During their final game of the season, the Mercer Island Football team lost 13-20 to the Lakeside Lions on Friday, Nov. 4.
This loss brings their season win-loss record to 0-10 and places them seventh in the KingCo District standings.
Lakeside won the coin toss and deferred to Mercer Island, sending their kicking unit on the field to start the first half. The kick was returned by junior Adrian Fu who was taken down by Lakeside’s Will Albrecht.
The Islanders drove down the field yards from the endzone, courtesy of a 22 yard run by senior Vince Catano and a screen pass to junior Cole Rowe, but were unable to score when Catano was stopped yards from the goal line.
A Lakeside personal foul resulted in an automatic first down for Mercer Island but they once again were unable to convert a score in three drives– thus bringing the field goal unit out to kick.
They had the special teams unit run a trick play and the ball was thrown to the endzone, though the pass was ruled incomplete and Lakeside took possession of the ball.
Lakeside was unable to convert a first down, thanks to a myriad of penalties, and the ball was punted by junior Benton Tameling. Tameling’s punt, however, didn’t travel far due to the strong wind and came to a stop at Lakeside’s 10 yard line.
The Islanders took possession of the ball and in the last second of the first quarter scored a touchdown, a five yard run by junior captain Luke Myklebust to put Mercer Island up 7-0.
“We came out, we scored the first touchdown and honestly from there we got a little ahead of ourselves [and] they figured out what we wanted to do on offense,” senior captain Callum Neher said.
“They knew we had a sophomore quarterback in, windy night, a bunch of banged up receivers,” Neher said. “So they knew we wanted to run the ball and we ran the ball anyways.”
Lakeside’s next drive lasted almost until the end of the second quarter, and resulted in senior quarterback Kuba Holecek rushing in for the score. The Lions’ extra point, however, sailed left of the goal posts, resulting in a score of 7-6.
The Lions took over possession of the ball in the last minute of the second quarter, and completed a 33 yard touchdown pass from Holecek to senior Christian Moore. Their attempted two point conversion was stopped by a tackle in the backfield by senior Brycen Powell and Lakeside led 7-12 going into halftime.
Lakeside was successful converting on third downs coming out of halftime and scored a touchdown with four minutes left in the quarter, a pass to Moore that was caught one-handed in coverage. Senior Marcus Butler completed a successful rushing two-point conversion and put the Lions up 7-20.
Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Islanders were successful in scoring a 20 yard rushing touchdown courtesy of Myklebust. However, the ball was snapped high when attempting their point after and was recovered by Lakeside.
Both Mercer Island and Lakeside were unable to score in the last minutes of the fourth quarter, and Lakeside took a knee for their last play, ending the game 13-20.
“In the moments where we’re down at the goalline and we need one play to get in the endzone or where it’s fourth and short and need a play to get the first down, they knew we wanted to run the ball,” Neher said. “When the defense knows what you wanna do it’s tough to get it done on offense.”
For 14 Mercer Island seniors, this night was their final game playing in the Jungle as Islanders.
“[It] hasn’t hit yet,” senior captain Davis Johnson said.
“Yeah seriously. I’ll feel it tonight, and I’ll feel it Monday when I just go home after school,” Neher said. “Definitely is bittersweet. It feels like I’m giving up a piece of me. I’ll come back next year and see someone else wearing this jersey.”
“It was a special year,” Myklebust said. “We lost [but] I still just had a hell of a time tonight.”
Despite the loss, the coaches and players feel optimistic going into next season.
“To give you an idea, on defense this year we had two returning starters, [next] year we’re gonna have nine returning starters so it’s a big difference,” Myklebust said. “I don’t know how good but we’re gonna be better.”
“I’m pretty confident but it’s easy to see the potential in the kids, they have to see the potential in themselves,” coach DJ Mims said. “This is a year of experience for these kids and I’m very optimistic and positive going into next year because we are so young.”
