2015 Fall Sports Previews | Part II

The Reporter takes a look at the prep teams representing Mercer Island this fall.

This week, the Reporter takes a look at four of the eight prep teams representing MI this fall for the second part of our fall sports previews. To see the first part, click here.

VOLLEYBALL

Coach: Susan McKay

Last season: Placed fifth at 3A state tournament.

Strengths: “I think we have a really strong defense,” senior Jemma Yeadon said. “That’s something we’ve consistently been good at throughout the years.”

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“Ten of the 13 people on varsity were on the team at state last year,” McKay said. “That’s a huge thing, because the two years before that there was so much turnover; each year was like rebuilding.”

“We’re all coming in stronger to the first practice and know what to expect,” senior Alex Samson said.

Area of focus: “We lost our two starting middle [blockers],” Yeadon said, referring to Brooke Behrbaum and Olivia Hughes, who graduated last June. “Obviously, we have total confidence in the people we have to step up and fill their shoes, but our middles were very good.”

Goals: “Everybody wants to get first in KingCo, finish in the top three at districts and we definitely want to win at state,” senior Mikaela Wingard said.

“I don’t think that’s unrealistic at all,” Yeadon added. “I think now, we have more to prove and we’re more excited about it.”

Seniors: Jemma Yeadon, Alex Samson, Helena Shield, Mikaela Wingard, Caroline Boissoneault.

Other key athletes: Tess Hendelman, Natalie Robinson, Kelly Behrbaum, Adara Hamilton.

Games to watch: Bellevue, Sept. 17; Lake Washington, Sept. 21; @ Holy Names Academy, Sept. 25.

From left, varsity members Drew Christofferson and Braden Williams (Joe Livarchik/Mercer Island Reporter).

BOYS GOLF

Coach: Tyson Peters

Last season: Third in KingCo, third at 3A state tournament.

Strengths: “This year, we’re a little bit more top-heavy than usual,” senior Drew Christofferson said. “We’ve got more upperclassmen playing at the top of our lineup, but we’ve got a lot of underclassmen that are looking really good and really promising.”

Needs to improve: Experience and depth.

“We have a really young team,” Peters said.  “We have more new players this year than we’ve ever had. Out of our 16 [players], we have six guys that have a lot of experience and then we have 10 that are pretty new to varsity. But the top six are good.”

“Practice is probably the biggest focal point for the team this year because we have a lot of younger players that we need to get going and getting them to a point where they’ll be part of the varsity lineup,” Christofferson said.

Goals: “We have a goal to shoot under 200 [strokes, as a team],” senior Braden Williams said.

“In the four years on varsity that [the seniors] have been here, the last three they’ve finished third every single year,” Peters said. “This is a year where they can certainly accomplish moving up the totem pole, and I know they want to leave here doing that.”

Seniors: Zach Evens, Drew Christofferson, Braden Williams.

Other key athletes: Maverick Emerson, Bligh Bjarnason, Zach Gottesman.

Meets to watch: Liberty, Oct. 1; Sammamish, Oct. 8.

From left, girls soccer captains Mary Elise Lovejoy, Namya Malik and Piper Casey (Joe Livarchik/Mercer Island Reporter).

GIRLS SOCCER

Coach: Ryan Camden

Last season: Third in KingCo, lost in KingCo tournament to Lake Washington.

Strengths: Speed.

“We probably have one of the fastest teams in the league,” senior Mary Elise Lovejoy said.

“Speed is our biggest strength. Number two is our technical ability, and the last thing is the competitive nature of these girls and their mental toughness,” Camden said.

Area of focus: “We really want to focus on possession this year and outwork the other team,” senior Piper Casey said.

“Finishing and getting the ball in the net is something we need to be consistent with,” senior Namya Malik said.

“The biggest theme is consistency and if we can be consistent every single game, every single day,” Camden said.

Goals: “We have three goals: number one is to beat Bellevue, number two is to win KingCo and number three is to win state,” Lovejoy said.

“The girls in their mind, they want to see a championship. Every day, we’re working for a championship. But the action needs to come. If we can keep that level of consistency high among players and coaches, it will come,” Camden said.

Captains: Mary Elise Lovejoy, Namya Malik, Piper Casey.

Other key athletes: Goalkeeper Bella Johnson.

Games to watch: @ Lake Washington, Sept. 24; @ Liberty, Oct. 1; @ Bellevue, Oct. 6.

From left, boys water polo captains Ford Witman and Conner Vacca (Joe Livarchik/Mercer Island Reporter).

BOYS WATER POLO

Coach: Andrew Smith-Jones

Assistants: Blake vanHartesvelt, Chad Salley.

Last season: Third at state tournament.

Strengths: “We have a deep bench,” senior Ford Witman said. “Everyone can swim super fast and we all have good ball-handling skills. I think that bench is what a lot of other teams lack.”

“I think overall, we’re a faster team than last year,” Smith-Jones said. “There’s more of that internal drive. They want to win.”

Needs to improve: “We got to pick up our defense,” Smith-Jones said. “We allowed way too many goals last year. We have a really good goalie in Hunter [Peshkin], but we can’t just leave it up to him to block the ball constantly.”

“We lost four starters from last year, so we’re really looking to some of our younger guys and even ourselves to step up and fill those roles,” senior Conner Vacca said.

Goals: “Win state,” Witman said. “I think everyone wants it, more than they did last year.”

“We’re always striving to be a state competitor,” Vacca said.  “We’ve shown that we can be hungry to win, it’s just a matter of if we can carry that throughout the season. And if we can, that will lead to our success and I think we can win state with that.”

Captains: Conner Vacca, Ford Witman.

Other key athletes: Erik Raisys, Hunter Peshkin, Jacob Guedel.

Games to watch: @ Roosevelt, Sept. 14; Bellevue, Sept. 22.