The Marysville-Pilchuck Tomahawk football team made a surprise visit to Oak Harbor High School’s practice Wednesday, presenting the Wildcats with the Wesco 3A North championship trophy and a pizza dinner.
The visit was to thank the Oak Harbor players and staff for their willingness to forfeit the Oct. 24 football game and for their presence at a vigil and team meeting in Marysville the evening of the shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School that left three dead and three wounded.
In the wake of the shooting, Oak Harbor coach Jay Turner called Marysville-Pilchuck coach Brandon Carson that night with the offer to concede the game, which was to decide the divisional title, to the Tomahawks. Turner and the Oak Harbor team knew that the Marysville players, coaches and community had more to worry about than a football game.
That act of sportsmanship prompted Marysville-Pilchuck to reciprocate Wednesday.
Carson told the Everett Herald, “You can’t put into words how incredible their act of generosity was. Turner, his staff and his players are class acts. I can’t speak highly enough of them.
“When they came to support us at our team meeting just hours after the event, it was the most amazing thing I have been associated with as a football coach. Our football program really appreciated that.”
Marysville-Pilchuck gave Oak Harbor the Wesco North trophy and a note that said, “Oak Harbor, true champs. Thanks for your support, M-P football.”
Marysville-Pilchuck player Corbin Ferry told The Herald, “It’s nothing compared to what they did for us, but the fact that we had a chance to do something to repay what they did for us is nice.
“I really like the fact that we gave them the trophy. When Carson told us about that, it was like, ‘Yeah, that’s got to happen.’ They earned it. That’s their trophy. That’s not ours.”
Oak Harbor lineman Blaine Coleman said it “felt pretty good” when Marysville-Pilchuck showed up.
“It is cool to be appreciated,” Coleman said. “Just for them to take the long drive up here for a half-hour with us and presenting us with the trophy was pretty cool.”
Fellow Wildcat lineman Tyler Adamson echoed Coleman’s words: “It was nice to be appreciated; it made me feel good.”
Both said forfeiting the game to Marysville-Pilchuck was the “right thing to do.”
“Forfeiting the game didn’t faze me,” Adamson said. “We didn’t want them to worry about it. It was a group decision; no one complained.”
Coleman said it “didn’t bother me one bit,” adding, “it was all in the name of sportsmanship.”
The only regret in not playing the game, they said, was missing the opportunity to face a talented opponent.
“Playing them would have been a challenge and we missed it,” Coleman said. “But that is OK; what happened in Marysville shouldn’t have happened.”
Both Oak Harbor and Marysville-Pilchuck returned to the football field Friday night; results of the games were not available at press time.
Coleman was looking forward to Friday’s game: “I have been playing football since I was 6. Playing a game will help me get past this and back to a normal routine.”
The Seattle Seahawks, impressed by Oak Harbor’s gesture of forfeiting to Marysville-Pilchuck, invited the Wildcats to practice at their facilities in Renton. Oak Harbor will turn out there at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4.
The Seahawks also invited Marysville-Pilchuck. The Tomahawks practiced in Renton Oct. 28.
Oak Harbor School District Communication Coordinator Kellie Tormey said community members have offered to host parties and dinners for the Wildcats and dropped off gifts at Oak Harbor High School.
“The school is appreciative of the community’s outpouring of gratitude,” she said.
“(The forfeit) was done with the most humble of manner with only Marysville in mind,” she added. “The school and the team would really like to refocus the emphasis back to the Marysville community. If local businesses would like to do something to help, the team would like them to really consider refocusing that spotlight back to Marysville.”
