LAKE STEVENS — On May 13, with a 2-1 win over Jackson, the Tomahawk boys advanced to their first-ever district championship game.

Marysville-Pilchuck coach Geoff Kittle credited his team for mentally outmuscling the Timberwolves and earning their second consecutive state tournament appearance.

Senior forward Kevin Chavez scored off of a free kick by Brady Ballew, giving the Tommies a 1-0 halftime lead. But it was the way the team responded to Jackson’s tying goal in the 48th minute that impressed Kittle.

“All season, the guys have responded. I think we’ve been down 30 seconds all year,” he said, referring to an early season game against Snohomish, in which the Tomahawk boys quickly answered a first-half strike by the Panthers to tie it up.

The second goal came in the 50th minute as junior John Crenshaw pulled a fast move on his Jackson defender to go head-to-head with the Timberwolves goalkeeper.