Bainbridge vs. Issaquah Game Recap

Tonight we see the battle that may define the playoff perspective for the Mountain conference. Undefeated Bainbridge Island playing 10-2 Issaquah at home. BI has looked sharp in the last three weeks of play, and Issaquah hasn't been tested since the Garfield loss.

Bainbridge wins the face-off, and almost immediately, BI goes man-up on a slash. Olson steps in for a bouncer saved by Johnson. With 10:39, BI regains possession still man-up. Forsythe assists Ryan Van den Merendonk for a score with just over 10 minutes left in the first quarter.

BI gets possession on the face-off and moves in for a shot - saved by Johnson who clears to Wright. Wright feeds the crease with a hot pass and turns the ball over to Issaquah. Fiore drives from behind and just misses with a jumper keeping the ball BI. Issaquah makes a save and gets a couple shots on the freshman Stevenson before turning the ball over to BI who already has six or seven shots on cage. Mason Smith clears the ball with no challenge feeding Yaap alone on the crease for the 1-1 dunk with just over 5 minutes in the first quarter.

BI wins another face-off and shoots one from Olson, the save is cleared down to Yaap but Weisner forces him to turn it over. BI gets a possession and moves the ball around trying a behind the back on the crease. Masi picks it up and runs the corner from behind falling as he scores number two for Bainbridge with 1:45 left in the first. BI so far has won every face-off, and Mason Smith is able to push his defender out to get the ball back. Gerrard brings it in but the Issaquah offense cannot do anything as the quarter ends, BI up 2-1.

Issaquah gets the face-off and goes to Yaap for a top shelf lefty goal just 21 seconds into the quarter. Issaquah wins the next face-off as well, and Wiesner gets a penalty giving Issaquah a 1 minute extra man opportunity. BI makes several great saves and turns it over on some good pass blocking in cage. Issaquah gets it back, only to turn it over on another Issaquah penalty. BI goes man-up for a minute with 9:13 on the clock. Clayton Knight finds the net with his shot from up top making the score 3-2 with 8:35 in the half. Issaquah wins the face-off and calls a time-out with 8:17 in the half. Issaquah gets stripped and BI clears the ball calling a time-out with 7:44 left and the ball in Delius's stick. BI is working ISO, but turns it over picked up and cleared by Mason Smith who is playing a great game. He gets his team a man-up before the Gilbreath brothers get the ball.

The ball moves back to Issy while Campi drives on his man drawing the slide. He flips a sick feed to Yaap who scores making it 3-3 Issaquah. Seconds later, the Eagles get the ball from Wright to Campi to Yaap for number four with three minute left in the half. Masi works his magic from behind, and ties it up 4-4 over the shoulder of Johnson. Right back off the face-off with a minute and a half on the clock, Campi hits Bates for a great go ahead score, making it 5-4 Eagles. With hits flying, Issaquah goes into halftime leading 5-4.

9 GBs and 10 shots for Issy, 18 ground balls and 10 shots for BI. BI gets possession and moves the ball to Masi who makes a sick stuff on a solo bouncer, only to turn it over going in and out of the Crease. Gerrard dodges three guys at midfield to move the ball down to the offense. Somehow, Gilbreath comes up with it and BI burns some possession time before Masi hooks Delius up scoring BI's 5th goal.

With 8:16 left, Travis Wright single handedly gets a tough face-off, takes the ball up top, dodges and fires a rocket making the score 6-5 Eagles.

BI grabs the next possession with a great clear from Max Olson but cannot convert. There is a battle for the ball at Midfield with BI getting possession and and firing some shots, getting a break with a 1 minute slash opportunity in man-up. With 2:27 Masi hits a wide open Forsythe for a loud net shot and BI ties it 6-6. Each team answering the other through the 3rd quarter. Time expires 6-6.

Another great game on the edge of their seats. BI gets possession on a Gilbreath shot, and Forsythe sends a high ball to Delius who jumps to catch it and jumps to fire it top center over Johnson, and BI is up 7-6 just one minute into play in the fourth. BI goes back to the ISO up top, and turns it over to Issy. BI gets it right back but can't convert on some great ball movement. On an Eagles clear, Campi gets a 1-1 shot on cage, but doesn't get it done. Frye rings the bell with 7:36 on the clock with a sick quick-stick on the crease from Morris. The score is tied at 7. BI gets another Man-up on an Issaquah slash and calls a time-out with 6:35 to talk about their plan for going ahead here. Issaquah has been hurt by penalties tonight, and BI has capitalized on almost every man-up they have possessed. Issaquah kills it as the ball goes out.

Several minutes of hitting and hard-fought ground balls goes by as BI and Issy battle. Finally, Issy comes up with the ball and calls time-out with 3:58 left on the clock. Ryan Gilbreath steals a pass and feeds Foster who feeds Masi for the corner shot and goes ahead with 3 minutes making the score 8-7. Another long battle for the ball with Smith coming up with the ball and now Issaquah will have a chance to tie. Stevenson saves Wright's cannon. With a trade of possession, BI is offsides giving Issy a 30 second opportunity to tie it up. The ball is snapped up by BI and BI calls a time out with possession only leaving 47 ticks on the clock. Delius takes the ball up top and works on possession time, but Issy gets it. Another ground ball battle as time expires, and BI keeps their winning streak alive and perfect season intact.  Final score 8-7 to Bainbridge.