MARYSVILLE — Sophomore running back Ray Pimentell has big shoes to fill, but he hopes to become the “next Austin Joyner.”

“[Joyner] was the best running back in the state. I’m not sure how you replace him,” Pimentel said. “I feel if I keep working harder, then I can have that chance to be the new Austin Joyner.”

He rushed for three touchdowns against Stanwood Sept. 25, when he led the Tomahawks to a 36-29 league win. He rushed 11 yards for his first touchdown, followed by two single yarders. As a result, he is the Marysville Globe-Arlington Times Athlete of the Week.

“I feel like that was one of my better games, out of all them, not because I rushed for three touchdowns, but I just thought overall I played better,” he said.

Other than maybe better executing his play fakes, Pimentel did what was necessary to give M-P the win, he said.

“It may not have turned out as well as we thought it would — we thought we would’ve blown them out — but they gave us a good game,” he said. “We didn’t stop playing when they caught back up. We always kept fighting.”

The 5-foot-8, 150-pound running back took his first snap on the varsity squad in M-P’s debut game against Kamiak Sept. 4, when he recorded his first touchdown.

“It was my very first varsity game, and I got the privilege to start as a sophomore so that makes me feel really good,” he said.

He wasn’t able to score the last two games, but was happy to break that dry-spell Saturday.

His goals now are to try and score at least a touchdown every game as well as rushing 80 yards a game.

Also nominated for Athlete of the Week was Haley Senyitko, who recorded a hat trick against Sultan Sept. 26, paving the way for a 5-1 victory for the Cougars.