Oak Harbor High School’s Drew Washington blistered Maryville-Pilchuck for 44 points, the second highest single-game scoring performance in school history, but the visiting Tomahawks somehow escaped with a 75-67 win Monday, Feb. 3.

Washington scored in every way possible in an attempt to help his team clinch a playoff berth. The senior took the ball to the rim, flipped floaters in the key, pulled up for midrange jumpers, drilled deep threes and converted free throws. Once late in the game, he missed a foul shot on purpose, got the rebound and scored.

The Tomahawks weathered the Washington storm and countered with balanced scoring. Four M-P players finished in double figures and eight different players scored.

A win would have wrapped up a playoff spot for Oak Harbor (4-8, 4-15); now its road to the postseason becomes more difficult.

First it must win at Marysville Getchell (0-12, 1-18) at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, in the final regular season game. Then Oak Harbor will need to defeat the loser of Wednesday’s game between Marysville-Pilchuck (5-7, 8-10) and Everett (5-7, 8-11) in a tie-breaker to earn the fourth and final seed out of the North Division.

Though Marysville Getchell sits at the bottom of the North, it can be dangerous. The Chargers have lost six times by six points or less, including twice to Marysville-Pilchuck, once to Everett and at Oak Harbor (55-49) Jan. 7.

In the Oak Harbor’s loss to Marysville-Pilchuck, the Wildcats fell behind early and tried to play catch-up all night.

Washington scored all eight of Oak Harbor’s first-quarter points, but M-P, with the help of three three-pointers, scored 17.

Cole Grinde tallied 12 points for the Tomahawks in the second quarter and Marysville-Pilchuck led 36-25 at the break.

The Tomahawks upped their lead to 16, 44-28, in the third quarter, then Oak Harbor rallied with a 16-3 run. Washington contributed 12 points to the surge, and Oak Harbor trailed 47-44 with 1:15 left in the quarter.

M-P scored three times in the final minute of the period to lead 53-45 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Tomahawks appeared to be in control, leading 61-47, with 4:39 remaining in the game, but Oak Harbor rallied again.

Washington and Dyllan Harris brought the Wildcats to within five, 67-61, with a minute left, but M-P sank eight of 10 free throws to hold off the final Oak Harbor rush.

“We just ran out of gas,” Oak Harbor coach Mike Washington said.

Drew Washington, coach Washington’s son, hit six three-pointers and converted 12 of 16 free throws on the way to his 44 points.

Only Pat McGreevey, with 49 points in 1953, scored more points in a game for Oak Harbor. Drew Washington’s older brother, Mike Jr., held the previous second-highest mark with 41 in 2012.

Mike Washington Jr. also scored 40 in a game in 2011, as did Brannon Stone in 1998 and Ron Durant in 1977.

Against Marysville-Pilchuck, Harris finished with 15 points, then the scoring dropped to Zach Gibbs with four, Elijah Smith with three and Gabe Groenig with one.

Grinde scored 18, Josh Bevan 15, Michael Painter 15 and Dante Fields 11 for the Tomahawks.

Each team had 10 turnovers and 43 rebounds; however, Marysville-Pilchuck outscored Oak Harbor 11-0 off the turnovers and the Wildcats outscored M-P 20-12 in second-chance points.

Groenig and Gibbs collected nine rebounds, Washington eight and Harris seven.

Washington and Groenig each had a team-high two assists, and Washington recorded the only Wildcat block.