By Matt Phelps
Mercer Island Reporter
Halloween is a day full of ghosts and goblins. This year the Mercer Island football team entered a foggy Juanita High School Friday night and it became a house of horrors following half time. Six turnovers for the Islanders, five on interceptions, resulted in a lopsided 45-14 loss to the Rebels.
“Six turnovers will cost you,” said Mercer Island senior Sam Bliss. “Our effort was good tonight we just made too many mistakes.”
Freshman quarterback Jeff Lindquist had his worst game of the year completing just 4-of-14 passes for 26 yards, with five of those passes landing in Rebel hands. The performance comes during one of the best seasons for any Mercer Island quarterback in school history.
“I just had a really bad game,” said Lindquist. “You just have to flush this game and come back next week.”
The game for Lindquist began with an interception on the third play. Juanita took advantage by scoring on a two-yard touchdown run two plays later.
Lindquist would make up for the early throwing error with his feet. Four plays into the Islanders’ next drive, Lindquist would be chased from the pocket and scamper 38 yards for the game-tying touchdown.
Another interception led to Juanita’s second touchdown play of the game, a 14-yard run, as the Rebels took the lead back 14-7.
Islander Ben Emanuels would tie the game four minutes later, as he picked up a blocked punt, returning the ball 16 yards for a score.
Emanuels and Bliss seemed to be in on nearly every play for the Islanders’ defense as they combined for 16 tackles on defense.
The Islander defense held Juanita to an 18 yard field goal during the duration of the first half, as Mercer Island finished the second quarter down 17-14.
But the second half would be all Juanita, as a 67 yard touchdown pass set the tone to open the third quarter.
Another Mercer Island interception led to the Rebel’s fourth touchdown and a growing lead at 31-14.
Just as Lindquist seemed to get into a groove, a fumble by Islander senior Bryce Borer following a 10-yard completion, gave the Rebels the ball back.
“We came out strong tonight and it just sort of fell apart,” said Borer. “This is a good learning experience for the young players. Jeff is going to learn from this and get better.”
Eight plays later, the Rebels put the ball into the end zone on a 34-yard pass.
Lindquist’s final interception would go 65 yards the wrong way for Jaunita’s final score of the game.
Lindquist entered the game with an outside shot at the Mercer Island High School record for touchdown passes in a season. The freshman still needs four to tie the mark during the final game against Seattle Prep Friday.
