BREAKING NEWS :

The All-KingCo basketball teams were announced at the end of the KingCo basketball tournament last Friday night.

Named to the first team from Mercer Island was junior Quinn Sterling and senior Kaj Sherman. Brian Miller received an honorable mention, while Bellevue’s Aaron Bright was named the KingCo boys league MVP and Sammamish coach Wes Newton was coach of the year.

Robert Burmeister/Contributed photo

In the girls league Hailey Gullstad was named the MVP while Islander head coach Jamie Prescott was the coach of the year.
Named to the first team from Mercer Island was Hannah Lilly, while Kate DaPron and Jae Shin were named to the second team.

The season is right around the half way mark and the basketball polls couldn’t be any closer. The top three teams in the boys 3A poll were separated by just one point this week with undefeated Bellevue nabbing the top spot.

The Mercer Island girls jumped into the top five with a No. 4 ranking in the state. They are in firm command of the 3A KingCo league after dominating against Bellevue last Friday. As a little side note based on the numbers I’ve been seeing there are no undefeated 3A girls teams in the state this season.

The Bellevue boys took the top place in the 3A ranking as they are undefeated at 11-0. After watching them play against a fired up MI boys team last Friday, the Wolverines were cool and calm, obviously in control as they have been all season.

In the 4A girls arena Issaquah and Newport swapped No. 3 and No. 4 after the Lady Eagles beat Newport in the Knights first loss this season. Should be interesting to see how things play out until March.

Class 4A boys
1. Federal Way (10-0)
2. Curtis (11-0)
3. Gonzaga Prep (9-1)
4. Richland (10-0)
5. Jackson (9-1)
6. Decatur (8-2)
7. Kamiakin (9-1)
8. Skyline (8-1)
9. Foss (9-2)
10. Kentridge (8-3)
Others receiving votes: Walla Walla (7-2), Lake Washington (8-2), Lake Stevens (8-3)

Class 4A girls
1. Auburn Riverside (11-0)
2. Woodinville (10-0)
3. Issaquah (9-1)
4. Newport (9-1)
5. Federal Way (9-2)
6. Kentwood (8-2)
7. Lewis and Clark (7-3)
8. Edmonds-Woodway (8-1)
9. Jackson (8-1)
10. Chiawana (9-1)
Others receiving votes: Bellarmine Prep (7-3), Monroe (9-1), Richland (8-2), Wenatchee (7-4), Kentlake (8-3), Marysville-Pilchuck (8-3)

Class 3A boys
1. Bellevue (11-0)
2. Enumclaw (9-0)
3. Rainier Beach (7-3)
4. Seattle Prep (8-3)
5. Lakes (7-2)
6. O’Dea (8-3)
7. Shadle Park (8-2)
8. Mount Si (8-3)
9. Hazen (9-2)
10. Capital (7-1)
Others receiving votes: Franklin (5-5), Meadowdale (7-2), Columbia River (7-3), Foster (7-2), Hudson’s Bay (8-1), Sammamish (9-3)

Class 3A girls
1. Holy Names (9-2)
2. Kennedy Catholic (8-3)
3. White River (8-1)
4. Mercer Island (8-3)
5. Sumner (8-2)
6. Bonney Lake (8-3)
7. Lakes (7-3)
8. Mount Rainier (8-2)
9. Shadle Park (7-3)
10. Lakeside (7-5)
Others receiving votes: Prarie (6-3), Yelm (9-1), Mount Tahoma (10-2), Meadowdale (5-4), Shorecrest (5-3)

The march to state continues this week and next for many teams in the area. Many of Mercer Island’s fall sports are finished (boys golf, volleyball, football, water polo, cross country), but a couple will continue through this weekend, and depending on the success they have, possibly next weekend.

The MIHS girls volleyball team fell to Mount Si during the district tournament last weekend, but because state volleyball takes place this weekend in Kennewick, hears a quick look at how the coaches association ranked the top 8 3A teams.

Volleyball Coaches Association Class 3A rankings

1. Camas 2. Seattle Prep 3. Mount Spokane 4. Capital (Olympia) 5. Timberline (Lacey) 6. Bishop Blanchet (Seattle) 7. Lakes (Lakewood) 8. West Valley (Yakima)

The Islanders soccer team is still alive in the hunt for some state hardware. Last night the team took down Auburn Mountainview in the first round. They next play Glacier Peak, a state favorite this season. To watch the complete 3A girls soccer bracket visit the WIAA’s bracket or the WIAA state soccer tournament page.

In Northwest swimming action the Mercer Island girls team heads to Federal Way this weekend for the state tournament. Last year the girls finished third overall, and after sweeping KingCo and Districts this year it’s anyones guess how high the team could finish. The prelims begin Friday for the 3A event with the finals on Saturday. To get more info on the state swimming schedule check out the WIAA’s state swimming page.

The most recent high school cross country coaches rankings have come out, days ahead of the state meet this weekend in Pasco.
The Mercer Island boys qualified for the state contest, and have been ranked No. 9 in the state. This is a step up for the team after being ranked No. 10 last week. The girls dropped out of the ranking after not qualifying for the state meet as a team. Last week they were ranked No. 6.

Here’s the complete 3A boys ranking: 1. North Central (Spokane); 2. Bishop Blanchet (Seattle); 3. Belelvue; 4. Peninsula (Gig Harbor); 5. Mount Spokane; 6. Seattle Prep; 7. Lindbergh (Renton); 8. Columbia River (Vancouver); 9. Mercer Island; 10. Everett

See next week’s issue for a recap of the state meet with local results.

Next week marks the last week of the regular season for many of Mercer Island’s fall sports. For some the post season hunt has already begun, like cross country and boys golf.
The cross country teams will head to Issaquah for the KingCo league meet on Thursday afternoon and the boys golf team is looking to score a win at the district tournament to complete their season in undefeated fashion. Swimming is also undefeated, looking to take down Bothell this afternoon before Bainbridge on Tuesday. The KingCo Championships will be held Thursday, Oct. 29 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way. The boys tennis team also remains undefeated this season, putting an 8-0 dent on the season thus far.
As the season winds down and the wins become so much more important for playoff potential here is a quick look at where the KingCo 3A league is in volleyball, girls soccer and football.

Volleyball
Mount Si       9-0 (10-1)
Mercer Island  7-2 (8-4)
Interlake     4-4 (6-5)
Juanita     4 -5 (4-7)
Bellevue     3-5  (3-7)
Liberty     3-5 (5-6)
Sammamish     0-9

Girls soccer
Mercer Island  8-1-0 (10-2-1)
Sammamish     4-2-2 (5-3-3)
Mount Si     3-3-3 (4-6-3)
Juanita     3-3-2 (3-3-6)
Liberty     2-2-4 (2-6-4)
Bellevue     2-5-1 (5-6-1)
Interlake     1-7-0 (4-8-0)

Football
Bellevue       3-0 (4-2)
Liberty     3-0 (6-0)
Interlake     3-1 (5-1)
Juanita     2-1 (5-1)
Mount Si     1-2 (3-3)
Mercer Island 0-4 (1-5)
Sammamish     0-4 (1-5)

In other news, in the Cross Country Coaches Association weekly team rankings the Mercer Island girls team was ranked sixth overall. Glacier Peak of Snohomish was first, Shadle Park of Spokane second, Mount Spokane third, North Kitsap fourth, Columbia River of Vancouver, fifth, Capital of Olympica seventh, Seattle Prep eighth, Bellevue ninth and Enumclaw 10th.

I had an e-mail from a reader last night asking about high school standings so I thought I’d give a little update as to where teams sit right now in the KingCo 3A league.
Next week things really kick off before the post season rush begins, so keep checking back for updated information that may not make the print edition.
Also, I wanted to note that the Mercer Island boy’s golf team is going to be playing for the KingCo title against Woodinville on Monday afternoon (beginning at 4 p.m.) at the Echo Woods golf course in Woodinville. Head coach Tyson Peters has been talking about this match up all season long, and it promises to be a good test of the Islanders’ talent.

Here are the standings for the KingCo 3A league as of the afternoon of Thursday, Oct. 1

Football
1. Interlake 2-0 (5-0)
2. Liberty 2-0 (4-0)
3. Juanita 1-0 (4-0)
4. Bellevue 1-0 (2-2)
5. Mercer Island 0-2 (1-3)
Mount Si 0-2 (1-3)
Sammamish 0-2 (1-3)

Volleyball
1. Mount Si 5-0 (6-1)
2. Mercer Island 3-1 (4-3)
3. Liberty 2-2 (4-3)
4. Juanita 2-2 (2-4)
Bellevue 2-2 (2-4)
5. Interlake 1-3 (2-4)
6. Sammamish 0-5 (0-7)

Girl’s Soccer
1. Mercer Island 4-0 (6-1)
2. Sammamish 2-1-1 (3-2-2)
3. Mount Si 1-1-2 (2-4-2)
4. Juanita 1-1-1 (1-1-5)
5. Bellevue 1-2 (4-3)
6. Liberty 0-1-2 (0-4-2)
7. Interlake 0-3 (2-4)

The boy’s golf team is undefeated in KingCo matches at 5-0, currently challenging for the KingCo title and the girl’s swimming team is also undefeated at 5-0, with several members of the swim team already qualified for appearances at the state meet this fall.