Matt Phelps
Mercer Island Reporter

The Mercer Island boys soccer team began the regular-season schedule with mixed results by winning two, tying one and replaying the start of the 2007 season by losing to Mount Si.

The Islanders’ game against Mount Si was a contest pitting two well matched teams at Islander Stadium on March 11. But a goal at the 10-minute mark by the Wildcats put the Islanders behind early on, and they could not make a comeback. Last year, the Islanders lost the season opener to the Cats as well, but at Mount Si. Mercer Island will get a chance to even the score with the Cats on April 8.

Mercer Island came back to rock Interlake on March 14, 3-0, in a much-needed win. Two second-half goals by Derek Johnson at the 45-minute and 57-minute marks gave the Islanders an insurmountable lead. The Islanders’ Chris Morris put a third goal on the board to finish off the scoring.

A goal by Islander Jed Jacobson on March 18 with an assist by Morris at the 18-minute mark against Issaquah was enough to earn the team their second victory. Goalkeeper Forrest Marowitz and the Islander defense scored their second straight shutout as the Islanders took the contest 1-0. But that streak would come to an end at the 32-minute mark of the team’s game at Islander stadium against Newport. The Islanders got a late goal by Jacobson (73rd-minute) to tie the game. Both teams clamped down on defense during the final seven minutes, and the contest ended in a tie.

The Islanders’ next game will be tonight at Skyline (7:30 p.m.). The Islanders will play their sixth game of the season at 7:30 p.m., Friday, at Liberty High School.