I’m pretty psyched for tonight’s big Marysville-Pilchuck vs. Snohomish football game. It’s the Wesco North opener for two teams expected to be in the mix for the division’s three playoff berths.

I checked in with both teams this week, dropping by their practices to see what they worked on and how they look heading into the week two showdown. Here are some notes from Snohomish’s practice on Wednesday. I interviewed Snohomish coach Mark Perry.

Snohomish football coach Mark Perry

*A chance for redemption against Marysville-Pilchuck

“Even last year (when M-P stunned Snohomish 34-7), you knew (M-P) had some good kids. This year again, everybody’s expectation is they’re the league (champion) pick. It’s just a matter of: Now how much of that holds true? If we can come out and perform and do things right, one or two plays makes the difference in the ball game. And we didn’t do that last year.”

“We have a better team than we had last year at this point of the year. We were still trying to find out who our players were in our first few games last year. Then after that, we kind of got it together a little bit more and won five or six in a row.”

“We’re playing at home. Everybody understands right now that this is a big game with Marysville, whereas last year you didn’t know how big it was until it was over. Right now you know how big it is before it starts.”

*Trying to stop dangerous M-P FB Austin Denton

“The kid runs hard. He’ll bounce off a linebacker and break loose for a 45-yard touchdown run. He’ll hit a linebacker and drag him for 4 or 5 more yards. We just can’t allow that type of stuff. We can’t allow him to get loose and run those big ones. He had a couple of those against us last year.”

“He’s not as big as (former Jackson High star and UW player Johnie) Kirton but runs tough like Johnie Kirton did. He just doesn’t have the size but definitely has the power and those things that punish you and keep going.”

*Columbia University interested in SE/DE Jon McGee

Columbia University recently called and e-mailed coach Perry to get information about Snohomish senior Jon McGee. McGee has great hands, size (6-foot-5, 215 pounds) and smarts (3.967 grade-point average). Columbia would be a nice fit for the senior, said Perry: “He can play in the Ivy League in a heartbeat with his intelligence and his size and athleticism. He could play at any one of those schools.”

*Strong-legged kicker Holden Erstad connects from 55 yards

At the end of Wednesday’s practice, placekicker Holden Erstad kicked field goals against a live defense. His final attempt was from about 55 yards … and he made it! Displaying impressive leg power, Erstad’s booted the ball between the uprights. It bounced off the crossbar and tumbled through. Snohomish didn’t attempt a field goal last week but Perry said the team has supreme confidence in the 5-9, 185-pound senior kicker. “When we’ve got (snapper Nolan Shilling) in there and Holden in there, we can kick one from anywhere,” said Perry.

*UCLA grad Adam Heater helping out

Former Snohomish standout Adam Heater is helping the Panthers as a volunteer assistant coach. A recent graduate from UCLA, where he played football and earned a history degree, Heater has made valuable contributions as a coach, Mark Perry said: “He brings enthusiasm. You’ve got a guy who just came out of a major-college program that knows what he’s talking about when he says something, and he always brings up some good points at the end of practice.” Heater played sparingly at UCLA, Perry said. Recruited by the Bruins to be a tight end as a 6-foot-5, 245-pound senior at Snohomish, Heater was a backup tight end and special teams contributor in college. He converted to a center for a year and then switched back to TE.

*Team captains

Snohomish’s full-time captains are QB Luke Perry and OT/LB Keith Wigney. The team also chooses two rotating captains each week. Against Kamiak, the rotating captains were OG/DT Mike Maybin and RB/LB Nick Hund.