Mercer Island, Liberty, and Inglemoor football play for KingCo playoff spots in Issaquah

Three 3A KingCo Crest football teams will compete in a Kansas tiebreaker at Issaquah High School on Oct. 27 to secure the top three division spots. Liberty, Inglemoor, and Mercer Island are all tied at 5-1 in league play following Liberty’s 10-3 loss to Inglemoor on Oct. 24. The modified tournament will decide which two teams advance to the postseason.

A Kansas tiebreaker replaces a standard football game with a shortened format. The teams will play two 12-minute quarters. The winner of the first matchup advances to the next round, while the loser takes a 20-minute break before facing the third team in a win-or-go-home contest. If the score is tied after 24 minutes of play, overtime follows standard high school rules with alternating possession at the 25-yard line.

The order of play was determined by a lottery held at the start of the year for all 3A KingCo schools. Mercer Island drew the No. 3 slot and will host Liberty, who drew No. 6, in the opening game at 7:00 p.m. The winner of that matchup will face Bellevue in the Week 9 KingCo championship game and lock in their playoff berth.

The loser of the Mercer Island and Liberty game will play Inglemoor in the final contest. The winner of that game will claim the last available playoff spot for the division. This format ensures that all three teams remain in contention until the very last play of the day.