The Division I Stroll…

 

  • In the biggest match-up of the week, Issaquah took down Bainbridge 12-8 to secure a firm hold on the #2 seed headed into the playoffs.  Three separate players recorded hat-tricks for Issaquah led by Jordan Goldstein’s 4 goals and 1 assist.  Todd Jones and Kevin Powers also sent home three each. 

 

  • Of course Mercer Island still has a hold of #1 as the Islanders are unbeaten within the state. 

 

 

  • Mercer Island, Issaquah, Bainbridge and Curtis have clinched a playoff spot.  All sorts of scenarios left for teams currently sitting 5th-11th in the standings as only Tahoma, Eastlake and Garfield have been mathematically eliminated.  However, could be an interesting three-way tie for 4th-6th taking form if Bellevue beats Northshore by at least 3 goals this week.

 

    • Northshore:      Best Case – winning all 4 remaining games could put them in 4th place as they own tie-break with Curtis

Worst Case – losing remaining 4 games could drop them to 9th and outside playoffs

Prediction – close season 3-1, in three-way tie with Curtis and Bellevue and finish 5th based on GD

 

    • Skyline:            Best Case – winning all 4 remaining games puts them in at least 3rd

Worst Case – losing remaining 4 games could drop them to 9th and outside playoffs

Prediction – close season 1-3 and finish 7th

 

    • Bellevue:           Best Case – winning all 4 remaining games puts them in at least 5th place, maybe 4th

Worst Case – lose remaining 4 games could drop them as low as 10th and outside playoffs

Prediction – close season 4-0, in three-way tie with Curtis and Northshore and finish 4th based on GD

 

    • Seattle Prep:     Best Case – winning all 3 remaining games could put them as high as 4th place

Worst Case – losing remaining 4 games could drop them as low as 11th and outside playoffs

Prediction – close season 1-2 and finish 8th

 

    • Vashon:            Best Case – winning all 4 remaining games could puts them as high as 5th place

Worst Case – losing remaining 4 games could drop them as low as 11th and outside playoffs

Prediction – close season 1-3 and finish 9th, outside the playoffs

 

    • Lakeside:          Best Case – winning all 3 remaining games could sneak them into playoffs in 8th

Worst Case – losing remaining 3 games most likely drops them to 11th

Prediction – close season 1-2 and finish 10th

 

    • Puyallup:           Best Case – winning all 3 remaining games could sneak them into playoffs in 8th

Worst Case – losing remaining 3 games most likely drops them to 11th

Prediction – close season 0-3 and finish 11th

 

  • Best match-ups of the upcoming week:
    • 5/5  Skyline @ Curtis –  Curtis has to have this one if they want any shot at a home game in the playoffs
    • 5/8  Curtis @ Bainbridge – Vikings have never had much success against the Spartans, but 3rd place might be reachable with a win.
    • 5/8  Northshore @ Bellevue – Assuming they beat Puyallup, Bellevue then must win by 3 or more to have a shot at 4th place.
    • 5/8  Lincoln @ Mercer Island – Interesting non-league game this late in the year.  Both teams have beaten Issaquah by 1.
    • 5/8  Vashon @ Skyline – Vashon has to have it to keep playoff hopes alive.
    • 5/9  Lincoln @ Bainbridge – Another battle between perennial state powers… Oregon vs Washington

 

The D2 Stroll…

 

  • King’s Way and Mukilteo have each clinched their conference and thus a #1 seed heading into the playoffs.  Eastside Catholic has virtually clinched by beating Lake Tapps for the second time, though they still must win 2 of 4 to truly clinch a #1 seed.  Seems that all three should enter the playoffs unbeaten in Division II play.  Eastside Catholic and Mukilteo have only lost to Division I teams, while King’s Way’s only loss was out of state.  Redmond also remains unbeaten but still has Snohomish and Overlake to get past to stay that way.

 

  • Skagit Conference: Mukilteo has secured the #1 seed here.  Two through four is where it becomes a little less clear.  San Juan, Lynnwood, Stanwood and Whatcom all have 4 losses in the league. 
    • Whatcom is on the outside looking in but has 3 games left and a win on Saturday at San Juan would be a huge help for them
    • Stanwood has 2 games left, at Lynnwood and against Mukilteo.  Stanwood lost by one the last time vs Lynnwood and need this victory to help their first playoff appearance in team history.
    • Lynnwood has North County and Stanwood left.  The way it is shaping up they would need to win both to secure a spot.
    • San Juan has one game left in the schedule, home against Whatcom.  With a win they secure a spot for the second year in a row.

 

  • Evergreen Conference: Redmond and Overlake have earned playoff berths and will meet one more time to in the last game of the regular season. This game could possibly decide the top seed in the conference depending on this week’s outcomes.
    • Snohomish needs just one more win to secure a spot.
    • Blanchet has 3 wins in the conference, but 4 games left to play.  A win this week over Roosevelt secures playoffs and eliminates the Roughriders.
    • Roosevelt must beat Blanchet and then pray that the Braves lose each of their other 3 remaining games.

 

  • Cascade Conference: While it is not secured just yet, Eastside Catholic must lose three of four games to drop out of the #1 seed.
    • Lake Tapps would need to lose to Franklin and Highline to drop out of the #2 spot.
    • Three Rivers has 3 games left, all with playoff implications.  They face EC, Sammamish and Selah.  Winning 2 of 3 solidifies the #3 seed.
    • Sammamish and Selah will battle for the last spot here.  Both have 3 games left, both play Three Rivers on either side of squaring off against each other.  Both are looking to secure a program first playoff appearance.

 

  • Olympic Conference:  King's Way has captured the #1 spot in this conference, but there is still a battle for the other three.
    • Tacoma has one game left and is in control of the #2 seed.
    • Stadium can steal the #2 with wins over Tacoma and South Kitsap. 
    • Klahowya sits at #4 and must beat King's Way for a shot to move up.

 

  • Games to watch
    • 5/6 – Stanwood @ Lynnwood – Winner takes a hold of 3rd in the Skagit and stays ahead of Whatcom.
    • 5/7 – Roosevelt @ Blanchet – A win for the Braves all but clinches a playoff berth
    • 5/9 – Sammamish @ Selah – A win for Sammamish secures a program first playoff berth.
    • 5/9 – Snohomish @ Redmond – Clash of the Titans! Did you know Snohomish was originally the Titans… now Panthers?

 

Lacrosse The Country…

 

  • It’s May Madness… NCAA Lacrosse style.  WHSBLA alumns Drew Snider and Brant Howell will be on the sidelines as Maryland and Notre Dame will meet in the first round… a game that pits current Terrapin, Will Yeatman, against the school that sent him packing. 

 

  • Former Seattle Prep star, Shane O’Neill and former Garfield All-American, Caldwell Rohrbach will also get to take a postseason runs as Cornell and Saint Lawernce made the NCAA DI and NCAA DIII tournaments respectively.

 

Lacrosse Four Thought…

Who will be the best team to not make the playoffs in Division I? Division II?

What match-up would you most like to see in the Division II playoffs?

When will Washington get the same number of All-Americans as Oregon?

Why did Loyola get snubbed from the NCAA Division I tourney?

 

Fans Sound Off…

(The best comments from the past week)

 

“I don’t see any of the unbeaten teams losing until the playoff.”

 

“When the game hits running clock, probably a good time to have the starters on the bench.”

 

“Wrong player was ejected from Bellevue and the guy from Mercer got a drink thrown at him.”

 

Any thoughts? Ideas for future stories? Feeling the need to comment or vent?

EMAIL: TheSundayStroll@gmail.com