunter Johnson, left, makes a play against the Issaquah Eagles during a non-league game this past September. Johnson was one of three Islanders football players that captured 2A/3A KingCo first-team, all-league honors. Photo courtesy of Patrick Krohn/Patrick Krohn Photography

Sports

Islanders football players earn accolades for stellar 2018 season

A plethora of Mercer Island Islanders football players earned 2A/3A KingCo all-league awards for their play on the…

The Mercer Island Islanders boys water polo team (pictured) earned fifth place at the Washington water polo state tournament on Nov. 9 at the Curtis Aquatic Center in University Place. Photo courtesy of Dawn Friedland

Sports

Islanders earn fifth place at state water polo tournament

Mercer Island defeats Bellevue in season finale.

Ryan Pang (pictured on the far right) poses for a photo with teammates Sam Schroerlucke, Chris Groer and Ross Duncan in Miami. Photo courtesy of Ryan Pang

Sports

Pang competes at ITF Young Seniors World Team Championships

Mercer Island tennis coach partakes in an experience of a lifetime.

The Mercer Island Islanders girls swim team earned a fifth-place finish at the Class 3A state swim meet on Nov. 10 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. The 200 IM relay team consisting of Alexandra Williams, Grace Olsen, Cayla Prophater and Elie Bailey captured fifth place. The 200 free relay squad of Annie Pearse, Julia Williamson, Hailey Vandenbosch and Bailey finished in sixth place. The 400 free relay quartet of Pearse, Prophater, Vandenbosch and Williamson captured sixth place as well. Prophater earned fourth place in the 200 IM and third place in the 500 free. Sophia McGuffin registered a third-place finish in diving and Pearse finished in fifth place in the 100 free. Photo courtesy of Allison Nelson

Sports

Islanders earn fifth place at Class 3A state swim meet

Mercer Island swim team performs well at state swim competition.