The Mercer Island boys soccer team advanced to the state playoffs for the third consecutive year with a 2-1 victory over Bainbridge Island at Ingraham High School on Saturday. But the game was just one of three consecutive victories during loser-out playoff contests for the Islanders last week.

The catalyst for the momentum came in an unwavering performance from the Islanders’ sophomore goalkeeper Forrest Marowitz on May 8 at Islander Stadium.

Marowitz, competing in his first-ever shootout, said he could feel the tension in the air. He was literally the only thing standing between the Islanders and an early exit from the postseason. And he faced this adversity following an epic 100 minutes of play that drained every player on the field. But the loser-out KingCo playoff game against rival Bellevue had to be resolved.

Three goals went past Marowitz. Three goals went past the Bellevue keeper, and then Wil Nelp snuck the fourth Islander shot into the Bellevue net, giving the sophomore a chance to be a hero.

Most goalkeepers will pick one spot of the goal, defend it and hope they made the correct decision. On the third Bellevue goal of the shootout, head coach Steve Newman told his keeper to stay right. But on the fourth Wolverine attempt Marowitz changed his approach, choosing to try and anticipate the direction of kick.

The sophomore studied the offensive player and stood firm as the ball came right to his chest. With the one-goal lead, Mercer Island celebrated, needing just one goal to win. But the next Islander player hammered the ball into the left post, making Marowitz stand in goal one more time.

Again he anticipated and went with the kick — right — diving parallel to the ground and knocking the ball away with his gloved hand.

“I knew I had it,” said Marowitz. “It is so hard to do, but I knew I had it.”

Marowitz was mobbed by his teammates on the 30-yard line.

“We have spent a lot of time with [penalty kicks],” said Nelp. “Forrest came up big. This was a rivalry game and no one wanted to go home.”

For Bellevue, the loss was devastating.

“They haven’t been to the playoffs in 13 years,” said Newman. “But they gave us all they had. This is a huge rivalry.”

Mercer Island earned its second KingCo playoff win Thursday at Newport High School, 2-1, over Mount Si. The Wildcats were in a giving mood during the 61st minute, scoring on their own goal by accident. A corner kick found the head of Islander John O’Meara, who sent the ball to Derek Johnson for a goal during the 72nd minute of the game, effectively ending the Wildcats’ season.

The team’s victory over Bainbridge Island did not come easy as it found itself down 1-0 after just three minutes of play. But goals by Leandro Kimura, assisted by Chris Morris during the 11th minute, and a second-half goal by Derek Johnson (48th minute) kept the season alive. Mercer Island played Hazen High School Tuesday (after Reporter deadline) during the first round of the state playoffs.