Mercer Island and Bellevue High Schools are natural rivals, making Friday’s 35-7 loss by the Islanders that much more tough to bear.

But the Wolverines got one more jab to the collective gut of the Islanders as the loss officially eliminated Mercer Island from the playoff picture.

Despite the final score, Mercer Island hung tough against the defending state champions throughout the first half.

Bellevue built a 14-0 lead during the first quarter, but a Mercer Island one-yard touchdown run by Peyton Bell pulled the Islanders within a score. But that would be as close as the Islanders would get; Bellevue’s Peter Nguyen put the ball in the end zone from one-yard out to finish the first-half scoring.

The Wolverines scored two more times during the second half, including a Nguyen 39-yard punt return.

The loss, coupled with Newport’s 45-14 victory over Sammamish, ends the Islanders’ quest for a playoff spot.

Mercer Island will return to Islander Stadium at 7:30 p.m. this Friday for its homecoming game against Interlake.