When it comes to explaining how it wins games, the Marysville Pilchuck football team gets a little defensive.
About its defense.
While being well-known for lighting up the scoreboard — the Tomahawks have scored 40 or more points in all but one game this season — Marysville Pilchuck insists its defense is the real key.
Opponents have scored only 10.6 points per game against the Tomahawks’ starters this season. The starters, who usually find themselves on the sidelines by the third quarter, have given up just seven points in Marysville Pilchuck’s three postseason games.
“If you’re going to be a championship-caliber football team you’ve got to have a really good defense,” said Tomahawks head coach Brandon Carson. “We’ve been playing some great defense of late and we’re going to have to do it again Friday night.”
The Tomahawks feature several players that start on both offense and defense and they make it very clear which side of the ball they enjoy more.
“Defense is a big part of what we do,” said senior linebacker/wide receiver Drew Hatch. “It’s one of the sides of the ball that we look forward to as a team. It’s the most fun for me, at least. We take pride because we know defense wins championships.”
Marysville Pilchuck star running back Austin Joyner, who has rushed for 1,675 yards this year and 33 touchdowns, has verbally committed to Washington State University, where he will play defensive back.
“I just love hitting people,” Joyner said. “It’s really hit me this year, that I like hitting people a lot more than I like running the ball. I like offense too, but defense just works out better for me. I have a love for it.”
This season Marysville Pilchuck has allowed about 18 points per game. With an offense that scores 46.8 points, it’s led to a lot of blowout wins for the Tomahawks (10-1).
“We’re really quick to the ball,” Joyner said. “All of our guys can maneuver around a block and make a tackle. And we don’t miss a lot of tackles. … We love defense. Most of the guys that go both ways are in favor of defense. That’s their strong side. That’s the side they want to be on.”
Regardless of how many points the offense puts up, the defense is always looking for one number: zero.
In Marysville Pilchuck’s 3A state quarterfinal game against Columbia River, the Tomahawks held the Chieftains scoreless until the game’s final four minutes when Columbia River got a 31-yard touchdown pass.
Despite Marysville Pilchuck being ahead 63-6, a few players on the Tomahawks’ sideline looked a bit disappointed by the Chieftains’ score.
“We’re always looking to shut out our opponent,” said Bryce Vitcovich, a senior defensive/offensive lineman. “It doesn’t matter if our backups are in. Or the third string is in. We always want to keep a zero on the scoreboard.”
Against Columbia River, senior defensive back Killian Page had two interceptions and a fumble recovery, which helped the Tomahawks pull away early. Turnovers are just one goal that Marysville Pilchuck has going into its games.
“We have a number of goals that we go through every week,” Carson said. “We have a goal sheet that we go through all three phases of the game. We don’t get them all every week.
“We try to keep the opponent under 200 yards of total offense, get four or more three-and-outs, four turnovers, keep the quarterback’s completions under 50 percent and give up no plays over 20 yards.”
The starters are never eager to come out of the game. Vitcovich dreads hearing Carson tell him he’s done for the night.
“I want to be out there for the full game,” Vitcovich said. “I hate it when coach pulls me out. I’m always like, ‘Ah, one more series, coach.’ But he says, ‘Nope, you’re out.’”
The Tomahawks are expecting a different result when they face undefeated Bellevue, which has won 66 consecutive games, this Friday in the 3A state semifinals at the Tacoma Dome.
“I do think that we’ll be on the field the whole game,” Hatch said. “It’s a 48-minute game. We’ve got to work our butts off to get there and win it. We know that it’s not going to be likely that we get a shutout against these guys but our goal is to hold them to minimal yards.”
When it comes to beating the six-time defending state champs, the Tomahawks are looking to their defense to help lead them to victory.
“I think it’s a mindset, just that predator mentality,” Vitcovich said. “We all know that we have to get out there, do our job, play a little nasty and just have a good time.”
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