Team Spotlight: Marysville Pilchuck
The Tomahawks started the season without two of its All-League players, RaeQuan Battle and Luke Dobler. Battle was sitting out two due to disciplinary reason, while Dobler was recovering from an ankle injury. Marysville would end up goin .500…
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The Tomahawks started the season without two of its All-League players, RaeQuan Battle and Luke Dobler. Battle was sitting out two due to disciplinary reason, while Dobler was recovering from an ankle injury. Marysville would end up goin .500 during that stretch. When RaeQuan final joined the team they would lose back to back games, including a 34 point loss to top ranked Lynden. This is their worst loss in 2 years.
Heading into conference play with a 1-3 record wasn’t the ideal scenario for the Tomahawks but their confidence seemed unfazed. If you ask anyone apart of the team and ask them “what was the turning point of the season?” They all will point to the Edmonds-Woodway game. In a game where Marysville trialed all game till the final minute and a half. It took a historical night from University of Washington commit RaeQuan Battle to over come the Warriors. Battle broke the single game scoring record with 43 (and 20 rebounds) of the teams 55 points.
Since then, they have went on to win 15 straight games. With Dobler coming back against Shorecrest on January 4th, the Tomahawks have their star point guard and their full roster available. Dobler has added some much needed depth at the guard position and another scoring option to go along with Battle. Luke is a high IQ player who only wants to win and will do whatever it take to put his team in position win. Since returning from an ankle injury, Luke has looked healthier every game. And with the recent snow storm giving teams an extended break, this could work in favor of the top ranked 3A team.
Longtime Coach and Pilchuck alumni, Bary Gould has a reputation as a great coach and getting the most out of his players. It is clear the relationship Coach Gould has with his player goes beyond basketball. Gould is like the second father to some of his players and keeps an open door policy with all his guys. This family/brotherhood mentality has his team rolling. A run like this doesn’t happen on the back of 1 or 2 guys, the Tomahawks have received a big boost from players like Brady Phelps, Cameron Strodahl and others.
Phelps is a cone of TJ McConnell because of his tough defense and ability to lead from a supporting role. The junior point guard has taken more charges then anyone on the team and probably the whole league. His playmaking has been much improved as he has taken on more point guard duties. While his jumper still needs some work, he effects the game in more ways then just scoring.
While Battle demands all the attention on the wing (deservedly so) Cameron Strodahl is the other wing who doesn’t get acknowledged enough. Strodahl is a 6’4 junior guard who can score in bunches and has versatile skillset. His ability to shoot, dribble and pass makes him a threat on the wing and his size and strength makes him a viable option to play big. Strodahl will need to continue his big play to keep pressure off his star running mate.
While the roster is full of upperclassmen, RaeQuan is his lone senior. Though they are losing a top prospect the likes Marysville has never seen, they return 10 players next year. More then half of them have three years of varsity experience.
Aside from X’s and O’s, aside from talent, there is something special about this team. During this 15 game winning streak they have come from behind, they have had to rely on RaeQuan to carry them and they have even had to carried Battle on his off nights. They are battle tested and have been through the fire together.
With playoffs ready to resume this week after a week delay, the Tomahawks are ready to get back to business and extend that winning streak to the Tacoma Dome.