Hayden Feimster gets a thrill out of connecting with her teammates on the soccer field as they rise to the challenge and defeat tough opponents.

The Mercer Island High School (MIHS) girls soccer squad has done plenty of that this season while capturing the KingCo Mountain Division title and notching a dominating victory in the opening round of the 3A KingCo tournament.

“We have a lot of talent on our team this year. And there’s also a lot of work ethic on our team. Everyone’s working hard, getting here early,” Feimster said prior to an Islander practice on a recent evening.

Feimster, a junior left winger, was the Mountain Division’s leading scorer with 15 goals and three assists and added another netter in the team’s 7-0 victory over Sammamish on Oct. 27 in the playoffs.

Next up, the Islanders (9-1-0 in league and 12-3-1 overall) battled Bellevue in the semifinals on Nov. 1 and lost, 3-0, to the Wolverines. MIHS will now play Liberty (Renton) on the road at 7 p.m. on Nov. 4 in a loser-out match. The winner will play on Nov. 8 in a winner-to-state, loser-out contest.

While turning the spotlight away from herself, Feimster praised her teammates that have majorly contributed to the Islanders’ success. There’s senior captains Anna Mock (defender) and Blakeley Bourke (forward), senior twins Sadie Kim (defender) and Steffi Kim (defender/midfielder) and additional seniors Leigh Wohl (midfielder) and Gabby Frederick (defender/goalkeeper). On the freshmen front, Feimster is excited about what the duo of Maddie Hagstrom (midfielder/forward) and Ashtyn Shelton (midfielder) bring to the pitch.

In her third year on varsity, Feimster has enjoyed interacting with all of her teammates within the solid program each season.

When the discussion turns to head coach Erin Bourguignon, Feimster smiled and noted: “She’s very supportive. I think that’s what motivates us the most, that she wants us to win and she believes that we can.” The team has been training hard and sitting in on match video reviews as the playoffs continue.

Rolling through her soccer journey, Feimster said she began playing club ball for Eastside FC at the age of 8 and she’ll continue competing with the club during the spring season.

Feimster’s dad, Dan, coached one of her early teams and has sent this advice in her direction: “I think he’s always taught me to just put my best on the field and do the best that I can. And to always try and do better the next time. He’s really supportive.”

The Reporter asked Feimster a series of questions to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into her life:

If you could go to dinner with one person, who would that be?

My family. Soccer makes it hard to have dinner all together all the time, so I love having dinner with my family.

What’s your favorite restaurant on the Island? Maybe for a family dinner.

Pagliacci’s.

What’s a pet peeve of yours?

When you’re talking to someone who’s got headphones on or something and they can’t hear you.

What superpower would you like to have?

To fly.

What do you do in your spare time when you’re off the field, away from school?

Away from school, that’s hard to get. I like to read for fun. And I like to paint a lot, too. I’m not amazing at it, but I like it. I like to hang out with my family and my friends.

What kind of books do you like to read? What genres?

I like murder mysteries and thrillers.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

I really liked the movie called “Society of the Snow.” A lot of my friends don’t like it, but I really enjoyed it. My mom watched it and suggested it to me, so I watched it. It’s about a rugby team who gets stranded in the mountains. And it’s a true story, too, which is what I actually liked about it.

What’s a special skill that you’d like to learn?

Maybe to solve a Rubik’s Cube. My cousin can do that and it’s pretty cool.