The fourth annual Northwest Invitational was hosted by the Mercer Island High School boys lacrosse program last weekend as teams from around the nation came to participate.

“We are getting a higher level of competition and some national press,” said Mercer Island boys lacrosse coach Ian O’Hearn. “It gives us some recognition from the rest of the country. They know who Mercer Island is.”

O’Hearn said that the benefit to the players is a better chance to be recruited to play in college.

“The college coaches are definitely starting to know who we are,” said O’Hearn.

This year’s tournament featured teams that all made their respective state’s quarter finals during the 2008 season.

The Islanders drew Idaho’s Timberline on Friday. Both teams are preseason No. 1 in their respective states. But Mercer Island proved to be the most dominant force. The Islanders held a slim 3-2 advantage at the half, but exploded during the second half to win the game 16-3.

“We just need to shake out the bugs,” said O’Hearn. “This is about getting out there and playing hard.”

The Islanders turned their attention to the defending state champions from Oregon, West Linn, on Saturday.

Mercer Island won the game 13-8, but the majority of Oregon’s goals were scored with a man up.

“We were a man down for 16 minutes, and they scored seven of their eight goals,” said O’Hearn.

Lincoln, of Oregon, defeated Issaquah in a tight game, 10-9.

Bingham, of Utah, played three games including a win against Skyline, 10-6.

Bountiful, also of Utah, played three games including a win against Skyline, 14-8, and a loss to Bainbridge Island, 13-9.

Another top team that came to Mercer Island was Montgomery Bell Academy from Tennessee. The Washington state-based teams took advantage of the opportunity as Issaquah, 8-7, Bellevue, 7-5, and Bainbridge Island, 8-7, all defeated the Montgomery Bell Academy.