Division I

      Perennial power Bainbridge Island began the season as the favorite to repeat.  Even though the Spartans lost All-American attackman, Adam Smith, they returned just about everyone else.  Sure enough, Bainbridge waltzed through the regular season.

      2002 Division II champion, the Panthers LC, moved up to Division I and immediately began making waves.  By season�s end, the Panthers had secured 3^rd place and a playoff berth.

      Joining Bainbridge and the Panthers in the playoffs were Lakeside and Mercer Island.  Lakeside made a return trip after a year hiatus.  Mercer Island started the season a little shaky, but once they got rolling, they cruised into the finals.  Bainbridge disposed of Lakeside while Mercer Island disposed of the Panthers and a rematch of last year�s final was set.

      Prior to the game, Mercer�s Brad Gillis and Luke Larson and Bainbridge�s Spencer Evans were each honored as a Washington State High School All-Americans.

     The Islanders came out amped as midfielder, Chris Taylor scored 2 of Mercer�s first 3 goals on invert plays from behind the cage. Not sure the word �rattled� exists in the Spartan camp though.  They patiently and methodically stayed in the game and eventually pushed to an 8-6 lead midway through the 3^rd quarter.  The Spartans had essentially kept Larson and Gillis in check.  Spencer Evans had notched a goal, but was making more of a presence roaming the midfield, clearing the ball, winning face-offs and throwing some crowd pleasing body checks. 

     Mercer had one last push as they scored to make it 8-7.  Then after a scramble in Mercer�s defensive end, Nathan Porter came away with the ball and headed up field.  Behind the play, DavidVanderHoek drew a flag for a late hit on Mercer�s goalie, Jeramy Raquepau.  Mercer�s Andrew Vincent got in VanderHoek�s face and subsequently drew an unsportsmanlike flag.  The play should have been dead immediately.  However, the referee never blew a whistle and as all this was occurring, Porter still had the ball.  He finished it to tie the game at 8 and the referees let the goal stand.  Having tied the game with 43 seconds left in the 3^rd, Mercer had the momentum and it appeared we might have a great 4^th quarter finish. Yet, Evans won the ensuing face-off clean, raced down the field and fired low to tally an unassisted goal and push Bainbridge back on top for good.  Mercer never scored in the 4^th and the Spartans defended the title 13-8.

     David VanderHoek finished with 4 goals and Spencer Evans with 3 in leading the Spartan charge.  The defense held Luke Larson to 1 goal and Brad Gillis to 1 goal, 1 assist.  Despite a few careless giveaways, Raquepau played admirably in net for Mercer, finishing with 20 saves.

Division II

      The newly aligned Division II provided for much excitement in 2003.  With expansion, formation of three conferences and eight playoff berths up for grabs, Division II saw plenty of parity.

     The Eastside Ravens and Curtis Vikings staked early claim as the top guns crushing teams by double digits.  The Roughriders LC and Garfield were the early season surprises and both would battle it out for the Metro Conference crown.  But, in the end, it came down to two inner-conference match-ups to decide trips to the finals.  Olympic Conference foes Vashon and Curtis squared off in one semifinal while Inland-North rivals Issaquah and Eastside took the stage in the other.  Curtis prevailed 11-3 and Eastside pulled out a thriller 7-6.

     In the finals, Curtis took an early lead and the teams settled into trading goals.  The Ravens got their usual production from Division II leading scorer, Jack Andrews, but the Vikings� Tom Gibbon was held in check.  Eastside held an 8-6 advantage heading into the 4^th.

     Both teams seemed content to rely on outside shots and one-on-one play shown in the fact that 10 of Eastside final 13 goals were unassisted.  Yet, the Vikings couldn�t stop it and the Ravens held defense held Curtis scoreless in the 4^th.  Final score: Eastside 13, Curtis 6.  Eastside ended the Vikings 24-game winning-streak and captured the Division II title.