By CAROL GULLSTAD

Special to the Reporter

Senior night could not had been more perfect for the Mercer Island Islanders boys water polo team.

The Islanders cruised to a 19-1 victory against Kennedy on Nov. 1 on Mercer Island. Kennedy’s lone goal occurred with 2:17 left in the first quarter. Mercer Island led Kennedy 6-1 at halftime. In the second half, Mercer Island outscored Kennedy 13-0 in the final two quarters of play. Islanders senior team captain Will Cero was thrilled to see his team dominate one final time in front of the hometown fans.

“We never let up on the gas. We were able to find the perfect mix of focus and playing loose while taking risks. Ultimately all our hard work in between the lane lines paid off and we were able to keep going while they got tired. Also, it was awesome to have every single one of our nine seniors score on senior night, working hard till the last possession to make it happen,” Cero said.

Leif Gullstad scored a team-high five goals and added four assists. Nate Robinson added three steals as well in the victory. The Islanders will face the Bellevue Wolverines in the first round of the state tournament at the Curtis High School Aquatic Center.

“For the state tournament, the team needs to be able to focus on the game while taking risks and having fun with our brothers. When we are excited to play and having fun in the pool, we are a very good water polo team. We need to stay concentrated on the things we can control and keep our energy up all four quarters,” Cero said.