Honda finishes in top six in Washignton state The Honda of Bellevue Senior Team, with several Mercer Island players, won the American Legion Division II Championship Game on Sunday, July 24, beating the Lakeside Recovery team to earn a chance to participate in the state tournament. After going 1-2 in the state tournament during the first week of August, Honda finished in the top six Legion teams in Washington. Mercer Island players include Spencer Slaven-Lazzar, Hunter Beaty, Alex Gamoran, James Hotson, Brian Kitamura, Robbie Philbrick, Sam Selby and Eric Thompson. Honda is coached by Mercer Island High School head coach Doug Williams.

During the championship game of the Division II tournament on July 24, Honda beat Lakeside Recovery 7-3. Robbie Philbrick threw a complete nine-inning game, striking out five with no walks. He earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors for the tournament. Honda collected 11 hits, with Eric Thompson going 4-for-5. In the top of the eighth inning, Spencer Slaven-Lazzar hit a two-run home run, which provided the game-winning runs. Honda added two more runs in the ninth to give Philbrick plenty of run support. The state tournament in Yakima saw nine-inning games played in 95-degree weather. Spencer Slaven-Lazzar and Robbie Philbrick pitched well, with Eric Thompson and Sam Selby leading the hitting. Honda played very well defensively, committing only four errors in their three games. MIHS girls soccer program’s soccer camps The second annual Summer Soccer Camp, hosted by Bryan Mazza, the Mercer Island High School soccer coach, is designed to expose the high school program to middle school players. The 15 players that participated had the opportunity to meet and train with Mazza and former Mercer Island High School standouts Jenn Doane (Whitman) and Maddie O’Meara (Stanford). The players learned the training methods of the high school teams, much of the terminology used in the program and walked through how the varsity team prepares for home matches.

The fifth annual Preseason Soccer Camp, which is designed to help the incoming high school players prepare for the upcoming high school season and gain exposure to some of the best players and coaches from the area, had more than 50 players attending this year. Mazza, assistant coach Mark Fiebig and goalkeeper coach Reed Atkin were joined this year by former United States Women’s National Team player Michelle French, former Everton Football Club, Scottish National Team and long time Sounder great Jimmy Gabriel, former United States National Men’s Team player John Sylvester and former Yugoslavian National Team player and local coach Samir Bjelanovic. New coaches and open gyms for girls basketball The Mercer Island Girls Basketball Booster Club Board has hired seven non-parent coaches for the upcoming middle school select program. The club expects to hire one more coach before the start of the season to give each team, grades 5-8, a coach and an assistant coach. These coaches will be holding open gyms for all Mercer Island girls going into grades 4-12 between Aug. 17 and Sept. 18. These gyms are to help prepare middle school and high school girls for the upcoming basketball tryouts and season.

North Mercer open gyms and coach: (all girls, grades 4-12 welcome at each open gym) Aug. 17, 5-7 p.m. with David Michaelis, (eighth grade); Aug. 21, 7-8:30 p.m. with Michaelis; Aug. 24, 5-7 p.m. with Holly Echeverria and Tana Ross (fifth grade) and Michaelis; Aug. 28, 7-8:30 p.m. Echeverria, Ross; Aug. 31, 5-7 p.m. with Karen Greytak and Dawn Wilson (sixth grade); Sept. 7, 5-7 p.m. with Michaelis; Sept.10-11. In addition, there will be a “Tune-Up for the Tryouts” on Sept. 10-11 from 1-4 p.m. at the high school gym for grades 4-8. The new Web site, www.migb.org, will have all the information posted soon.

Mustangs finish season after four tourneys The Mercer Island Mustangs finished their season after playing in four tournaments this summer: West Seattle, June 17-19; Redmond, July 15-17; Lynden, July 30-31; and Port Angeles, August 6-7. The team is comprised of players Ari Phillips, Lewis Radow, Zach Bucklin, Neil Datar, Nick Nordale, Beau Hibbert, Josh Peck, Brooks Hamilton, Sam Eggers, David Woolston, Josh Hartmann, Zack Taylor, Issac Lilly, Kaleb Wasihun, Espen Platou and was coached by David Phillips, Kevin Peck and Dan Nordale. Mudville Youth/IBC 2006 team season tryouts Mudville Youth Baseball and Island Baseball Clubs are co-sponsoring the following premier teams: 13-and-under Sandy Koufax, 14-and-under Sandy Koufax and 15-and-under Mickey Mantle. Tryouts for each team are held at Island Crest Park. The 15-and-under Mickey Mantle tryouts are Saturday, Aug. 27, from 2-5 p.m. The 14-and-under Sandy Koufax tryouts are Saturday, Aug. 20, 1-5 p.m. The 13-and-under Sandy Koufax tryouts are Saturday, Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with make-up tryouts being held Saturday, Sept. 10, 5-7 p.m. for 15-and-under Mickey Mantle and Sunday, Sept. 11, 12-4 p.m. for the 13- and 14-and-under Sandy Koufax.

Go to www.eteamz.com/islandbaseballclub to pre-register and mudvillebaseball.org for coach contact information. Tryouts are not required for Island Baseball Club Pony 14-and-under Cascade and 16-and-under Colt teams.

Online registration will run from December, 2005 through Feb. 1, 2006.