POULSBO — Tuesday night’s Narrows League contest featuring North versus South on the North Kitsap High School soccer pitch was more of a wrestling match than a soccer game.

The game plan for both squads in the late season “Civil War” rivalry seemed to be dominant defense. With physically demanding tackles on each side of the field and a near solid wall in front of each ne, a single score decided the game.

Unfortunately for North (3-3-2 Narrows League, 4-4-2 overall), that goal was netted by South Kitsap’s Kylie Balstad off of a free kick from Kelsey Penn in the 62nd minute.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed in the loss, but I’m not disappointed in the play,” said NK head coach Pat Stickney. “South is a quality team and to match up with them and playing them step for step was a good accomplishment for these kids.”

Two days earlier, the Vikings traveled to Olympia to test the undefeated Bears and didn’t quite keep up. Missing three starters in an odd series of events Tuesday, the Vikings were met with a 7-0 loss in the state capitol.

“It didn’t have to be seven-nil,” Stickney said. “I’ve never, in 30 years of coaching, had a team lose by seven goals, never. Some of it was certainly preventable.”

With that lopsided score hanging over his head, Stickney rearranged the Viking field against South Kitsap, keeping goal-prevention in mind. Moving junior Stephanie Skelly into a flat back defense with co-captain Candyce Eaton, while unleashing sophomore spark plug Meghan Antoni as a sweeping midfielder accomplished the goal of disrupting South’s attack, Stickney said.

A healthy batch of physical play didn’t hurt either.

“That was an example of a no-style game,” said NK assistant coach PJ Stickney. “That was more like watching WWF (wrestling) than high school soccer.”

Throughout the first half, North’s defense held South’s attacks at bay as keeper Laurel Patton snagged four saves in the first 24 minutes. However, with much of their focus squared on defense, the Vikings’ offense was discombobulated at best.

“We were very defensive, and we were kind of lacking just the step in the middle,” Skelly said. “Brenna (Lander) did a good job of holding the ball up top, but we weren’t following up and supporting her very well.”

However, the fortified defense that was displayed against South is where the Vikings must keep their focus if they are going to make any push through the playoffs, Stickney said.

“We definitely can pick it up, and I know that everyone is going full force for these last few games,” Skelly said.

The Vikings will face quality opponents in their remaining two games of the season as they travel to face Central Kitsap Oct. 17 before returning home to host Gig Harbor Oct. 19. The game with the Cougars in Silverdale will begin at 3:30 p.m. while the match with the Tides in Poulsbo starts at 7 p.m.