Mercer Island boys soccer looking for their shot | Spring Preview

By Megan Managan • March 30, 2010 3:31 pm

It didn’t happen last year, and it didn’t happen the year before, but this season the Mercer Island boys soccer team hopes to end its state championship game drought. For the past five years, the Islanders have made the state tournament, finishing third in 2006, 2008 and 2009.

This spring the Islanders are back, hungry for another shot at the title game. To get there, the team will need to be strong across the field.

“Our defense and mid-field should be very good,” said returning head coach Steve Newman. “We can knock the ball around well. I wish we could finish a little better. We have the chances, but we’re just not quiet there yet.”

The team returns 14 players from last year’s program, which ended with a third-place finish at state after Shorecrest bumped the team into the consolation bracket.

“We have a lot of young guys on JV who are going to be very good players. I think we’re going to be very solid this year,” said Newman. This year’s captains include seniors C.T. Crow, Tyler Ybarra, Taylor Ward and Matt Johnson.

One of the team’s key losses last season was goalkeeper Forest Marowitz, who graduated. This year in goal will be James Suh, a senior who earned his first shutout of the season when the Islanders beat Bellevue 3-0 last week. Also expected to see time on the field is sophomore Nicolas Trerentjev.

“We’ve always had very talented goalkeepers,” said Newman.

Besides making the state tournament, Newman said the team hopes to take the KingCo crown for the third year in a row, another elusive accomplishment in the conference. No team has done it, according to Newman, although the Islanders have been close.

“Obviously, we want to make it into state, but you have to get there first,” he said.

While Mercer Island is typically the team everyone else looks forward to playing, Newman said Juanita should provide a good threat this season.

“Sammamish is going to be tough, and Juanita, they should give us some problems,” he said.

The team will host Sammamish on Friday, April 2, before starting a three-game away series, traveling to Interlake, Juanita and Bellevue.

2010 Schedule

3/30 7:30 PM vs. Mount Si

4/2 7:30 PM vs. Sammamish

4/6 7:30 PM @ Interlake

4/9 7:30 PM @ Juanita

4/16 7:30 PM @ Bellevue

4/20 7:30 PM vs. Liberty (RENTON)

4/23 7:30 PM @ Mount Si