Three Schools, One Night: KingCo Playoff Spots Hinge on Modified Tiebreaker

Mercer Island, Liberty, and Inglemoor will determine the final three playoff spots in the 3A KingCo Crest division on Monday, October 27. The three teams, all currently 5-1 in league play, will compete in a Kansas tiebreaker at Issaquah High School. This format compresses the decision into a single evening of modified football.

The tiebreaker follows a specific tournament structure rather than a standard round-robin. Two teams will play a shortened contest consisting of two 12-minute quarters. The winner advances immediately. The loser then faces the third team in the same format after a 20-minute intermission. The loser of that second game is eliminated, while the winner secures the remaining playoff berth. If the 24 minutes of regulation end in a tie, standard overtime rules apply with alternating possession at the 25-yard line.

The matchups were predetermined by a lottery held at the start of the season. Mercer Island, drawn as the number 3 seed, will host Liberty, the number 6 seed, in the first game at 7:00 p.m. The winner of that contest will move on to face Bellevue in the Week 9 KingCo championship game. This victory guarantees a spot in the postseason for the winner.

The stakes for the loser of the first game are immediate. That team will face Inglemoor in a win-or-go-home finale. The scenario arose after Inglemoor defeated Liberty 10-3 on October 24, leaving all three schools with identical conference records. The rapid pace of the modified game ensures that all three outcomes are decided within a few hours at the Issaquah venue.