Like the classic story of David and Goliath, sometimes talented teams overlook smaller opponents.
With a Jan. 12 rematch against an undefeated Snohomish team looming, M-P might be forgiven for overlooking a 1-5 Cascade team.
That is, unless Cascade improved to 2-5 against them, defeating the Tomahawks 75-64.
While the Jan. 4 game remained close for three quarters, Cascade opened the final period with a pair of three pointers that provided a lead Marysville couldnt overcome.
M-P coach Bary Gould called the game a winnable one the team seemed to overlook.
I think we have a tendency to look at teams past records and look past some teams, Gould said. There are so many good teams, and a lot of them are good even though their records arent that great. They want to make the playoffs as badly as we do.
Cascade took advantage of fast-break opportunities, pitching the ball down court to Chris McGrath who stung the Tomahawks for 31 points.
Senior Taylor Stevens was the only Tomahawk to score in double figures, coming up with 28 points. Colin Thomason and Blake Lovell each chipped in another 9, but Cascade entered each quarter leading M-P and pulled away late outscoring M-P 29-22 in the fourth quarter.
Gould said he thought his team had learned to play a game at a time after a close loss to Everett. Hopefully for the Tomahawks, the lesson will sink in as they face Arlington and Oak Harbor before facing the Panthers again in Snohomish.
Though M-P fell to 3-3 in conference, the record puts them squarely in the middle of the pack, tied with Monroe for fourth among 4A teams in the league.
Gould hopes to change his teams mentality as they enter the second half of their schedule.
I think the key word is doing different. We need to make sure that we prepare for every team. I think we have to worry about ourselves, he said. Its really going to come down to the second half of the season. To the teams that are playing better, winning the close games.

At Cascade H.S.

M-P 10 15 17 22 64

Cascade 14 13 19 29 75

Marysville-Pilchuck Forsythe 5, Kelly 5, Lanphere 8, Lovell 9, Scheller 2, Stevens 28, Thomason 9. Cascade Barton 11, Hancock 11, Joyce 6, McDaniels 6, McGrath 31, Reading 10. 3-point goals Lanphere 1, Thomason 1. McGrath 3, Hancock 2, Barton 1. Records M-P 5-5 overall, 3-3 in conference. Cascade 2-8, 2-5.