The spring sports season is underway and brings a host of conference and state championship contenders into the fold from Issaquah and Sammamish.
Who survives to postseason on diamond?
Issaquah, Eastlake and Eastside Catholic picked up season opening wins in non-conference games, and each is looking to take the next step in the postseason after disappointing finishes to 2013.
The Eagles were a game away from another trip to the 4A state tournament before falling to Cascade (Everett) in the KingCo-Wesco crossover game, while Eastside Catholic thought it had another 3A state trip locked up before instead being felled by the rulebook.
Skyline, which dropped its first game this year 3-2 to EC, was the regular season division champion last year before faltering in the conference tournament and missing out on a trip to state.
Can golfers claim individual, state titles?
The Wolves return plenty of depth on the girls side, after a deep postseason run last year, including a third place finish at state, only a point behind second place Kentwood, as Ashley Fitzgibbons ended the meet in a tie for seventh place.
Maddie Nelson, a sophomore, shot a three under-par 33 to begin this season for the Wolves in a lopsided win over Garfield, while senior Jamie Midkiff gives Eastlake another viable state championship threat.
Eastlake took the team scoring championship on the boys side, behind a second place finish from departed senior Li Wang and eighth place score from Spencer Weiss.
Does anyone return to Sparks?
No team from the area made it to the semifinals of the state soccer tournament in 2013, as only Skyline reached the field of 16.
The Spartans fell to Puyallup in the first round and have lost their past two state tournament games since beating Eastlake for the 2011 4A state title.
Any challengers to boys lacrosse throne?
Bellevue has taken the past two boys Division I lacrosse state titles, and has another squad led by future Division I talent as it goes for a three-peat this spring.
Eastlake took its shot last year in the first round, falling to Bellevue in the opening round of the playoffs, while Eastside Catholic has seen each of its last two seasons end at the hands of the Wolverines.
Colin MacIlvennie, an All-American and Maryland commit, means the Crusaders will remain a viable threat. Ross Komenda is another player returning with a decorated history and scoring capability.
Issaquah finished the regular season 10-4 and at the top of the conference standings, earning a bye in the first round of the playoffs.
But a 6-5 defeat to Mercer Island prematurely ended the season for a program looking for its first title game appearance since 2009.
Skyline and Eastlake made it four playoff teams from the area in boys lacrosse last year, as the Spartans fell to King’s Way in the first round and Eastlake beat Curtis before losing to Bellevue.
