Mercer Island Football concluded their season Friday, April 2, with a 48-21 loss against Bellevue, making their final win-loss record 2-2.
With no postseason due to their shortened, five-week season, this game was simply a chance for the Islanders to compete against their rival, and, for the senior players, to savor their final moments as members of the MIHS football program.
“It’s very important to treat every play like it’s your last,” senior Ryan Dallas said. “It didn’t matter what the score was, especially for the seniors, this game meant so much to us.”
The Islanders held their own against the Wolverines initially, as they barely trailed Bellevue, 8-6, at the end of the first quarter. However, as time went on, Bellevue’s three-headed rushing attack became too much to handle for the Mercer Island defense.
Bellevue running backs Dan Marino, William Wang and Ishaan Daniels combined for a total of seven rushing touchdowns, including a 94-yard score midway through the second quarter.
Despite the significantly one-sided final score, the Islanders continued to fight hard and play at their best.
“As the game went on, I just liked seeing how well our offense kept our foot on the gas, even though we were losing,” Dallas said.
While the seniors have played their last snaps of Mercer Island football, the rest of the team will look towards next season to see how they can improve, both on and off the field.
“I’m liking the direction that this program is going,” Dallas said. “As we move forward, we are slowly changing the narrative around the Mercer Island Football Team, and it feels like every year we are getting better and better.”
Losing to Bellevue was certainly not the outcome MIHS Football was looking for, but given the hectic nature of their shortened, COVID-19-impacted season, the team can look back and be proud of their performance this year.
