It took until the fourth quarter, but the Mercer Island football team was able to outscore Liberty and earn the win last Friday night. The Islanders won 7-3.

The game was scoreless throughout the first half, though the Islanders marched into Liberty territory several times. On the team’s second drive of the game, quarterback Brian Higgin’s pass to Steen Swedstedt was intercepted on the 6-yard line, and returned for 39 yards. But following possession for the Patriots, Mercer Island’s defense held strong.

The game continued back and forth with each side holding the other off, until Liberty’s Josh Johnson kicked a 26 yard field goal with 1:48 left in the third quarter, boosting the Patriots to a 3-0 lead.

Just minutes later at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Risley Lesko made a 1-yard dash across the goal line to lift the Islanders into the lead. The kick from Archibald Pedersen was good, giving Mercer Island the 7-3 lead.

Lesko’s touchdown was his 10th career rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Later in the quarter, he passed the 1,000 yards rushing threshold. As a team the Islanders had 287 yards total, with just 64 from passing. The team’s 13 passes during the game was the lowest since playing Chief Sealth 28 games ago, when the Islanders called just 10 pass plays. The team also lost 57-yards due to five penalties, much less than the Islanders average of 11 penalties per game.

This Friday the Islanders will host Mount Si for homecoming. Mount Si lost last week to No. 1 Bellevue 49-10. Due to the Wildcat loss, the Islanders moved into a tie for the No. 2 spot in the league with Mount Si, holding a 4-1 league and 5-2 record overall.

This Friday the homecoming parade is scheduled to begin in downtown at 4:30 p.m. with the football game beginning at 7 p.m.