Bellevue, Mercer Island set for rivalry lacrosse game, BELAX girls to state | Prep sports news

The Wolverines face rival Mercer Island Friday, with a chance at the conference's top spot at stake, while the Bellevue East girls squad is headed to the state playoffs

By Josh Suman • May 9, 2014 12:42 pm
Bellevue defenders Chris Medzegian (right) and Andrew Choe have helped senior goalkeeper Cole Cansler make the most of his first season as the varsity starter in the cage
Bellevue defenders Chris Medzegian (right) and Andrew Choe have helped senior goalkeeper Cole Cansler make the most of his first season as the varsity starter in the cage

Three teams remain in contention for the top spot from KingCo to the boys Division I lacrosse state tournament, with rivals Bellevue and Mercer Island set to help decide the regular season champion on Friday.

The Islanders are a perfect 9-0-0 in conference play headed into the game, and passed their stiffest test of the season with a 10-9 win over Issaquah on May 2.

That victory put them in the diver’s seat for the top seed to the postseason and first round bye, and Mercer Island can lock up those accomplishments with a win over the Wolverines.

Bellevue is 9-1-0 and tied with Issaquah entering its final two games, after falling to the Eagles on April 25.

Two more wins, coupled with a loss by the Eagles against either Skyline or Roosevelt, would give the Wolverines another outright conference championship.

Bellevue has won three straight since falling to Issaquah, and beat Ballard 17-1 in its final tuneup for the rivalry showdown with the Islanders.

Mercer Island’s only loss came in an out-of-state game, and they enter the game scoring 14 goals per game in their last four contests since the setback.

By contrast, no team has scored more than nine goals against the Wolverines in a game this season.

Bellevue finishes the regular season May 16 against Mount Si.

BELAX girls headed to state tournament

Throughout the season, the Bellevue East girls lacrosse team has had its sights set on a state tournament berth.

After earning a fourth place finish in the stacked Snoqualmie Conference, BELAX is now staring directly at the opportunity to capture another state title.

Coach Craig Van Der Horn’s squad finished the season with a 19-19 tie with Overlake May 5, its sixth straight game without a loss, and will be the 10th seed in a game against Stadium in the first round May 9.

BELAX captured the Division II state championship in 2011, and will try for its first D-I title against a field that also includes fellow conference powers Eastside Catholic, Issaquah and defending state runner-up Lake Sammamish.