Even two dozen points from standout Michael Smith could not

dent the armor of defending 3A state champion Mercer Island last Friday

night, as the Islanders romped over the overmatched Red Wolves 88-53 in

a KingCo conference clash.

The loss left the Wolves without a win this season and pinned them

with their 36th defeat in 37 games over two seasons. Mercifully, Cedarcrest

has only four league games left on the current schedule.

The Red Wolves made the Islanders work for the win, holding the

host team to only a five-point lead in the first quarter and just a 15-point

advantage at the half.

Smith had little effect on the offensive end. No other Red Wolf

scored in double figures, while seven members of the Mercer Island squad

scored 10 or more points. The teams played even ball in the fourth quarter after

the Islanders had opened up a 35-point margin in the third quarter.

The results last Friday were better than earlier in the week when

Bellevue scored 96 points in the first three quarters en route to a 96-49 win on

the Cedarcrest home court. Bellevue reserves did not score a single point

in the fourth quarter.

Malingering effects of the flu limited Smith to just four points

against the Wolverines. Teammates James Conrick and Chris Kracht pitched

in with 11 and 12 points, respectively.

The Red Wolves continued the last two weeks of the long season on

Tuesday in Bellevue against highly rated Sammamish. Friday Cedarcrest

is scheduled to return home for a rematch with the Liberty Patriots.