Mercer Island High School - ISLA Yearbook (Mercer Island, WA)

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Varsity Football PACK MEN ay O. Day O. Da-ay O. The calypso chant echoes from The Island. The visitors flee in panic. The natives thirst for blood. And the Mercer Island Varsity Football team is on the prowl. The l985 Islanders, champions of KingCo's Crest Division with a perfect 9-O record, mowed through Washington's finest in utter, unforgiving mastery. These Demons of Defense allowed only nine points all season. These Ogres of Offense scored more touchdowns than any Ml team in history. And these Cannibals of Kicking did not allow a single runback all year. These gridders did not just play games. They did not just win games. They utterly, totally, entirely, completely, convincingly dominated them. For the fans, these games were a time for socializing, sandwiched between a pizza dinner and dancing or a party. But for the team, they were much less trivial. The approximately fifty players who suited up and began two-and- a-half hour practices on August 26 had to erase the awful memory of a dismal l-8 season the previous year. The experience and conditioning of many returning starters boded well for the squad. More than anything, though, the team chemistry truly made possible Ml's incredible turnaround. Head Coach Dick Nicholl singled out the camaraderie between players themselves and coaches as crucial to the Islanders' success. As a sign of unity, the team members went so far as to shave their heads. When you know that your frienc to your right and your friend to you left are totally committed to the team, explains tight guard Pete Chambers, llThen you feel guilty do ing any less than busting your gut ev ery single play. And bust they did. They were no huge. They were not lightning-swift They had no superstars. They were just a damn good team that playec well together. On any given night, they coulc have beaten any team in the state,' opines Coach Nicholl. And beat they did. Nine in a row eight by shutout. A number five rank ing in the state. The first playof game since l977.fA new vitality to ar old game, a game for teams. For they were a team, a pack. were the Pack Men! lLEFTi Chris Evans in his moment of glory. lABOVEl Packin' on the ice, Ml's QB Pat Wiseman rests on the bench. 52 FOOTBALL

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Sports GAME GAMES he crunch of the tackle. The swish of the net. The crack of bat. The sounds of MII-IS sports. Every year, the fields and courts of high school play host to the of scores being scored, of being cheered, of sweat sweated. Every year, the at Ml play their games to Organized athletics at Mercer High School have a long and tradition. A tradition of A tradition of power, A of victory. To MI tennis teams, have become mere pursuits. Varsity basketball payday year after year. And ii'fSf.,, 'J-' 5. -- -- fran- r M. c W QL.. '-'- fir. lABOVEl 1If'l'7 will bend over backwards to get a point for M.l. lRlGHTl Charlie Givan demonstrates the intensity needed for golf. IFAR RIGHTl.lohn Gilliland skies for a hoop. Poverty Rock virtually monopolizes the fan spirit category. No longer confronting blips on a video screen, or defenses with more holes than a sinking battleship, high school students must spend massive amounts of time practicing before each game. School may end at 2:20, but for Mercer Island athletes, the day is just beginning. I-ley, you drove today, didn't you? Can I have a ride home? IISorry, I have to go to practice. Five long days of hard play and little lhomeiwork, a week of blood and guts and excuses as to why one just had to skip practice all lead up to IT. The Game. The Big One. The casting of the .f fr , sN,, 1 . , 4A dice. The dealing of the cards. Whether a tense football game with hundreds of cheering fans, or the quiet solitude of a cross-country meet, every team at MI thrives on its own particular form of competition. So do the fans. Many will plan their Friday nights around the gridiron. Many will make time on the weekends to watch their friends play soccer. A few will even attend a volleyball match. But they all have fun. For that is the essence of MI sports. Fun. Fun for the players. Fun for the fans. They work hard, they play tough. And they have fun. Fun-and-games. Q. ,. t I SPORTS 51

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