Marysville will take a giant step to normalcy this Friday, when both the Marysville Pilchuck and Marysville Getchell football teams play Wesco 3A crossover games in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. at Quil Ceda Stadium.
Marysville School District athletic director Greg Erickson confirmed in an email that the Chargers will face Lynnwood at 5 p.m. before the Tomahawks take on Meadowdale in the Wesco 3A championship at 8 p.m.
“I think we need to get back to it,” said Marysville Pilchuck head coach Brandon Carson. “Kids need to get back to a schedule and kind of help with the grieving process. The main thing is the kids need to be around each other.”
Several of the players returned to the high school on Saturday to pick up their belongings — including football gear that remained in the locker room at Marysville Pilchuck as students were quickly evacuated from the campus after a deadly shooting Friday morning.
Carson was at the school Saturday to help organize the students and was able to talk with some of his players. He saw many at a team-only meeting Friday night where several players from Oak Harbor — the Tomahawks’ scheduled opponent — showed up.
“I’m not an expert in any of this, but I know when we had our meeting Friday night I talked for less than five minutes and the kids were there for two hours (talking with each other),” Carson said.
The Tomahawks were cleared to practice at Quil Ceda Stadium — the field on the Marysville Pilchuck campus — and will resume a regular practice schedule starting Monday.
“It’s nice being around my coaches and my guys. That helps me a lot,” Carson said. “I’ll talk to the players on Monday and see how they’re doing. … They seem to be doing OK, all things considered, but are you really ever OK after going through what some of them had to go through?”
Oak Harbor offered to concede the No. 1 seed and league title to Marysville Pilchuck after hearing about the tragedy on Friday — the day the Wildcats and Tomahawks were supposed to play in the Wesco 3A North championship game.
The two school districts finalized the agreement, giving Marysville Pilchuck the No. 1 seed and a home game against the Mavericks. Oak Harbor will host Mountlake Terrace in the crossover of the No. 2 seeds on Friday at 7 p.m.
Carson said several coaches around the state have reached out to him.
On Friday night, numerous local schools wore red and white — the Tomahawks’ colors — and made signs to support Marysville Pilchuck.
“The support has been overwhelming,” Carson said. “I’ve gotten texts and phone calls and emails from a number of coaches in Snohomish County, and around the state. It’s been brought to my attention that people wore red or brought signs last Friday. It’s just incredible.”
Marysville Getchell will face Lynnwood in what will be the final game of the season for the Chargers. Erickson said they will not make up their game against Stanwood, which was scheduled for last Friday but postponed. Friday night’s game will serve as the Homecoming game for Marysville Getchell, which will be wearing special decals honoring Marysville Pilchuck.
It will also be senior night for both Marysville football teams.
The Carolina Panthers also held a moment of silence to honor Marysville Pilchuck prior to Sunday’s National Football League game between the Panthers and Seattle Seahawks.
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