POULSBO — The North Kitsap Vikings, undefeated in league play, hadn’t even given up a goal this season — until they met the top 1A Klahowya Eagles March 30.

It was an intense game. Klahowya scored first, followed shortly by North Kitsap in the first half. In the second half, both teams kept their opposing goalies vigilant and the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

After the game, the teams did a practice shootout, with North Kitsap prevailing.

North Kitsap junior defender Race Schultz said Klahowya’s first-half “slipped right by us,” and Vikings coach Greg St. Peters said his team getting scored on “was a good thing.”

“They were the first team to score on us so far, and I’m glad,” he said. “This tests us to see how well we respond. And I think we responded well — we responded with another goal.”

North Kitsap senior midfielder Deondre Sluys, still sweaty from the game on that chilly night, said he thought the Vikings struggled to keep up the tempo.

“The tempo was to get the midfielders up with the forwards,” he said. “In the future, I’d like to see everybody up there with each other.”

Next, the Vikings (5-0-0-, 7-0-1) host Port Angeles (4-1-0, 5-2-0) on April 11 and Kingston (4-1-0, 5-1-1) April 14. “It will be a tough week when we get back,” St. Peters said. “The players take care of themselves to connect, but we need to close those gaps and take better care of the ball in transition.”

— Sophie Bonomi is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. Contact her at sbonomi@soundpublishing.com.