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

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9 if K Lincoln lTacomcl at MI Ml at lnterlake ESC at Ml Ml at Redmond Blanchet at Ml Ml at Woodinville Bellevue at Ml Ml at Newport L. Washington at Ml Bothell at Ml Issaquah at Ml Ml at .lounito Ml ot Bellevue Ml at lnglemoor at Bothell at Sammanlsh Redmond at Ml lnterlake at Ml MI at ESC Woodinville at Ml MI Ml ' VARSITY GIRLS' BASKETBALL 75

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Girls' Varsity Basketball FLAME GAMES air flying, voices screaming, they run up and down the hardwood floor. A medieval battle scene? A police riot? Negative. Just a little Cheryl Miller action. The l985-86 Girls' Varsity Basketball team may have lacked a skyhook, but they most definitely had sparks. The competitive fires deep within goaded them time and time again to amazing feats. Though the squad sported a less- than-satisfying record, the team members played well together, supporting each other with incredible spirit. Some players shined this year. Specators could spot the flaming head of team captain Anne Lueptow muscling her way in the middle to pull down crucial rebounds. The scorching hands of senior Sherry Spak did most of the scoring, seeing as she had the art of net-ripping down to a science. Other players, like junior Julianne Craig, also supported the squad with speed and effective shooting. Only as a team, however, did the Islander girls demonstrate their poise and burning desire to win. Through tri-game losing streaks, the group kept its spirit and pulled out two or three wins to break the slumps. With superb coaching from Nile Clark, the team learned to deal with defeat and use it to fuel their competitive drive. Clark stoked the coals, and the players exploded on the court. In the game of basketball, teamwork is of the essence, and Ml showed league foes what it's all about. As far as spunk goes, these girls were burning down the house in '85-86. And that's not just a bunch of hot air. 74 VARSITY GIRLS' BASKETBALL

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lBack Row,J Stephanie Brown, Jodi Curry, Kera McDonald, Elisa Kask, Simone Oliver IFront Row,Left to Rightl Shelly Taylor, Melissa Merell, Jennifer Croft. Girls' JV and Freshman Basketball DCNKEY KCNG hey may not have reached the summit yet. They may still be climbing the ladders of success. But hey, who likes those big apes at the top anyway? These girls have much more heart. These girls are the latest members of the Mercer Island High School Junior Varsity and Freshman Basketball teams. Their crowds may not resemble those at Seahawk games, Their style may not resemble that of the Globetrotters. But, their spirit soars higher than any so-called professional team. Got one hammer. Under the guidance of Coach Suzy Barcomb, the inexperienced l985-86 JV team suffered through a learning year. Although only two out of the ten girls on the team had played on the high school level before, MI fielded a tough, fullcourt man-to-man defense which gave opponents fits. Barcomb, however, found herself teaching more than coaching over the course of the season. I think I am somwhat of a rough coach, she says, and the most distinctive thing about this team was their ability to accept me as just such a coach. Combined with players from an up-and-coming Freshman team, the Islanders should offer stiff competition to future KingCo foes. This young team, coached by Dave Larsen, surprised many with their aggressiveness and scrappy defense. Their willingness to run especially pleased Coach Larsen. A series of close losses, however, put a damper on an otherwise promising season. On the other hand, the team's great attitude bodes well for the future. So what if they lose? asks Larsen. At least they know they've done their best! Take that, you big ape. 76 JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS' BASKETBALL