POULSBO — Flexibility, finesse, strength and balance are all being fine tuned as the North Kitsap Lady Vikes spring into the 2006 gymnastics season with the team’s biggest turnout yet and a returning group of state-capable competitors.

Head coach Kris Goodfellow said the key for the Vikings has been the core of gymnasts returning from the 2004-05 squad, providing guidance through experience to the new crew.

“For us, a huge positive is that the core of last year’s team is back,” Goodfellow said. “It’s also helped that Zero Gravity opened because now there is a club in the area. Without a club to feed from, we used to get girls that could barely do a cartwheel.”

That is not the case this year.

Kai Marrow is a beacon of experience as she enters her junior season with two state performances already under her belt. Last year, she placed 10th all-around at the West Central District meet and 38th all-around at the state meet.

Whitney Glebe, Alice Pittack and Katie Bale — all who narrowly missed a trip to state last year — also return, joining Marrow to lead the Lady Vikes by example in 2006.

“The experience they have will help the new girls coming in to build for the future,” Goodfellow said. “This year, for our goal as a team, we hope to finish better than 11th (at the district meet).”

A top-10 finish at the district meet in February would be the next rung on the ladder of success for NK.

Last year, the Lady Vikings’ 11th place finish — with a one-point differential between them and 5th place — was their best ever. This year, the sights are set on a top-three finish, which would place the team in the state tournament.

“We’re already a lot better than last year,” said Bale, a senior and one of the team’s tri-captains. “Where we ended last year is where we’ve started this year.”

In their first meet of the year, the Lady Vikes — minus Bale and Marrow — took first place in a tri-team meet Dec. 17 at Capital High School. North collected 144.6 points ruling over Port Angeles’ 133.95 and Capital’s 130.45.

Glebe was North’s top all-around finisher as she rose to third place with a combined score of 29.4 highlighted by a third-place finish — tied with teammate Aisha Shurick — on the vault and second place on the bars.

Sophomore Pittack also contributed in a big way with 8.1-point third-place finish on the floor and an 8.7-point first-place performance on the vault.

“The highlight of the meet was senior and team captain Erin Murphy placing third on the beam,” Goodfellow said. “She turned out for the gymnastics team three years ago without any experience in the sport. Beam is the one event she focused on and it was nice to see her rewarded with a third place finish.”

It was also nice to set sail with a win, especially while two of the team’s top competitors were absent, she added.

“The girls are off to a great start and we are looking forward to an exciting season,” said Goodfellow. “Now, it’s just putting it all together and learning routines.”

NK Results from Capital Dec. 17

Vault

10th Katie Welsh and Julie Rencher 7.7

9th Ariana Fielding 7.8

5th Paige Woodside 8.3

3rd Whitney Glebe and Aisha Shurick 8.5

1st Alice Pittack 8.7

Bars

10th Lindsey Hand 5.6

7th Alice Pittack/Aisha Shurick 6.2

5th Julie Rencher 6.7

2nd Whitney Glebe 7.45

Beam

9th Whitney Glebe 6.75

8th Sam LeMagie 6.8

6th Aisha Shurick 6.85

3rd Erin Murphy 7.5

2nd Lindsey Hand 7.75

Floor

10th Erica Sherman 6.0

9th Whitney Glebe 6.7

8th Julie Rencher 6.8

7th Paige Woodside 7.0

6th Aisha Shurick 7.2

3rd Alice Pittack 8.1

All Around

8th Lindsey Hand 26.05

7th Julie Rencher 26.85

5th Aisha Shurick 28.75

3rd Whitney Glebe 29.4