The sports stories of 2011 look back at some

MARYSVILLE — Marysville sports rose to new levels in 2011. The launching of Marysville Getchell varsity sports added a new competitive rivalry between friends and former classmates. Lakewood elevated its competition to show the community what a small school can do. Marysville-Pilchuck stayed strong. Also, 2011 proved that a team made of regional rivals can come together to dominate a sport year after year.

Contend at StateTomahawk wrestlers

Marysville-Pilchuck wrestlers, soon to split with the inception of Marysville Getchell wrestling in the fall of 2011, knew that this was the year to make an impact. Brandon Blevins, who beefed up to 135 pounds from 125 the year before, was only Tomahawk wrestler who had gone to State the year before. Marcus Haughian beefed up to 189 pounds and Demitri Robinson, who joined the Tomahawks after winning the 103-pound class 1B championship at Tulalip Heritage High School, beefed up to 152 pounds.

The Tommies started out 4-0 entering Winter Break and earned a record eight pins against Cascade. They won the Paul Reiman Invitational and beat Arlington for the first time in three years to improve to 3-1 in the conference and 12-2 overall. M-P sent three wrestlers to Mat Classic XXII where Brian Donaldson took fifth in the 140-pound bracket. Of the six Tomahawks who made it to State, Haughian earned sixth place and Blevins took eighth.

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 Lakewood girls basketball expectation, reaches Districts 

Lakewood’s girls were predicted to finish last of the eight teams in Cascade Conference, but they went 8-6, 9-12 overall to take third place in the conference. The Cougars started out 5-5 after beating Granite Falls and moving into a tie with the Tigers for third place. Lakewood pulled into a tie for second place in the conference just three games later, against Coupeville.

Burlington-Edison sent the Cougars to the consolation bracket in first round of Districts by taking a 75-27 victory, before Mount Baker ousted the Cougars, 48-27, in the Cougars’ first consolation game.

Tomahawk softball reaches State championship

M-P softball featured six returning all-league players. M-P had earned a State playoff berth 23 times since 1980, including 11 straight visits from 1992 to 2001 and a third-place finish in 1997.

Returning eight seniors from the 2010 team propelled the Tomahawks to the 4A State Tournament as the second seed from District 1, the highest seed in M-P softball history, with a 23-4 overall record.

The Tomahawks beat Kentlake 5-3 in first round, knocked out Richland 8-3 in the second and powered through Woodinville 7-2 in the semifinals. M-P outscored their tournament opposition, 20-9, but lost a 1-0 nail-biter to Walla Walla, in which they left the bases loaded in their final at-bat, at Merkel Sports Complex in Spokane.

Four-year letterman Megan Rollings batted .583 in tournament and went 6-for-6 with two home runs, three doubles and five RBIs in the first two games.

Girls golf wins Cascade Conference 

Lady Cougars golf beat King’s by a stroke and scored enough points just in time to jump from third to first in the league standings.

Senior Kayley Mizell finished second in the league tourney and second in the league standings for the season. Her record-setting score of 90 was best league championship score ever for a Lakewood golfer.

Mizell was complemented by senior co-captain Jessica Spears, juniors Kaylee Diggs and Chelsea Blackwood and two sophomores, Hannah Eneix and Nina Forsell.

Seventh  National Cup Championship Rush

Extreme heat in Boise, Idaho could not stop the Rush from winning their seventh consecutive soccer championship that capped a 17-2-2 year and a 13-game win streak. The Rush defense gave up only one goal in games against Rochester FC (6-0), Platinum FC (2-1) and Storm FC (1-0) before the championship game, and only surrendered 14 goals in 21 games all season.

The team included players from Marysville-Pilchuck, Arlington, Jackson, Kamiak, Lake Stevens and Archbishop Murphy high schools, including M-P’s Becca Lentz and Arlington’s Sadie Hitsky.

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