POULSBO — The North Kitsap football team had help from an unusual source in their win over the Port Angeles Roughriders Friday night: the Port Angeles Roughriders.
While the Vikings turned in a solid effort in their 31-6 win, the Roughriders helped the North Kitsap effort with 10 penalties, including two flags for delay of game and one for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Port Angeles coach Dan Novick — who was an assistant for NK before taking the Roughriders’ head job — said the penalties were costly, but not the difference in the game.
“The officials didn’t have anything to do with that,” Novick said after the game, nodding over his head to the scoreboard, which still was lit with the Vikings 25-point margin of victory.
Instead, the difference was an efficient ground attack and stifling defense from North Kitsap, which picked up its third league win with the victory.
The Vikings’ offensive first half included a 31-yard touchdown run by James Smith, a 7-yard TD scamper by Jeremiah Doehne, and a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jared Prince to Patrick Gilbert.
As for the Vikings’ D, they did a solid job of containing the Roughriders’ feared rusher, senior running back Jesse Long.
Long came into the game leading the league in yards, but broke free only once, in the second half, when quarterback David Martin zipped a short pass to the 5-foot-8 back, who cut back across the field for a 31-yard touchdown.
The Vikings kept the scoreboard busy with their own offense, though, adding a 6-yard Doehne TD run, a third Doehne TD, this one for 16 yards, and an interception return by linebacker Chris Carlsen to fuel the 37-6 win.
Novick said the Roughriders have been plagued by penalties all year. The PA team has already doubled its number of penalties from last year, he said, partially because the team has increased their aggressiveness and physical play.
But flags, he said, are no excuse for what happened on Friday.
“They out hit us and out executed us,” he said of the Vikings. “There’s no real mystery as to how they beat us.”
North Kitsap head coach Jerry Parrish said, “I think our kids just out played them tonight.”
Parrish was happy with the game plan designed by the defensive coaches, as well as the solid play put in by the offensive line, the defense, and running back Smith, who rushed for 170 yards.
He was also pleased with the effort by Doehne, who scored three of North Kitsap’s six touchdowns.
“He ran well,” Parrish said. “He’s learning to use his blockers well.”
The Vikings (3-2, 3-1 in league) will hit the road on Friday for a game against Central Kitsap High School to be played at Silverdale Stadium.
