Issaquah will get another shot at a Division I state lacrosse title.
The defending state champions pulled out a 5-4 overtime win over Bainbridge Wednesday night to earn a title shot against Mercer Island at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Seattle.
The winning goal came 2 minutes, 13 seconds into the overtime period off the stick of Kevin Powers. The play was started by defender Connor McClain, who forced a turnover deep in the Issaquah zone. Eagles’ midfielder Evan Greenhall scooped up the ground ball and scampered 50 yards up the right wing and placed a pass nicely to Powers, who flipped in a stick-side bouncer.
Bainbridge controlled the game early, outscoring the Eagles 2–1 in the first on two goals by All-American Sam Snow. In the second, the two teams traded goals giving the Spartans a 3–2 halftime advantage.
In the third, Issaquah’s Connor McClain and Todd Jones each found the net to put the Eagles up 4–3. Bainbridge tied the game on a Bjorn Osterson goal at 6:46 remaining in the fourth.
Jones had two goals for the Eagles. McLain had six groundballs to go with his score, and goalie Cameron Danforth had six saves.
Bainbridge goalkeeper Bryce Stevenson had 20 saves for the Spartans.
Mercer Island defeated Curtis 19-4 to earn its eighth trip to state in the last nine years.
Eastside Catholic downs Redmond
Behind Andrew Carlton’s four goals, Eastside Catholic defeated Redmond 13–10 in Wednesday night’s Division II semifinal on the Plateau. The victory moved Eastside into its first ever state title game against Overlake at 5 p.m., Saturday at Seattle’s Memorial Stadium.
The Crusaders, who are in the third year of having a program, took a 3–2 lead at the end of the first quarter, then erupted for six second-quarter goals for a 9-3 halftime lead. The cushion proved large enough for Eastside to hang on. Michael Rambaldini added three goals for Eastside and Kyle Decker had two.
O’Neil Hughes had eight saves for Eastside and Nicco Shewey had 10 saves for Redmond.
The Mustangs were only the second team to score more than nine goals on the Crusaders this season.
