MARYSVILLE – In 2001, after the Sept. 11 tragedy, the New York Yankees went on to win the World Series.
Using that same karma, school board president Tom Albright says the Marysville-Pilchuck High School football team deserves to win the 3A State Football Championship.
The Tomahawks will play defending champion Bellevue Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tacoma Dome in the semifinals.
In the wake of the Oct. 24 shooting at M-P the one thing that has lifted the spirits of the students, and the entire community, has been the play of the football team.
“If you weren’t in to football before, you are now,” Superintendent Becky Berg said. “It’s been a season to remember.”
Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring the Tommies started the positive feelings a week after the tragedy, in a win over Meadowdale.
“And it’s built up from there week after week,” he said. “The Tacoma Dome, that’s a milestone in itself. They have lifted the spirits of the community. It’s been neat to see.”
Albright agreed that the momentum started with the Meadowdale game.
“It was wonderful how both schools came together,” he said. “The team’s been a real rallying point.”
The school board leader said he knows the Wolverines will be tough to beat.
“It’s a huge hill to climb, Bellevue,” he said.
Albright said the whole school board is planning to go to the game. In fact, after a joint school board-city council meeting Nov. 24, an impromptu “Go Tommies” were the final words.
As for the Tacoma Dome on Friday, Albright said, “I hope the whole place is red.”
M-PHS co-Principal Rob Lowry said buses will be taking students and adults to the Tacoma Dome.
“Athletics in general have helped raise the spirits of the kids” since the shooting, Lowry said, adding it’s probably contributed to some healing, too.
The other co-Principal, Deann Anguiano, actually went down to Vancouver last weekend on one of the rooter buses.
“It was a lot of fun,” she said. “Other teachers and parents would pass and honk at us.”
Anguiano said M-P had a bigger crowd there than Columbia River, which was the home team.
“There was a lot of positive energy there,” she said.
Anguiano said the team has given the students something to focus on. In a sense, they feel like they are part of the team.
“United – M-P strong,” she said. “We’re very pumped up for Friday.”
