SILVERDALE —Â North Kitsap pitcher Kelly Wells had a hard time removing the smile from his face Friday.
Wells was selected to start the first game of the 2007 Senior High School All-Star Games, which he dubbed the perfect ending to his remarkable senior season.
“It’s just been great. I just love it. It’s been a great year,” Wells said. “I’m just happy with everybody. I’m just a happy guy.”
POULSBO — Track and field season is winding down for junior high athletes, but the final district meet looms on the horizon for many Poulsbo, Kingston and Bremerton junior high sprinters, throwers and jumpers.
The district finale meet is usually dominated by ninth graders who are more physically mature than their fellow teammates in the seventh and eighth grades.
POULSBO — Despite a sunny, picture perfect day for fastpitch a black cloud descended on the Poulsbo Junior High Panthers in the form of Marcus Whitman Tuesday afternoon.
The offensively-minded MWJH defeated the Panthers 20-2 in just three innings of play.
Even so, PJH coach Cheryl Foreman was proud of the way her team battled regardless of being clearly out matched early on in the contest.
POULSBO — Parking spots were scarce near practically every sizable patch of grass in North Kitsap last weekend.
Soccer enthusiasts undoubtedly had the time of their lives in Poulsbo for four days as the 23rd annual Viking Cup took center stage in Poulsbo and Kingston during Memorial Day weekend.
PASCO — It couldn’t have been a better time for Michelle Lloyd to match her personal record in the javelin.
Lloyd tossed the javelin 117 feet, 1 inch in her first throw at the Class 4A State Track and Field meet in Pasco, resulting in a sixth place finish overall. The throw was the exact distance she achieved at the Narrows League Championships May 11.
POULSBO — Since 1969, the Joe Shandera Award has been the most prestigious honor bestowed on any student athlete at North Kitsap High School.
Now, 37 years later 11 candidates are vying for the prize.
POULSBO — Bainbridge Island’s Jimmy Savage ran the fastest five-mile in recent memory May 19 as the 29th annual Viking Fest Road Race marked its best turnout ever.
Savage finished with a time of 26:16 — about one mile every 5 minutes and 23 seconds.
“That’s the best time someone’s ever had since I’ve been keeping records,” said Poulsbo Parks and Recreation programmer Joe Schiel, who’s been doing so since 2001.
TACOMA — No one can accuse the North Kitsap Vikings fastpitch team of being intimidated. After falling 6-1 against Graham-Kapowsin in its first game of the West Central District Tournament on Friday at Sprinker Recreation Center, North showed its mettle in a loser-out game against Wilson later in the day, defeating the Narrows League champion 5-2. Unfortunately for the Vikings, Kentwood eliminated North from the postseason via a 6-3 victory on Saturday afternoon.
The Viking Cup Soccer Tournament is unquestionably the biggest athletic event of the year in the North Kitsap area.
Since 1985, it has wowed soccer fans throughout Washington. From May 25-28, roughly 1,600 soccer players and a host of parents, family members and fans will converge on Poulsbo and Kingston for an exciting Memorial Day weekend full of all things soccer during the North Kitsap Soccer Club’s 23rd annual Viking Cup.
POULSBO — Preparations are currently underway for the most important meet of the season for the North Kitsap Special Olympics swim team. On April 28, 16 athletes finished in the top two in their respective events at regionals in Kelso, earning spots at the Special Olympics State Meet slated for June 1-3 at the King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
“We went up against 12 counties in the western part of Washington state,” said North coach Darla Sargent. “Everyone on our team earned a gold or silver medal in their individual events to advance to the state meet. This is the first time our entire team is going to state.”
POULSBO — Thursday afternoon was the definition of rivalry game as the Kingston Junior High Cavaliers and Poulsbo Junior High Panthers likely faced off for one final contest in the history of the two schools.
Next year both will become middle schools.
PUYALLUP — It was the exclamation point on an thrilling win as Vikings No. 1 pitcher Kelly Wells excitedly threw his glove to the ground, before being mobbed by his teammates.
Wells went the distance and got the outs when he needed to, preserving North’s 6-3 victory against Graham Kapowsin on Saturday in the West Central District playoffs at Heritage Park in Puyallup.
PORT ORCHARD — The balls just didn’t fall in the right spots when they caromed off of the tennis racquets of the Vikings last week.
While a trio of tennis players from North Kitsap High School had the opportunity to show their skills at the Narrows League Tennis Tournament May 11 and 12 at South Kitsap High School, the team won’t be sending a representative to the West Central District Tournament this weekend.
PORT ORCHARD — Senior Cody Bradwell joined a growing cadre of athletes this week as he etched his name into the record books for the North Kitsap Vikings track and field team.
On the first day of the Narrows League Championships Wednesday, Bradwell set the North Kitsap High set school record in the 800 meter dash, with time of 1:55.69. He broke Dan Wold’s school record of 1:56.6, which was set in 1940. (Bradwell competed in the 800M final yesterday, but as of press time results were unavailable.)
POULSBO — North coach Nancy Williams didn’t think an undefeated season was possible — but was happy to be proven wrong.
When practice started in late February, Williams knew her JV fastpitch team would be good, but she couldn’t even envision a perfect season on the horizon when the dust settled this month.
TACOMA — While a strong offense put the Wolves ahead, an impenetrable defense sealed the win as South Kitsap eliminated North Kitsap from the Narrows League soccer playoffs Saturday.
The mixture was a potent one, cementing a 1-0 win and ending the Vikings season outright.
POULSBO — The last home meet of the track and field season is always a fun-filled affair, providing the final opportunity for senior athletes to perform in front of the hometown crowds.
They went out with a bang.
POULSBO — Tyler Sullivan’s face said it all. After striking out Wilson’s Derek Shirey with a fastball to end the game, he hurled his glove into the air and made a beeline for his coach.
The smiling Sullivan leapt into Vikings coach Jeff Weible’s arms near the dugout after North’s 5-4 comeback victory over Wilson Tuesday night in Poulsbo.
POULSBO — Josh Gilson rose to the occasion in the biggest game of his high school career thus far. The speedster was on the receiving end of two picture perfect crosses from Vikings right forward Zach Sampson, that Gilson converted into goals (10th minute, 35th minute) in the Vikings convincing 5-1 victory over Mount Tahoma Tuesday.
The goals helped cement the Vikes’ walk-away win of the Narrows League loser-out playoff game at North Kitsap Stadium.
POULSBO — North Kitsap junior Aaron Bilbao vaulted himself into the school’s record books on April 25 in Tacoma as he cleared 13 feet 7 inches in the pole vault.
The previous record was set by Ray Parson, who topped 13 feet, 6 inches in 1974.
What makes the feat even more impressive, is that Bilbao didn’t touch a pole until last year. Vikings assistant coach Bruce Swanson said he knew Bilbao had potential, but didn’t know was that he would realize it so soon.
