MARYSVILLE — One team knows it’s in. Four more have a reasonable shot at a district playoff berth.
Problem is, there are just four seeds.
The order will likely change several more times as this season rumbles to an exciting finish with four teams vying for three district tournament berths — including the coveted No. 2 seed that would mean a home playoff opener.
Marysville-Pilchuck wants that No. 2 seed and senior captain Taylor Stevens scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Tommies a step closer to it with a 57-45 victory over Lake Stevens on Tuesday night.
The Tommies’ victory and Cascade’s 68-61 win over Stanwood (7-5 in league, 8-8 overall) means Marysville-Pilchuck is all alone in second place.
Marysville-Pilchuck (8-4, 10-6) and Stanwood entered the night knotted in second place behind North leader Snohomish, which is undefeated in league play and appears to have a lock on the top seed.
“Every game from now on is a big game,” said Stevens, who scored 10 of the Tommies’ 18 points in the decisive fourth quarter Tuesday. “We just have to keep going out and playing hard, winning games.”
With the loss, Lake Stevens (6-5, 10-5) is now tied with Monroe (6-5, 9-6), which was idle Tuesday, for the fourth and final district playoff berth.
The Vikings have experienced a lot of adversity this season, with three players suspended for team violations and point guard Jordan Carter sidelined with an injury.
“We’ve got to bounce back,” Vikings head coach Mark Hein said. “Marysville had a good game. They controlled the game and did a great job of executing in the fourth quarter.”
The Tommies’ Stevens sank a pair of 3-pointers that served as bookends to Tuesday’s game. The first came a minute into the game, starting the Tommies on a 9-3 run. Stevens’ second 3 came halfway through the fourth quarter and ignited a 14-4 run that sealed the victory.
“I hit that (3-pointer), and that gave us an extra boost of energy,” Stevens said. “It made us step up and we knew had the game after that.”
The road to the postseason won’t get any easier for either team. The Tommies face Monroe on Thursday and know the Bearcats are on the bubble.
The Vikings face a Cascade team on Thursday that is out of contention, but could continue to play the spoiler.
At Marysville-Pilchuck H.S.
LS719136—45
M-P14141118—57
Lake Stevens—Adams 3, T.Dodge 9, Elfeghih 4, Kurisu 10, Legg 8, Pilon 2, Schneider, Stickney 6, Finley 3, Ross, J. Dodge. Marysville-Pilchuck—Forsythe 4, Kelly 6, Lanphere 7, Lovell 3, Scheller 8, Stevens18,Thomason 11. 3-point goals—Adams 1, T. Dodge 3, Thomason 1, Stevens 2, Kelly 2. Records—Lakes Stevens 6-5 in league, 10-5 overall. Marysville-Pilchuck 8-4, 10-6.
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