Issaquah rebounds big time

Well the big time match-ups are back this week and so was the rain. Actually, a light drizzle accompanied most on the ride out to Issaquah but managed to hold off. This was the first time Bainbridge Island and Issaquah have met since last year’s championship game ending with Issaquah taking it all in 2008. Would it be a different story tonight?

35 seconds in, Jordan Goldstein gets the Eagles started with the game’s first goal. Great left handed sweep, shot on the run beating Bryce Stevenson off hip. Issaquah would continue to control the ball eventually only losing one first quarter face-off. Sam Snow would answer for Bainbridge 7 minutes after Goldstein, coming left handed around the cage sticking it top shelf. 1-1 4 minutes left in the 1st. #2 would answer right back 45 seconds after Snow with his second of the night as the Eagles regained the lead 2-1.

Snow would continue his productivity finding Cameroon Parker one on one with the goalie Cameron Danforth, after a failed clear knotting us at 2 apiece. The Eagles were able to create a few quality opportunities towards the end of the quarter only to miss the goal and be halted by the Spartans D whom held tight as the horn sounded.

Coach Fortier’s team again wasted no time establishing themselves in the second quarter second two quick goals to begin. First middie Kevin Powers, then it would be Goldstein making it happen clearing the ball himself and finding Jake Fritz on the doorstep. Thus far Issaquah has been able to control the possession time drawing doubles, finding open match-ups, getting shots off and winning the groundball war. Fritz would tally an assist of his own, dishing it to Riley Goodman inside who riffled it to where your mother hides the cookies. With just under 3 minutes left, Bainbridge has held the ball for a total of 40 seconds.  Trailing 2-6 Snow would find Jacob Goodman pulling to within half of the deficit before half.

 Todd Jones would pick up right where the Eagles left off 15 seconds into the second half.  Then score his second of the night two minutes later extending his teams lead to 5. 8-3. Jordan Wagner would score for Bainbridge before Goodman would find Goldstein and get it right back. With Goodman controlling 70% of the face-offs, it remained tough for the Spartans to get anything going.

I should hold my tongue. Wagner would keep trucking none the less, taking things into his own hands scoring twice before Sam Snow would score again. Along with Wagner’s three goals and that last tally by Snow with 2:45 left in the 3rd, Bainbridge has clawed their way back into this game. Give credit to the Spartans offense that seems more patient and aware of when to take chances. Just before the end of the third, Todd Jones would have his hat trick stopping the momentum heading into the 4th with a 10-7 lead.

Sticking with the quick start to the quarter theme, Jones would set-up Fritz on a nice fast break play just under a minute into the quarter. Fellow Sophomore Kevin Powers would have his hat trick just over 6 minutes to go as the Bainbridge defense was caught scrambling. 12-7 Issaquah.

Henry Deery-Schmitt sees some burn scoring his first of the night. 12-8.

Some of the little storylines that make this one have to be Issaquah’s balanced scoring. 6 different goal scorers, 6 assists, 4 middies and 4 attack man would show up on the point sheet. The other would be All-State Attackmen Kevin Nguyen averaging around 4 points a game was held to goose egg tonight.

Final Score 12-8 Issaquah over Bainbridge

Kevin Powers 3, 0
Todd Jones 3, 2
Jordan Goldstein 3, 1

Jordan Wagner 3, 1
Sam Snow 2, 2