The Mount Si Wildcats, thanks to the weather conditions and a schedule conflict, saw their scheduled game last Wednesday with Liberty pushed back to Jan. 28. This allowed Mount Si to prepare for its biggest game since the third-place game at the 2006 state tournament, held last Friday at home against Mercer Island.

A jam-packed Mount Si High School gym came to watch the return of Mount Si senior Caleb Williams to the basketball floor for the first time since his 2005 swimming accident left him seriously injured, and the Wildcat team fed off that emotion in a big way as they played the top team in the league down to the wire before falling to the Islanders.

Lucas Zupan scored 22 points and Tanner Riley added 20, both game-highs, to lead Mount Si, but Mercer Island hit key free throws down the stretch and held off a spirited charge from the Wildcats 64-57.

“Last time we played MI, we came out flat and they got up about 26 on us at half. I didn’t have any worry about that this time. I knew that with Caleb playing and the crowd that we were going to have, I knew it was going to inspire our kids to play, play passionate and play aggressive. It’s what they did. I’m proud of them,” said Mount Si coach Jeff D’Ambrosio. “It’s great for Caleb and great for our team and great for the community. It’s a neat night.”

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