It wasn’t an easy decision and it wasn’t really a popular one, from the players perspective, but all things considered it has gone better than expected. So much so, that the first year Lake Washington lacrosse team is sitting at the top of their conference, undefeated.

For years high schoolers from the Kirkland area who were interested in playing lacrosse schlepped out to Redmond for practice and games, as members of the Redmond division I lacrosse team. It had long been hoped that someday the students who attended Juanita and Lake Washington high schools would be able to sustain their own team. Those hopes were made into reality last summer when the program split, allowing underclassmen in Kirkland to play for their own team.

So far this season, which ends in May, the Lake Washington team has surpassed expectations, currently holding the top spot in the Division II Evergreen Conference with a 13-0 league record.

“There really had been a desire to split off for the Lake Washington and Juanita kids,” said Charlie Bernstein, the vice president of the Lake Washington lacrosse board. Under the agreement when the teams split any upperclassmen was given the option to stay with Redmond, while any student who was a sophomore and freshman who lived in Kirkland moved over to the new team.

It wasn’t an easy change for players who had spent years with the guys on the Redmond team. For two of the captains, Jake Bernstein and Mike Ericson the switch was a hard sell at first. Jake Bernstein, who plays midfield, started playing lacrosse when the family lived in California, and just kept on going. Ericson, who plays defense, began his lacrosse career with the Eastside Ravens.

“At Redmond, we were pretty close with all the guys, and it was disappointing for us after a strong season last year, but I really like playing for my high school,” said Ericson.

Jake Bernstein said he was upset, but now that the core of the Lake Washington team has come together things have been going well.

“I was bummed to leave the squad,” he said of leaving Redmond. “But the core of guys who came to Lake Washington and it’s exciting to think about where we are and that we’re working toward the same goal.”

While the Lake Washington boys might be young, they are reaping the benefits of playing time and experience, which is coming in spades.

“We had no idea what to expect and now we’re 10-0,” said Bernstein. Largely in part because the Division II scene is extremely diverse, and even more so following a league shuffle last year, the Lake Washington program plays a variety of teams, from those with lots of Division II experience, to true first year programs made up of kids with little playing experience.

Lake Washington, which already has a strong youth program giving younger kids the basics to build on, recently faced some of it’s toughest competition in a non-league battle against Northshore, a Division I powerhouse. Lake Washington forced overtime, but eventually lost 14-13.

“They agreed to play us, and of course our guys were very competitive and it turned into a very close game,” said Bernstein. “Regardless of the score it was a good playing experience for the guys.”

Despite the fact the team is only in it’s first year, the bond between teammates is already strong.

“The guys are great about being ambassadors,” said Bernstein, who has two sons on the team. He said many members of the team regularly attend Washington Stealth games, the professional lacrosse team based in Everett, and even though they might be from two different schools spend a lot of time, outside school and practice, hanging out.

Greg Bulter, the head coach of the team, said that is easily the team’s biggest strength.

“Our strength is team chemistry and the guys working together. They’ve been working hard since last June,” he said. “I just want to see them keep growing as lacrosse players and making sure that the guys are having fun and loving the game.”

Bulter spent five years coaching with the Eastlake boys lacrosse team, until the opportunity opened up closer to home.

Bulter said the team will face another tough game against Sammamish, a team in Lake Washington’s league, before the playoffs begin.

“Our goal is to win the division and have a home field advantage for Division II,” he said. “We just need to keep getting better every day and want to get to the state championship, but the only way to do that is to get better.”

This year’s captains include brothers Jake and Cody Bernstein, Trevor Watkins and Ericson.

“We’re feeling good about the future,” said Butler, who has assistant coaching help from Brian Langhorst, Will Finkenstaedt, Scott Pattison and Tyler Lee. “To become a great program like Mercer Island or Bellevue you just have to keep building and that’s how you get better.”

Whether or not the program reaches the status of those highly regarded programs or not, it’s still just about playing the game for the players.

“We want to go up against the top teams and show our league we’re for real,” said Ericson. For both captains the dream scenario for the rest of the season was a simple one: win games, get to the playoffs in a good position and take the Division II state title.

The team will start it’s playoff hunt with a first round game against Whatcom lacrosse on Friday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at Lake Washington High School. A win would pit the Kangs against either Snohomish or Klahowya in the second round.