By David Krueger, Herald Writer

MARYSVILLE — Marysville Pilchuck got a much-needed distraction from recent events Monday – football.

Today, the team has been invited down to Seattle by Seahawks coach Pete Carroll to use their facility for practice.

But Monday, the Tomahawks were happy to return to Quil Ceda Stadium for the first time since a deadly shooting at M-P Friday.

“It was great to get back on the field with the guys and just be around them and change their mindset for a couple of hours, hopefully,” M-P coach Brandon Carson said. “Just being around each other, I think, is healthy in this process that we’re going through.

“And practice went well. I didn’t expect it to go as well as it did but I’m happy we’re out here.”

Carson was eager to get the Tomahawks back into their game-week schedule.

“I think them getting back into their routine will help,” he said. “I don’t think the scars will ever go away, but it helps to be busy and active and be around each other. We’re doing the best we can to prepare to the best of our abilities with the tragedy that happened.”

M-P plays Meadowdale at home Friday for the Wesco 3A championship, starting at 8 p.m.

“We’re pretty motivated this week to get to it. We’re ready for Meadowdale. Well, we’re going to be ready. We’re not yet,” senior running back/defensive back Austin Joyner said. “But we’ve got a game plan and just have to execute.”

M-P running back/defensive back Killian Page said the Tomahawks are trying not to let last week’s events affect how they approach Friday’s game.

“We’re getting some pretty good prep so far,” Page said. “I don’t think that we’re going to have any problems getting prepared just because of the situation. We’re still just going to come out and play and do what we do.”

After dropping its season opener to Lake Stevens, Meadowdale (6-0 league, 7-1 overall) has won seven straight. M-P is 6-1 overall after last week’s game against Oak Harbor was canceled because of the shooting.

In a show of sportsmanship, the Wildcats awarded the Tomahawks the Wesco 3A North championship and the No. 1 seed for the Wesco 3A crossover games between the North and the South.

“(Meadowdale is) not that much different — the way they line up defensively — than Oak (Harbor) was, so our preparation for Oak helped with this weekend too,” Joyner said. “It’s a huge game. It’s always a big game when it comes to championships — any sort of championships.”

The game starts an hour later than usual, but Carson isn’t worried. Last year the team played a late game and won 59-20.

“We usually meet up in locker rooms like two or three hours beforehand anyways,” Page said. “We’re probably going to show up to the locker room a little bit later, though. That’s the only thing that’s going to be different, I think.”

In the early game, Marysville Getchell faces Lynnwood at 5 p.m.. MG will celebrate its Senior Night, while the Tomahawks will wait until the following week — when they host a quad-district playoff game — to honor their seniors.

For now, M-P is focused on preparing for Meadowdale.

“It’s a good distraction. It gets my mind off some of the other stuff,” Carson said. “It doesn’t make it go away but it helps.”