MARYSVILLE — Tomahawk girls basketball traveled to Monroe High School to face the Bearcats on Dec. 7 for both teams’ first Wesco 4A game of the year.

The rivalry game did not disappoint as it culminated in a defensive battle from which Marysville-Pilchuck escaped with a 42-39 win.

Monroe found success in stealing the ball from M-P’s point guards at the top of the three-point line when the Tomahawks could not find senior posts Hannah Watson or Jessica Boyle inside for low post baskets.

M-P and Monroe’s stingy defenses caused mutual confusion and the first quarter became a turnover battle. The Tomahawks led 9-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The teams traded three-pointers and Monroe took a 16-13 lead.

Boyle sank two free throws, hit a short jumper from the left of the key and put back a Tomahawk missed free throw to give her team a 22-16 edge.

Hustle was the name of the game as neither offense could establish itself. Turnovers sent momentum back and forth before the half ended with a 27-21 Tomahawk lead.

Neither team could get to the paint with regularity in the third quarter as M-P and Monroe duked it out for possession of loose balls on the open floor.

Monroe endured a long sequence in which they grabbed offensive rebound after offensive rebound to keep possessions alive but could not put the ball through the net.

Watson put M-P up 39-35 after converting one of two free throws and senior guard/forward Emily Enberg dug deep to power to the basket for a hard basket off of a rebound.

Bearcat junior forward Ashley Alexander crashed through a hole in the backside of the Tomahawk defense for a layup that drew the score to 41-39 M-P.

Monroe put on a full-court press and intercepted a Tomahawk pass in front of the Bearcat bench to force a quick foul. Senior guard Alyssa Brazel grabbed the second shot’s rebound but could not get her layup to fall with 32.6 seconds left in regulation.

Enberg converted one of two free throws to put M-P up 42-39 and force a Bearcat timeout with 13.5 seconds left.

Monroe’s last-chance layup drew iron and rolled out as time expired to preserve the 42-39 Tomahawk win.

“We’re tired,” Tomahawk junior guard Taylor Bergley said after four quarters of physical play and a nailbiter finish. “We wanted to play them tough on defense, and we fought hard.”