Three Football Teams Face Elimination Monday in 24-Minute Kansas Tiebreaker

Fans of three Seattle area high school football teams will see a different style of competition on Monday, October 27. Mercer Island, Liberty, and Inglemoor will play in a Kansas tiebreaker to determine the final two playoff positions in the 3A KingCo Crest division. The match is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Issaquah High School.

All three squads finished their regular league schedule with a 5-1 record. The standings became identical after Inglemoor defeated Liberty 10-3 on the road on October 24. Because no team holds a superior division record, a special tournament format is required to break the deadlock and award the remaining postseason berths.

The Kansas tiebreaker shortens games to two twelve-minute quarters. The first contest will feature Mercer Island against Liberty. This pairing was determined by a number draw conducted at the start of the school year. Mercer Island, which drew number 3, hosts Liberty, which drew number 6. If the score is level after twenty-four minutes of play, the teams will proceed to standard overtime rules with alternating possession at the 25-yard line.

The winner of the opening matchup advances directly to the playoffs. That team will also play in the Week 9 KingCo championship game against Bellevue. The loser of the first game faces Inglemoor in a win-or-eliminate final. A twenty-minute intermission separates the two contests. The victor of the second game secures the last available playoff spot, while the loser is eliminated from the division race.