The same day that that a teen gunman shot himself and several others at Marysville Pilchuck High School, their football team was scheduled to play Oak Harbor for the Wesco 3A North title and a berth in the Wesco Championship game.
Instead, Oak Harbor players took second place, and went to a prayer vigil to support their grieving opponents.
On Wednesday, Marysville Pilchuck players traveled to Oak Harbor and surprised the Wildcats by presenting them with the league championship trophy.
“It was the least we could do with everything they have done for us,” Marysville Pilchuck head coach Brandon Carson told the Everett Herald. “You can’t put into words how incredible their act of generosity was.
"When they came to support us at our team meeting just hours after the event it was the most amazing thing I have been associated with as a football coach," he said. "Our football program really appreciated that.”
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll also spoke of the generosity of Oak Harbor's decision, saying the Seahawks hope to host Oak Harbor next week. The team hosted Marysville-Pilchuck at their practice facility on Tuesday.
"It does speak to the power of sport,” Carroll said, “and how it is such a unifying element in our culture -- and you could just see it in this local community.”
Click here to read the full story about Marysville Pilchuck's visit to Oak Harbor by David Krueger at The Herald of Everett, a KIRO 7 news partner.
Information from The Associated Press is also included in this report.
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