Division One- Preseason Outlook
The 2002 high school lacrosse season is
about to start and the Islanders begin defense of their crown. No, not
the island across the sound, but rather the one in the middle of Lake
Washington….it’s Mercer Island! The once mighty Spartans, from
Bainbridge, had their 7 year streaked snapped in 2001 and have just been
itching at the chance to reclaim what they feel belongs to them. And
Bainbridge just might be the best team on paper in 2002, but the field
looks better than ever in Division One (the former “A’ league).
Overlake, Nathan Hale and
Maple Valley look to be embarking upon a “rebuilding” year. However,
the race should be tight between Bainbridge, Mercer Island, Lakeside, a
much improved Bellevue squad and last year’s “B” league champs Port
Angeles for the four playoff spots.
2002 also appears to be
the year of the attackman. Eight of the top fifteen scorers in 2001
were underclassmen at attack including Bainbridge’s Adam Smith and Jacob
Hayachi, Bellevue’s Brandon Deal and Andy Young, Lakeside’s Kyle Lane,
Maple Valley’s Brian Johnson and Mercer Island’s Luke Larson and Daniel
Frankel. Should be an interesting battle for the league scoring lead,
all-state and all-american honors! It remains to be seen if anyone,
even Smith himself can near his own record set last year of 104 points.
At least there should be
plenty of goals!!! Defenseman and goalkeepers alike will have their
work cut out for them. Should be exciting!
Team: Bainbridge Island Spartans
Coach: Ryan Painter
2001 Finish: 15-1, 2nd place “A” league
Key Players Lost: D-Peter Bonoff, M-Jesse Fairbanks
Key Returners:
A-Adam Smith, A-Jacob Hayachi, D-Byron
Masi, M-Spencer Evans
Outlook: Rest of the league beware,
the Spartans are bound to be a bit cranky after losing the state title
for the first time since ’94. Additional coaching help has been brought
in to help fill the transition time as Coach Painter makes his way back
from his rookie season in the NLL.
Defensively, Bainbridge
lost a huge amount of leadership in Peter Bonoff. The returning crew,
including Masi, Dylan Preble and G-Charlie Delius, each saw quality time
a year ago and though young will not be inexperienced. On offense,
plenty of firepower returns including Smith and Hayachi- handling those
two is going to be a huge task for any defense! Graduation hit the
midfield harder than anywhere else for Bainbridge, but the Spartans are
always deep and Spencer Evans could be next in a long line of star
midfielders.
Look for Bainbridge to be right back at
the top this year- hungrier than ever!!!
Team: Bellevue Wolverines
Coach: Steve Corley
Assistants: Chris Bergin, Chris Holmes
2001 Finish:2-12, 7th place “A” league
Key Players Lost: D-Eric Heilman
Key Returners:
A-Brandon Deal, A-Andy Young , G-Matt
Stanley
Outlook: Bellevue played the role of
cardiatic kids in 2001 as the Wolverines lost several one goal games.
After they finally broke through, they even reeled off a win streak and
by season’s end showed what could lie ahead.
According to Coach Corley: “The
Bellevue program continues to grow, with 55 players out for the first
week of practice.” If the youth can step up and fill supporting roles,
the Wolverines could be very dangerous. Bellevue should score plenty of
goals as both leading scorers, Deal and Young, return. Defensively,
Matt Stanley looks to keep the nets clean as the backbone of a fairly
experienced core of defenders.
If the Wolverines learned from their
close calls in 2001 and can turn those games in their favor this spring
they will be right in the middle of the playoff chase!
Team: Lakeside Lions
Coach: Tony Olney
Assistants: Anthony Braxton, Troy Neal
2001 Finish: 10-5, 3rd place “A” league
Key Players Lost: A-Ian Redman, M-Mike Greenamn,
D-Matt Miller
Key Returners:
A-Kyle Lane, D-Jon Bodansky, M-Colby
Emerson
Outlook: A year ago, Lakeside
was knocked off the finals stage for the first time since ’96. In 2002,
the Lions return a young team looking to take them back to finals. They
may have their work cut out for them having lost the hearts of their
offense and defense respectively. Gone is All-American, attackman, Ian
Redman and 1st team all-state defender Matt Miller.
Looking to fill shoes in 2002 are
junior attackman, Kyle Lane and senior defenders, Chris Marshall and Jon
Bodansky. Lane had an impressive sophomore season, ranking in the top
15 in the league with 36 points. Junior John Fluke with also provide
firepower at the attack position. The midfield will have a wealth of
experience in three seniors, Emerson, Trever Watkins and Eric Harder.
Defensively, junior Nick Crowson will stand tall in net behind Bodansky,
Marshall and the rest of the D.
Look for the Lions to be back in the
playoffs in 2002!
Team: Maple Valley Vandals
Coach: Vern Smith
2001 Finish: 7-7, 5th place “A” league
Key Players Lost: M-Travis Cornelison, D-Adam
Running, D-Weston Butt
Key Returners:
A-Brian Johnson
Outlook: After a stellar inaugural
season in the “A” league that included a win over Lakeside and narrowly
missing the playoffs, the Vandals may be hard pressed to repeat their
performance in 2002. The good news- 2nd team All-State
Attackman, Brian Johnson returns for another season after he scored 50
goals a year ago. The bad news- Johnson won’t have as much help as he
did in 2001 having lost a solid core of defensemen and other top scorer
Cornelison.
The Vandals will compete and we know
they will always come hard. Wins may not come as easy though in 2002.
Team: Mercer Island Islanders
Coach: Ian O’Hearn
2001 Finish: 13-3, STATE CHAMPS
Key Players Lost: A-Dave Biehn, M-Geoff Thilo,
M-Scott Pattison
Key Returners:
A-Dan Frankel, A-Luke Larson, D-Jason
Chadick, G-Joey Solazzi
Outlook: The Islanders are the
defending champs! However, several key components to their championship
season have moved on. In addition to losing All-American Geoff Thilo
and 1st Team all-state attackman, Dave Biehn, the Islanders
must replace almost everyone from their top two midfield lines. Would
be junior, Scott Pattison has headed east to boarding school.
Furthermore, new coach Ian O’Hearn must step in and fill the loss of an
entire coaching staff.
So, what do the Islanders have?
Well, after relying heavily on the offense in 2001, this spring might
have more of a defensive tone to it. Mercer returns 2nd team
all-state defender Jason Chadick as well as 2nd team
all-state goalkeeper, Joey Solazzi. The offense still returns a large
amount of points in Larson and Frankel, but it remains to be seen how
they will fare without the supporting cast around them.
The Islanders must find a way to
fill several big holes. If a solid core of younger talent can step up,
look for Mercer to be right back in the thick of things again!
Team: Nathan Hale Red Raiders
Coach: Chris Long
2001 Finish: 2-11, 7th place “A” league
Key Players Lost: M-Eric Weitz, A-Mike Lowther,
A-Ben Morris, G-Ryan Garrett
Key Returners: A-Nate Koppleman, M-Alex
Wells, M-Kevin Weitz, M-Matt Haines
Outlook: 2002 marks a new beginning
for lacrosse at Nathan Hale as new coach, Chris Long, looks to turn the
Raiders fortunes. After a finals appearance in the “B” league two years
ago, the Raiders struggled in “A” league a year ago.
Hale is very young, as they return only
4 seniors in Koppleman, Wells,
G-Phil Neu and Drew Johnson. However a host of
new faces will look to have the Raiders off and running this spring.
Junior, Armand Gottlieb should compliment Koppleman at attack. In
addition to Wells, Weitz and Haines, juniors Michael Harlow and Faisal
Mased should contribute at midfield. The defense will be very young,
lead by sophomores Doug Heinekey and Dan Holt.
Words from Coach Long:
"I like what I see! So far, these kids have done
everything I've asked of them in the fall, winter - and we're off to a
solid start here in the spring. We have a long ways to go in building
good lacrosse fundamentals - but we feel confident that we'll be able to
compete with Division 1 teams in 2002."
Team: Overlake Owls
Coach: Matt Buffaloe
2001 Finish: 3-10, 6th place “A” league
Key Players Lost: G-Luke Boswell, M-Gavin Gaudette,
M-Will Nelson
Key Returners:
A-Charlie Kenyon, M-Kirk Thorson
Outlook: Matt Buffaloe takes over
the helm after a season that went south for Overlake in 2001. The Owls
started off promising, but mid-season problems including injuries and a
pair of forfeits had them sitting at the bottom of the standing by
season’s end.
This season the Owls return only 6
seniors. The bright side is that youth may carry the team in junior,
Kirk Thorson and sophomore Charlie Kenyon. The defense will need to
step up big, but inexperience may make it tough.
Team: Port Angeles Roughriders
Coach: Bob Baumstark
2001 Finish: 12-0, “B” league CHAMPS
Key Players Lost: M-Brandon Melville, M-TJ
Serrianne, M-Logan Smith
Key Returners:
A-Scott Cline, A-Ryan Weed, D-Jim
Baumstark, G-Chris Castleberry
Outlook: There is nothing like
success to assist in the growth of a program. However, growth can also
have its drawbacks. Following last year's "B" Division Championship,
lacrosse took the spotlight in Port Angeles. During the fall, over 80
boys expressed interest in playing the game. However, money and Title
IX (gender equity) issues in a funded school activity has limited the
program to two teams, giving the Riders the dubious honor of becoming
the first lacrosse "cut" program in the state.
The good news is last year's "B" Division Champs only lost three
seniors to graduation and the resulting experience and maturity will be
a definite help in Division I. Leading the team are captains Ryan
Anderson (junior mid with a 90+ mph shot), Scott Cline (1st team
all-league senior attack who led the "B" Division in goals scored last
year), and Jim Baumstark (Vail and 1st team all league defender with
stick skills and 4.6 speed).
Joining Cline on the
attack are three seniors; Brett Witters, Pat McEachern and the fourth
leading scorer in the 2001 "B" Division, Ryan Weed. The defensive unit
has been together for the past two years and in their efforts to keep
the ball away from the cage, seniors Paul Schaaf and Joey Leonard have
probably accumulated as many saves as senior goalkeeper, Chris
Castleberry. The Riders will be competitive in D-I, but will be tested
immediately in early matches with Mercer Island and Bainbridge.
-contributed by Bob Baumstark
So….Let the games
begin!!! The Jamboree is spread across four locations this Saturday
March 9th!!! Get out to a field and check out some of the
early season action. We’ll do our best to fill you in!
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