North aims at playoffs with talented roster

Published 5:00 am Saturday, March 18, 2006

POULSBO — This is the dawning of bright new age for North Kitsap High School boys soccer with a light that has been on the rise for the past two years.

In 2004, NK started its upswing with a six-win season, head coach Pat Stickney said. In 2005, the team improved to nine wins and earned a playoff spot. Three games into the 2006 season with a roster at full capacity, featuring sparkles of talent and quickness throughout, NK’s early focus has been on fusion.

“I knew this group had it in them. We just have to find the right combinations,” Stickney said.

Enjoying the biggest turnout in recent memory, Stickney admits that he and his coaching staff had planned for a smaller squad but found too many players they couldn’t turn away.

Numbers don’t tend to detract from a team, however, they can create heightened competition for its top spots. Across the board — freshmen to seniors — the 2006 Vikes are budding with ability.

This year’s varsity features a solid, experienced senior class matched with a crafty sophomore crew and a few freshmen who can potentially stir things up with a nice first touch.

“I think we have a lot of really good individual talent throughout the whole field, we just need to learn how to play together as a team,” said senior defender/midfielder Sam Tomlinson. “We just have to gel.”

With five very credible sophomores and three excelling freshman new to the squad this year, the 10-man senior crew will be the team’s foundation, Stickney said.

“The challenges are always at the defensive end intially,” Stickney said, noting a strong senior presence in the mid and back fields. “We can only be creative if our defense is strong.”

In the first three games of the season, Stickney has been getting creative with his lineup combinations trying to figure out which formula will enable the finest product.

“The first few games are all about learning — it’s about finding out who we are,” Stickney said. “With the playerbase that we have this year, we have a very strong chance of going into postseason play and that’s certainly our goal. What happens in postseason can go anywhere.”

North’s initial practice game with Bainbridge Island March 13 didn’t go int he direction North had hoped as the Vikings lost by a count of 2-0, but it did provide a learning experience, Stickney said. On a quick turnaround, the Vikings dove right into the regular season the next day as they traveled to Port Angeles March 14.

“I wasn’t at all satisfied with the way we played Monday. I thought it was too random and loose,” Stickney said. “(Tuesday) we tightened it up and we worked some things out.”

The Vikings’ offense appeared in the second game of the season at PA as players honed in on more disciplined movement across the field, Stickey said. Halfway through the first half, NK’s fluid offense enabled Steven Prevost to assist Carlos Portillo for the first goal of the game.

In the second half, Prevost switched roles as he scored in the 48th minute off an assist from freshman Zach Sampson. Sampson also assisted Josh Gilson for a goal in the 56th minute, boosting North to the 3-0 win to start the Narrows League season.

The Vikings will travel to Bremerton to take on the CK Cougars with game time set for 6:45 p.m. March 21.