The atmosphere was electric at Mercer Island High School’s stadium on May 13 during the 3A KingCo tournament boys soccer championship match, according to Islander senior captain Charlie Frink.

Down 2-0 to visiting Bellevue High School, the locals fed off their fans’ enthusiasm and tied the game with two netters within the last 5:45 and took the match into extra time. First there were two five-minute, golden-goal overtime periods that didn’t yield any goals and then came the further intensity of a penalty-kick shootout.

Scoring all five of its penalty kicks, the confident MI squad notched the title, 3-2, and advances to state.

“We are so happy about the result and grit of the team last night. The job isn’t finished and we have state to go win,” Frink said.

MI goal scorers during regulation time were senior Cole Nicholson assisted by senior Ben Park and senior Bryce Martin assisted by senior Kai Parker. In PKs, Frink scored first and was followed by Parker, Nicholson, Park and sophomore Noah Zenden. Freshman goalkeeper Adam Kiviat stepped up with a save in PKs to help lead the team to victory.

The crowd went wild and some spectators invaded the pitch following Zenden’s game-winning PK.

“The energy from the fans definitely kept us in it, and how hard we have worked in training finally pays off,” Frink said. “We realized that our tactics weren’t working in the first half and our coach made a genius tactical change and the chances started to come. We never gave up.”

Frink said that head coach Meelod Shaterian had the team starting to put balls in the box and going direct in the air as opposed to trying to build through Bellevue’s low block.

“It’s a really skillful and talented team. I think as the season has progressed, that bond is there with the boys,” said first-year MI head coach Shaterian, adding that he and the guys knew they were going to find a way to pull out the May 13 win despite facing “ridiculous” odds. “I think we’ve been playing with that belief in ourselves and each other all season long. And I think last night was really a good accumulation of all that. I don’t love us saving it for the last second. The sense of that it’s a special group and they’re going to do special things, I think it’s definitely there.”

MI, which beat Bellevue 4-0 on April 24, had copious chances to put the match away, including a header from junior Mathias Perrenoud that was cleared off the goal line, hit the post and bounced out in the last second of the final OT period.

On May 8, MI (9-3-3 overall) beat Liberty (Renton), 2-1, to advance to the final.

Mercer Island High School senior Charlie Frink dribbles the ball away from Bellevue High School junior Fabian Navarro. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus

Mercer Island High School players celebrate their title as senior Charlie Frink lifts the championship trophy. Photo courtesy of Stephanie Ault Justus