MARYSVILLE — The Vikings topped the Tomahawks in Marysville-Pilchuck’s fifth match of the season on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Lake Stevens won 7-0 in the home match at Totem Middle School.

“We have 11 returners but only two of them are seniors,” said head coach Evan Shaw. “I would say that losing a large group of seniors last year affected us, but we have a solid group of underclassmen who have stepped up to fill that lineup.”

Although the Tommies have yet to win a match, Shaw said that the team is building back up with dedication and hard work.

“I definitely see athletes getting here and staying here late, and they get better every day,” said Shaw, who noted that the team has a leader in team captain Owin Ell.

“Owin is our team captain and some of his duties include leading the warmups, and he always rallies the team and even mentors younger players. He also reads off lineups during each match,” he said. “He is a solid No. 1 performer. I have high hopes for him in the postseason. His leadership role on the team will help him recognize where he needs to improve.”

Graduating a number of seniors doesn’t mean the team doesn’t have skills.

“For tennis overall, they have a really solid ground stroke and their consistency has improved,” said Shaw. “Their ability to move opponents around the court and have more overall control of the game has improved.”

As the Tomahawks go into the rest of their matches, Shaw is hoping they will make a few tweaks to succeed going forward.

“I am hoping that they work on challenging themselves more — by joining clubs or programs to get out and play more,” said Shaw. “Overall they are a very happy-go-lucky and respectful group of kids. They want to be here and they want to play.”

The Tomahawks host Oak Harbor on Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 3:30 p.m.