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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JV, Sophomore, Freshman Football PACK MEN, JR. his game is not for everyone. This game takes a special person, a person dedicated to his own improvement and to that of his team. This game is junior football, and the I985 freshmen, sophomore, and junior varsity teams epitomized that unique talent required of winning clubs. The cold and clammy weather. The wet and muddy field. The yelling and screaming of the coach. All are aspects of Ml junior football. Although the freshmen games closely resembled their practices- maximum crowd of five, including joggers-the team played for standing room only. The squad, winding up with a record of five wins and two losses, attacked the ball with incredible intensity, almost needing reminders that it was only a game. The sophomore team also fared well this season, falling one game short of a new Ml won-loss record. Knots of fanatic parents cheered their little boys on, bathing in the glory of a dominating year. Their spunk and tenacity reaped the second-year group a five and one winner. Suiting up for varsity home games, the jv gridders got a tantalizing taste of victory during MI's awesome if 9. L k. Cl v,7 - 'Q' .. 0 The Freshman Team--lNOT IN ORDERJ T.J. Burke, Eric Meisgeier, Scott Swerland, Jose Matias, Mitch Cohen, Geoff Evans, Wakefield Gregg. -3-.lxwly 1191-X,Q,. 54 FOOTBALL ITOP RIGHTJ M.l. takes on Issy. CBOTTOM RIGHTJ Preparing for the .i big game. I985 season. The Islander junior varsity, however, did just fine on their own, closing out at 5-2. Due to raw talent and playing experience during the latter moments of varsity games, the squad became a perfect spawning ground for future starters. uWe're going to have a good football club next year, prophesies varsity head coach Dick Nicholl. We may have one later. We definitely had some earlier. They came to the games. They played the games. They won the games. In I985, these packs owned the games. illu-