Marysville-Pilchuck soccer district champions, on to state

LAKE STEVENS — The Tomahawk soccer team’s special season continued with a 2-1 win over Jackson, sending the M-P boys to their second-consecutive state tournament appearance.

Before they returned to state, though, the boys took on Kamiak in the district championship, winning 1-0 at Edmonds Stadium May 16 for the program’s first-ever district championship.

“It is a a really special season, all the good players we have this year,” said Tomahawk forward Kevin Chavez, who scored the first goal at Jackson and the game-winner against Kamiak.

Chavez put the Tomahawks on the board against Jackson for a 1-0 lead, scoring on a free kick by Brady Ballew with about five minutes before halftime of the May 12 winner-to-state game. Playing aggressively out of the halftime break, the Timberwolves tied the game up, scoring their own goal off of a free kick in the 48th minute. But the Tomahawks answered within two minutes, John Crenshaw faking right and going left around a Jackson defender, drawing a one-on-one match-up with the Jackson goalkeeper and scoring from the left side of the goal.

Although that was enough for the win, the Tomahawks outshot the Jackson goal by about 5-to-1.

“I thought we defended them well,” said M-P coach Geoff Kittle. “I wish we had put them away.”

Still, he added that he was happy with how quickly his team answered the Jackson goal, a mental goal the team had worked on much of the season.

“All season long, the guys have responded. I think we’ve been down 30 seconds all year,” he added, referring to a deficit against Snohomish early in the season that the team answered within a minute. “They have that mental edge to them, which is great.”

Against Kamiak, Chavez scored the lone goal for Marysville, off an assist by Crenshaw shortly before the half.

With the win against the Knights, the Tomahawks checked another goal off their list. But the boys still have another one looming large.

“We’re making history,” said Chavez. “This is the first time we got to the district final and now we’re going to state.”

Still undefeated at 16-0-2, the Tomahawks seek to continue their streak at state, where it takes only four wins to be named state champions. They began their road against Gig Harbor May 19 in a first-round state game at Lake Stevens High School after The Globe and Times went to press.

Contact Arlington Times Sports Reporter Danielle Szulczewski at dszulczewski@marysvilleglobe.com or 360-659-1300.

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