POULSBO — A high school sports team with only three seniors is generally considered inexperienced and in the midst of “a growing year.”

For the North Kitsap boys’ golf team — a squad that carried not a single senior last year — three is a huge improvement.

And all things considered, coach Tom Harney is dually happy there will be senior leadership this year and some very talented underclassmen will likely be the movers and shakers on the fairways this season.

“It’s gonna be nice to have that youth around,” said Harney, who has coached the team for 18 years. “It’s unique over the long run of my golf coaching career in that it’s dominated by underclassmen.”

Another positive coming out of the youthful squad is that the entire core of the team will return to the greens, thus building momentum for the seasons to come.

“We’re so young,” Harney said. “Our No. 1’s a junior, our No. 2’s a freshman and No. 3’s a sophomore.

“Everybody here has match experience,” he added.

The Vikings’ top prospect for a state tournament run is again Steven Duwe, who as a sophomore last year, missed state by one stroke while shooting in the mid to low 70s over the course of the season.

The team’s secret weapon bears that same last name — Steven’s brother, Joey, who also plays junior golf and was the team’s second highest scorer behind his older sibling in the team’s first match.

Rounding out the Viking top three is David Dobson, who plays frequently at Meadowmeer on Bainbridge Island in the off-season. Having three players who have access to a course other than during the spring gives the team a leg up, Coach Harney commented.

“Anytime you are playing year round golf, you have a huge advantage,” Harney said. “My best players have had memberships or they’ve worked at golf courses.”

The team won its first match against Shelton March 24, beating the Highclimbers at the Vikings’ home course in Port Ludlow.

The elder Duwe shot a 39 — par was 36 — to get 15 points under the high school scoring format. His brother Joey shot a 40 for 14 points and Dobson shot a 46 for eight points. Rounding out the NK field were Evan Faulk (47 for seven points), Trey Andrade (51 for three points) and Knowlen (52 for two points).

Harney said his teams’ overall 47-33 victory will be underestimated by other teams due to the fact Port Ludlow is a very challenging course. Though perennial powerhouses like Gig Harbor and South Kitsap have put up higher scores thus far — the Tides scored in the 80s in their first two contests — the only way to see how the Vikings will measure up is to bring those squads to North’s home grass.

“It’s easier to score points on the golf courses they play at than it is at Port Ludlow,” Harney said.

The team practices Mondays and Wednesdays on the fields of Poulsbo Junior High School and goes to Port Ludlow for match play on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The short game has been the team’s emphasis, especially in chipping, an area of the game the players said was weak on the team a year ago.

“We didn’t practice it too much last year,” said senior Clark Knowlen. “This year, it’s our strong point.”

Though team play is one thing the North boys will focus on, the most important goal in the highly individualistic sport of golf will be getting some Vikings into the state tournament — something that many on the squad believe is attainable.

“Our team looks really strong this year,” Dobson said. “We’re looking to send people to state.”