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

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omething was missing. The sun shined. The birds chirped. The flowers bloomed. Like a jigsaw puzzle without its crucial piece, however, something was definitely missing. For the fields and fans of Ml, this spring lacked one key ingredient, the Boys of Summer. No, the Islanders did not stop fielding a baseball team in I986. ln fact, this year's squad had a spanking new fieldready and waiting, waiting for the grass to grow, that is. With Island Crest Park still under construction and the new student parking lot occupied by cars after school, the fielders and pitchers of MIHS found it difficult to even practice, let alone play a true home Baseball PUZZLE game. They did not, however, allow these petty complications to faze them in their quest to reach the playoffs. This team did not worry over the field situation, praises Coach Bill Clifford. Instead, they looked upon it as a chance to improve, and they adapted well. Such dedication truly characterized the sixteen Ml ballplayers. Practicing six days a week, the i986 squad formed probably the hardest-working group in recent history. As injured second baseman David LeMaster says, This was one of our most inexperienced teams, but also one of the best at working together. For they played best when they played as a team. Although superior pitching by captain Pat Wiseman and senior Ken Blauman aided immensely, Ml needed every player to form what Clifford says could have been the number one or two team in any other league in Washington. This total group effort made even more frequent the Ml tradition of taking a victory lap around the bases after every win. Hopefully, this is one tradition that will continue for a long, long time. ,t.f,5,g . - ' fa 111 ...tg Y PM 1: .-4 Varsity: lBACK ROWJ Coach Bill Clifford, Bill Summers, Forey Fielder, Dan Crow, Bert Rowe, Brett Hammer, Ken Blauman, Brice York, Pat Wiseman, Coach Mike Wiseman, lFRONT ROWJ Manager Mark Gertis, Don Gochonaur, Kevin Oyama, Mike Hanlin, Steve Croak, Mickey Morelli, Chris Vacca, Matt Field, Aaron Clifford tw 1 l .xi 53 - i N il . ' '17 l ffl . Nil 1' WC! l ' fill 2, 'rfb' will ltr N 1 'l .K . li' i ll .. ll QA ll . 1 :i'u'ff fi 'Ulm' 1 'ily il lf liimlhl ' . Q lilanii ,' V, ,im l lll flll Q T flin- i ' t i . ' - ll-A . A ii'-4. Q ' ' ,tuulll T' llgisll x, ti 5-3-I. , . . ' 'S V. Clifford and Wiseman look on as the MIHS varsity baseball team clinches yet another victory. 92 BASEBALL

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Softball OLD hen one thinks of America, one thinks of Mom, apple pie, and baseball. But, this list does not include one very important component, softball. Some dismiss it as a game for Old Maids, an engaging pastime for boring family reunions. But, Ml's girls have added excitement for all ages to the sport. With last year's successful iv players advancing to the ranks of the varsity team, Islander softball appeare-d well set for a victorious season. Unpredictable rain got the squad off to a slow start by canceling the first three games, but the rugged ballplayers consoled themselves with the hope that the season could only improve. Once on the diamond, a powerhouse hitter and a strong shortstop combined with a determiined team defense to pose a definite threat to KingCo MAID opposition. Ml, of course, placed a premium on winning the maximum amount of games, but the lslanders did not forget to make room for fun on the field. Every year, the girls take on the boys baseball team in a battle to the finish. Anyway, how bad can it be to play out on the clean-cut grass under a warm sun? lt's almost as much fun as the beach! But, as senior Brenda Salazar explains, 'lSoftball is a game that takes a lot of coordination and quick thinking. You have to be ready at every pitch. lTOP ROWl Dana Kusakabe, Heidi Fribee, Maria Santulli, Kristin Carlgren, Wendy Haas, Angie Oberg, Alison Link. lBOTTOM ROWl David Montgomery, Patricia Bushnell, Carolyn Salazar, Tani Lindquist, Laura Meine, Rondi Becker, Bethany Conklin, Coach Dave Larsen. Obviously then, the game of W 'B ' -Z., softball is not just for Old Maids All if S A anymore. The young girls of Ml, at , tfi ' ' least, have ably pl'OVeCl Tl'1Gl' they Angie Oberg wings the sphere toward home can handle the challenge. Plate- And a great American tradition lives on. Play ball! SGFTBALL 9l

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KUPPER LEFTJ J.V. John Shoey, Sean Bretschneider, Kent Arimura, Herbert Stimpson, Doug Martin, Jamie Sternoff, Hunter Goodman, Ken Neaver, Rob Affleck, Marc Singer, Alfero Corenio, Garrett Kusakabe lLEFTl Pot Wiseman comes in for a homerun as Brett Hammer cheers him on lBELOW LEFTJ Bert Rowe, shows his exceptional throwing style. KBELOW RIGHTJ Frosh-Soph Bob Forros, Sean Mefferd, Chris Scalzo, Josh Bates, Romain Macheck, Jake Winfrey, Justin Vax, Robin Houck, Jay Lopeman, Joe Morris. Not pictured: Tre Hendricks, Matt Volpe, Kelly Oyama. t . .1 BASEBALL 93