MARYSVILLE The Tomahawk girls closed a double-digit gap, but Lake Stevens held on to defeat Marysville 47-40 in a tough in-conference battle.
While the Tomahawks had success defending Lake Stevens two dominant post players Brittany Tri and Karri Gallagher, a cold shooting performance kept each Tomahawk in single-digit scoring.
I think (we) completely did a great job on their post. I feel Britt Harris did a phenomenal job on the inside, as did Kylie Fordon, said M-P coach Julie Martin. If we hit our lay-ins and outside shots, we could have won it.
Another swing factor in the game: Lake Stevens guard Mary Ochiltree, who had 18 points in the second half to keep an M-P comeback just out of reach.
Junior post Harris was held to nine points, but hit a pair of free throws late in the third quarter to give the Tomahawks their closest margin of the game, 28-26. It was a good period for the home team. Field goals by seniors Shaelei Lucas and Fordon led the comeback from a 10-point halftime deficit.
The tide turned against them in the final minute of the quarter when Ochiltree followed two free throws with a three-point field goal to make the gap as wide as ever.
The Tomahawks had some of their best shooting in the final quarter, coming up with 14 points. Once again, trailing by nine, the Tomahawks came out strong, led by a three-pointer by senior forward Anna West.
With freshman Morgan Martinis at the line, M-P once again got within a possession of the Vikings, 40-37. But as the clock ran out, Lake Stevens held on to its lead at the charity stripe.
Though the game didnt end like Tomahawk fans had hoped, it marked the arrival of Martinis, who impressed varsity coaches with 14 three-point field goals in the first five junior varsity games of the season.
She played really smart, Martin said of the freshman whose four points all came in the last quarter.
We tried to get the nerves out, she added. Tonight I think we finished really well.

At M-P H.S.

M-P 10 5 11 14 40
Lake Stevens 16 9 10 12 47

M-P Lucas 7, Fordon 4, West 7, Peterson 6, Masters 3, Harris 9, Martinis 4. Lake Stevens Ochiltree 22, Tri 13, Gallagher 8, Personius 2, Schumacher 2. 3-point field goals West 1, Peterson 1, Ochiltree 3. Records M-P 5-2 overall, 2-2 conference. Lake Stevens 5-0, 3-0.