Connor Bernal scored four goals and added three assists as Mercer Island secured the Division I Southwest Conference crown in its final game of the regular season, Friday with a 17 – 5 boys high school lacrosse defeat of Lake Tapps at Islander Stadium on Mercer Island.
Heading into the regular season finale, both squads sported 11 league wins on the season and owned a share of the top spot in the conference. But it was coach Ian O’Hearn who got his Islanders, still sullen from losses earlier in the season in New York to three of the top prep lacrosse teams in the country, to dig the deepest for the win.
Almost from the opening draw, O’Hearn’s Islanders dominated, scoring four in the first and adding three more in the second to take a 7 – 3 half-time lead. In the second, MI showed why it historically rises in the latter half of the season, outscoring Lake Tapps 6 -1 in the third and adding four more in the final frame for insurance on the win.
For the Islanders, Alex Robbs and Steen Swedstedt each netted three goals while Peter Mahony, Grant Priesler and Hayden Reisman all had a pair and Carlos Barrios came up with 10 saves in the MI nets.
For Tapps, Gordon Nelson led the way with two goals and Jaron Scarbrough turned away 15 shots on goal.
Mercer Island concludes its regular season with a 14-6-0 overall record. Lake Tapps concludes its regular season with a 11-3-0 overall record.
Scoring
Mercer Island 4 3 6 4 — 17
Lake Tapps 1 2 1 1 — 5
Mercer Island 17, Lake Tapps 5 (Connor Bernal, MI, 4 goals, 3 assists, 3 ground balls; Alex Robbs, MI, 3 goals, 1 ground ball; Steen Swedstedt, MI, 3 goals, 1 ground ball; Peter Mahony, MI, 2 goals, 1 assist, 5 ground balls; Grant Priesler, MI, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 ground balls; Hayden Reisman, MI, 2 goals, 5 ground balls; Edan Stern, MI, 1 goal; Carlos Barrios, MI, 10 saves; Gordon Nelson, LT, 2 goals, 1 ground ball; Keenan Fagan, LT, 1 goal, 1 ground ball; Joey Lucchesi, LT, 1 goal; Michael Lucchesi, LT, 1 goals; Josh Davenport, LT, 1 goal; Jaron Scarbrough, LT, 15 saves)
