The Tomahawk football team stormed out to 1-0 start thanks to a shutout in the team’s Sept. 4 season opener at Shorecrest.

Led by senior running back Austin Denton’s 236 yards on the ground, Marysville-Pilchuck stomped the smaller Shoreline school 23-0.

Although the team had only five returning starters from last year’s team, the newcomers made the transition fairly seemlessly for the first game of the season. A few penalties and a turnover inside the red zone cost M-P a first-quarter score, but the team had touchdowns in each of the following periods. Senior Zack Hanson finally broke the stalemate in the second quarter on a one-yard quarterback keeper. It was a 9-0 game by halftime, thanks to a field goal by senior kicker Danny Stokes.

Although Denton racked up the yards, seven other guys had carries, including senior Chris Larson who had 40 yards on six carries and A.J. Kvangnes, who had eight carries for 26 yards.

“We’ll try to spread the ball around as needed,” said M-P coach Brandon Carson of the team’s approach to the running game.

The Tommies widened their lead after halftime as junior tight end Jarrett Finau had a 34-yard touchdown reception from Hanson and all 54 of the team’s passing yards.

Denton gave Marysville-Pilchuck its last touchdown of the game on a 13-yard run in the fourth quarter.

“He had some good blocking upfront and he made a couple of plays on own,” Carson said of Denton’s play in the first game after racking up more than 1,500 yards last season.

The Tomahawk defense held Shorecrest to 83 yards of total offense, including interceptions by Blake McGrew and Dane Widness.

They visit Snohomish in their first league test of the year Sept. 11.