TACOMA — The word “pride” is thrown around frequently to describe the type of game the North Kitsap Viking football team was involved in last Friday.
But for Coach Jerry Parrish and his players, the game was not all about pride.
“The ‘pride’ factor wasn’t as important to the kids,” Parrish said, “(They) just wanted to do well.”
The 29-20 loss was bittersweet for the team, which had enjoyed a highly successful season and one in which many of the players will hit the gridiron next year.
“This is the best win-loss record since 1997,” Parrish added. “Seven out of 11 kids on offense are back, so we’ve feathered our nest well.”
Parrish also said that outside the first quarter of their finale, the Vikings played a solid game, both defensively and offensively.
“Our younger kids played especially well,” Parrish said.
The start of the game wasn’t pretty for North Kitsap: Bellarmine’s Kyle Williams ran the opening kickoff back 89 yards to put the Lions up early. To make matters worse, NK was pinned in its own end-zone for a safety allowing the Lions to go up 9-0.
“You can’t give a good opponent a 9-0 lead in 1:45 seconds,” Parrish said. “We shot ourselves in the foot a bit.”
The Vikes recovered, putting together a first quarter drive that ended with a 9-yard Nic Stearns touchdown run.
Quarterback Jared Prince found Jeremiah Doehne for a 5-yard touchdown reception in the second, but Bellarmine scored twice, going up 22-14 at the half.
“Our meat and potatoes guy all game was Stearns,” Parrish said. “He and Doehne carried the ball well.”
After a scoreless third, each team got on the board once, with Prince finding wide receiver Travis Tobin from 20 yards out in the fourth. But that was all the offense North could muster on the day.
Parrish said he was already optimistic about next year — and not just because the large percentage of returning players.
“The seniors on this team will remember how we transferred this team from a running game to a passing game,” Parrish said. “We all learned together. We’ll throw the ball even more effectively next year.”
It will take work in the off season to have the players ready, Parrish added.
“They can’t sit on their tails and get better,” he said.
