Gotel thrives in the MIHS football realm

Talk about a solid start to the football season.

Elan Gotel was thrilled to launch into the campaign by gripping his sturdy hands around a pair of touchdown passes rifled his way from quarterback Youngmin Lee.

The Mercer Island High School (MIHS) duo helped lead its squad to a 47-7 victory over host Lincoln in a nonleague contest on Sept. 7 at Memorial Stadium in Seattle. Senior Gotel’s scores were in the 40-yard and 30-yard range and junior Lee amassed 314 yards passing on 11-of-14 passes for five touchdowns.

“It’s amazing, especially the first one of the year,” said Gotel, who’s played varsity ball since freshman year. “The rush that you get — you look up and just see everybody, and it’s like, ‘Oh, I just did that.’”

Also making their mark on the scoreboard in week one were junior Hudson Sulla with two touchdown carries, and seniors Charlie Chatalas, Kellen Eskridge and Ryder Davis with one touchdown catch apiece.

Gotel, who captains the team with Lee, Davis and senior Joe Shleifer, said that playing MIHS football has been a fun and growing experience. All the hard work has paid off on the gridiron for the Islander squad, he said. Add leadership, teamwork and dedication to the calculation and Gotel and his teammates are on the right track this season.

“All that time that we put in all these last four years in the summertime, it’s finally coming to fruition. It’s all here now,” said Gotel, who began his football journey in the fifth grade.

The Islander, who sports a 3.9 grade-point average, is eyeing various colleges at this juncture and plans to major in the business realm.

The Reporter asked Gotel a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into his life:

What’s your biggest pet peeve?

When people say stuff like LOL or BRB or anything where they speak in abbreviations. It’s like, ‘No, use your words. You could text abbreviations.’ I don’t know, it just always ticks me off.

What’s the best piece of advice that you’ve ever received?

Probably just you get out what you put into things, like what my coaches always say. If you go half effort into something, you’re not going to get what you want out of it. And that’s what I take into everything I do.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

I’d say “Forrest Gump.”

So if you’re having a tough day, what’s a good way to break out of it?

I’d say for me, it’s football. If I’m having a really hard day — especially out of the season where it’s middle of winter and not a lot’s going on — I had three tests at school and I know I didn’t do well, all I want to do is go to the field, go play football, go work out. Just something that’ll take my mind off it. Even just watching football. Just like something I love to do, like just go run around on the field, run routes and stuff.

What’s a special skill that you’d like to learn? Maybe something you’ve had your eye on that you want to give a shot.

How to do a backflip on the ground. I’ve never tried it on the ground, but I do it in the water and I do all sorts of tricks in the water. I can do it off little ledges and stuff (and trampolines). I think I could do it on the ground. It’s like a mental block. I’m scared … but one day.

What’s your favorite restaurant on the Island?

Riviera Maya, this Mexican place on the south end.