For Mercer Island, the case could be made that Sunday’s Div. I boys lacrosse final was four years in the making. One team hung over their collective head as the one they just couldn’t beat. Even in a season when no one else could beat them, the Islanders couldn’t beat Bellevue.

Until Sunday.

After trailing their rivals through three quarters of play, Mercer Island exploded for seven fourth-quarter goals to overtake Bellevue 11-8 and win the state crown Sunday night at Starfire Sports Stadium, ending the Wolverines’ three-year reign as boys lacrosse state champions.

The victory marked Mercer Island’s first over its rival since 2011.

“It was kind of destined,” said senior captain Brett Bottomley. “As soon as the bracket came out and we saw Bellevue on one side and us on the other, we kind of knew it was destiny.”

Over 2,200 fans turned out to see the three-time defending champion Wolverines and the one-loss Islanders square off, Mercer Island’s only loss coming against Bellevue in a 13-9 contest May 4.

Senior Bryan Glant said the title really couldn’t have come against anyone else.

“They dished us our only loss this entire year,” he said. “This was our chance to really make a statement that we can beat any team we played.”

The Islanders had to earn it by getting past Wolverine goalie Cole Bouwman. The Bellevue junior wasn’t conceding much in the first half, registering seven saves as Bellevue broke a 2-2 tie in the second quarter with a goal from Augie Fratt and two goals from Joe Bethke to take a 5-3 halftime lead. Bouwman and the Bellevue defense held Mercer Island to a single goal in the third quarter, with goals from Fratt and Justin Angelel putting Bellevue ahead 7-4, making it appear the Islanders were in store for another repeat.

But just like they did four days prior against Issaquah, the Islanders had one final run in them. After the Islanders got two big saves from goalkeeper Ezra Tillinger early in the fourth quarter, they reeled off three unanswered goals to tie the game. Fratt responded with a goal from the left side to put Bellevue back in charge 8-7 with 5:05 remaining, but it marked the last time the Wolverines would score.

A right-side shot from Johnny Van der Velden tied the game two minutes later, then Glant put the Islanders ahead 9-8 with 2:55 to go. Bellevue put on an aggressive offensive stand on the ensuing possession, but Tillinger came up with two more saves down the stretch, as Evan Condon and Bottomley both fired on an empty Wolverine net to put the game out of reach.

Glant and Van der Velden each had three goals for the Islanders, while Condon posted two goals and two assists. Tillinger recorded eight saves, with four coming in the game’s final quarter. Fratt had four goals and three assists to lead the Wolverines, while Bouwman finished with 14 saves in the net.

While the Islander players and coach Ian O’Hearn downplayed any mental edge the Wolverines had on their team, O’Hearn admitted the May 4 loss may have paid off in dividends for his squad.

“Honestly, probably the best thing that could’ve happened to us was losing in the regular season to Bellevue to make us realize that we weren’t invincible,” he said. “It showed. We came out, we played as hard as we could, and it was a slightly better team.”

Capping off an eventful week for Mercer Island that included state championships in baseball, girls golf, and boys and girls tennis, adding a lacrosse title to the mix was an all-too-fitting end for the Islander upperclassmen.

“All the credit might go to the seniors, and the class of 2015 helped those teams get those spots, but it’s a whole school effort,” Condon said. “Everyone should feel great about how the Island performed this year. The whole Island should be proud.”

Mercer Island finished its season with an overall record of 22-1.

Mercer Island’s Mitch Stickney (8) drives past Bellevue’s Matthew Marino in the Div. I final of the Washington Lacrosse Boys State Championship Tournament, Sunday, at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila (Scott Stoll/US Lacrosse).