M-P foes will get steady diet of slim, fast running back Moses in WesCo North

When the grounds crews switch on the Friday-night lights for the first time this week, there will be no mystery in the Marysville-Pilchuck backfield.

No opposing coaches will wonder who the heck's that skinny kid running wild through their secondary.

This year, Marquise Moses will wear a target.

It's funny how 1,366 yards and 20 touchdowns will do that.

To make matters worse, Moses will carry the burden of expectations this season while running behind a line with one returning starter. In all, the Tomahawks lost 17 of 22 starters from a surprising team that went 7-3 and tied for second in the WesCo North Division.

Clearly, much of the Tomahawks' success this season rides on the 17-year-old's 6-foot, 168-pound frame.

"People will be gunning for me this year, so I'm just going to have to step it up and be ready," said Moses, who also starts at safety. "I'm a little worried about it, yeah. But I feel like I'm stronger and faster than I was last year, so I'll be ready for it."

After leading WesCo North in rushing and earning first-team all-league honors last year, Moses' red-and-white jersey might as well have a bull's-eye on it.

Fortunately, says M-P coach Rudy Grandbois, Moses is a shifty target.

"Yes, he gets a lot of carries, but he doesn't ever get hit hard," said the fourth-year coach. "He's great at dodging hits, sliding to the side before someone can stick him. You're always concerned with a guy who gets up in carries, especially a guy who's only 160 pounds, but he's a durable kid."

After playing for the sophomore team two seasons ago, Moses got Grandbois' attention the following spring.

"When we saw him in spring we were like, 'Wow, this kid's got some speed!' " Grandbois said. "When we went through camp last year, we knew he was going to be our guy, we just didn't know how he'd do in games. Obviously he worked out OK."

Four weeks into his junior season, Moses had piled up 774 yards and 10 touchdowns, and it was other WesCo coaches who were wowed.

"He made some great runs against us," said Snohomish coach Mark Perry, whose team surrendered 219 yards to Moses in a 15-14 loss to the Tomahawks in Week 2. "It was the toughness in his runs that killed us. He made the difference in that game."

Moses hopes to shed not only tacklers this year, but the quiet label he carries.

"I feel like I need to lead a little bit more, be a little more talkative," said Moses. "I'm not really a verbal person like that. I just haven't really been talking a lot, but I feel like I could start to a little more and help my team out."

One year after bursting onto the WesCo scene, everything has changed for Moses. He's getting recruiting interest from Washington, Oregon and Boise State. He's the marked man, the senior leader, and the pressure is on.

Moses is up for a challenge.

"We lost a lot of guys, but I know this team can be just as good as last year's, if not better," said Moses, whose team lost in overtime to Tahoma in a winner-to-state game.

"I put a lot of pressure on myself because I know I'm going to get the ball a lot. I know that this team counts on me and I can't do anything that can hurt us."

John Boyle: 206-464-2364 or jboyle@seattletimes.com