The Bellevue High School water polo team had to settle for second place finish at the state championships earlier this month, losing to rival powerhouse Mercer Island 15-5.

The Islanders have now captured 10-straight state titles and the win was their fourth-straight over Bellevue in the championship game.

The Islanders opened up the game with a goal on their first possession but Bellevue’s Riley Smith scored on an outside shot on a foul that evened the score.

That’s when Mercer Island went on a run, scoring four-straight goals to take a 5-1 lead before Justin Dellinger picked up a post-up goal late in the first quarter.

After Mercer Island made it 6-2, Hayden Goudy scored, then Riley Smith added to make the score 6-4. The Islanders scored on their final possession of the second quarter and scored four times in the third to put the game out of reach. Peter Linton scored a fourth-quarter goal but Bellevue was too far behind, losing 15-5.

Bellevue (26-8) defeated Newport 10-2 in the first game of the tournament, led by Chase Middlesworth, who scored three goals. The Wolverines then knocked off Shorewood 16-7 and Bainbridge Island 15-5 to reach the quarterfinals.

Bellevue beat CPA 10-6, one of only two in-state teams to beat the Wolverines in the regular season to advance to the semifinals, where they defeated Roosevelt 14-6. Middlesworth scored five goals, Linton had three and Goudy scored twice to get Bellevue into the championship game.

Six Wolverines received all-state honors, as Dellinger and Doug Oakley were named to the first team. Middlesworth and Smith earned second team honors and Dan Elis and Matt McKaig earned honorable mention nods. The team is coached by Evan Kaseguma and Ed Brovick.