Mercer Island High School - ISLA Yearbook (Mercer Island, WA)

Page 71 text:

'Ss-4 TUQ r l f Mike Copass comes charging up the hill. 2153. This year's cross country teams found that to Expect the Best pays off. After months of rigorous training, both the boy's and girl's teams managed to clinch a spot at the District meet by racing to third and fifth places respectivly at the Kingco meet. Despite torents of rain and gusty winds at District, the teams placed so well they earned the chance to compete in the State meet. The results of these meets cannot possibly convey the success felt by each of the runners as he or she progressed through the season. Although the success of cross country is a team effort, many of the victories are felt on a per- sonal level. In August, when official training begins, many of the runners are out of shape. The next months entail countless hours of roadworlc and with each mile the runner builds up the incredible endurance needed to compete in a cross country race. Soon the seven mile runs that were torturous at the beginning of the season are completed with ease. The individual has accomplished a personal victory: fitness. Next comes the competition itself. Although at each meet a team is determined as the winner, what seems to matter most is how each individual ran. If the runner ran to the best of his or her ability and accomplished the goal they set before the race, they have won. If one has a bad race, he trains some more, gets psyched for the next meet, and tries it again. This is the spirit of cross country. It's and individual and a team sport. Although there is friendly competition between athletes on the same team, the emphasis is on supporting each other. As team captain Steffen Nelson said, cross country is definitely a team sport. There is a lot of comradery between us and we really care about how teammates competed.

Page 73 text:

FOOTBALL The Mercer Island Islanders Football team started practice in the hor August sun- long before the other students had thought of school. They toiled for two weeks with double-day practices until the beginning of school on September first. The team started the season with a disappointing loss to Ingelmoor, which started a long string of Islander setbacks. The two high points of the sea- son were the disappointing o-7 loss to the eventual Kingbowl finest, jaunita, and an overtime victory over the then number 9 rated Newport Knights. This year we just didn't get the breaks, we lost a couple of close ones and then everything started to snowball. It was disappointing for all involved. But this group of players had something that most teams in the KingCo. lacked-class. said Senior linebacker Kirk Johnson. The J.V. football team on an average day had I3 to I4 players showing much enthusiasum and endurance since they were on the field the whole game. Showing that they could play just as well under the lights as the varsityg the j.V.'s had their only win of the season 8 to 6 over Woodenville. With outstanding senior leadership and coaching there were many close games. A survivor of eight seasons, senior Duff Allen singles out the past season at M.I. as his most enjoyable. The Sophomore team finished 4 and 3 and had a super year. The team should mix well next year with the juniors to form an outstanding Varsity team. Coaches Pat Strong and Paul jerue were great to play for an we had a lot of fun. said sophomore player Don Gochanour. After the loss of the first two games, the coaches began to really work with the team and concentrated on the team having fun and wining. After a slow start, the frosh football team won its last three games convincingly beating Bellevue 16 to o, Issaquah 26 to 16, and Hazen of Renton 42 to 26 ending the season with 3 wins and 4 losses. The early season losses were due primarily to lack of exper- ience in playing football, not back of talent. Freshman players, fnot in order of picturej- Rob Acker, Keith Balderston, Eric Boe, Eric Blohn, Brian Carey, Sam Davidson, Kyle Edberh, Tim Eichler, Matt Field, Tim Fries, Hunter Goodman, john Georvagiles, Darren Henne,jeff1ackson, Robbie Karl, Matt King, John Kraft, Chris Kroenlre, Garrett Kusakabe, Tony Kuhn, Mike Nemirow, Dan O'neill, Jay Peterson, Eirc Prock, Scott Riggins, Kali Roberts, Craig Rosenkranz, Dave Roser, Mark Singer, Peter Soracco, jeff Sternoff, Aaron Stevens, Matt Tompkins, Andy Walker, Troy Walker, Jay Williams, Rob Wolfe, Matt Zerngast. Football 71