Two teams impacted by high school shooting invited to work out with Seahawks: Report

Usually out of the chaos of tragedy comes a little compassion and, in the case of the senseless shooting at a Washington high school, it also brings out the best in sportsmanship.

Just days after the WesCo North Division title matchup was canceled — and the Oak Harbor football team offered to forfeit the game and give its rival Marysville-Pilchuck first place in tribute — the Seattle Seahawks have now extended an offer to both squads to work out at the NFL team's facility before the high school gridders advance to the playoffs this Friday.

The Marysville-Pilchuck High School football team is already planning to practice with the Seahawks Tuesday after accepting an invitation from coach Pete Carroll.

The school — where the shootings took place —is about 30 miles from Seattle.

Carroll reached out to the football teams from both Marysville-Pilchuck and Oak Harbor after the deadly shooting Friday at Marysville-Pilchuck. It has not yet been worked out when Oak Harbor might be able to practice at the Seahawks’ facility in Renton, the Virginia Mason Athletic Center.

Carroll said Monday the Seahawks wanted to do whatever they could to offer support to each school.

“Our hearts just opened immediately to try to help in any way that we can,’’ Carroll said. “When they are faced with an opportunity about a playoff situation and the other school decides to forfeit the game, what an extraordinary gesture. And I think it’s a gesture in every direction and an understanding and compassion that it’s good to be recognized. And we hope that we can do whatever we can in our support, our fans’ support.

“You feel so helpless but we wish that we could do something to ease the pain of all of the people that have been troubled.’’

Marysville-Pilchuck will play in the WesCo 3A championship game Friday while Oak Harbor plays host to Mountlake Terrace in a matchup of No. 2 seeds on the same night.

Mike Colbrese, executive director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, said someone in the Seahawks’ front office called the WIAA “to see if there are any restrictions on what they could do” for the teams.

“It’s not a violation of our rules and regulations,” said Colbrese, whose organization oversees high-school sports. “We don’t have any restrictions on where teams practice or play during the regular season. That’s up to them.”