PORT ORCHARD — The steady improvement of the South Kitsap water polo program continues this year with another appearance in the playoffs on the horizon.

In 2018, the Wolves have more wins than they did the first three years of the program combined. After going winless in year one and picking up just one win in year two, they improved to six and snuck into the postseason. But with a win over Lakes on Monday, Oct. 15, South Kitsap improved to 8-5 in its fourth year.

“Their first year, they didn’t get any wins,” head coach Zack Fogel said. “Last year, we got just enough wins to squeak into the playoffs. We’re getting better and better.”

The victory also sealed their spot in the playoffs. The Wolves swept home-and-home series with Lakes, Stadium and Peninsula to guarantee at least a fourth-place finish in their division.

For the first time, they have the relative luxury of playing a few tune-up matches ahead of the divisional round of the playoffs. Over the next two weeks, South Kitsap will play Rogers, Auburn Mountainview, Kennedy Catholic, Auburn Riverside and one final match against league foe Wilson.

The final two home matches are on Oct. 19 and Oct. 22 against Auburn Mountainview and Kennedy Catholic. Both start at 4 p.m. at South Kitsap Community Pool.

“It’s going to be tough because we’ll be the No. 4 seed going up against No. 1 in the other division,” Fogel said. “But all the rest of our games are against non-division teams and teams we’re going to see in the playoffs.”

The Wolves thoroughly outplayed the Lancers during Monday’s match. Senior Nate Anderson scored four goals and Jamin Cummings added two. Anderson scored two goals 90 seconds apart in the first quarter to help his team to an early 3-1 lead.

While the offense looked to be in good form, Brendan Porter made several excellent saves in net for South Kitsap. His emergence has allowed Garret Coffin, the team’s other keeper and last year’s full-time starter, to play more in the field and lend his experience to both the attack and the defense.

“I’ve got two really good goalies. That’s a good problem to have,” Fogel said.

The Lancers pulled to within a goal late in the second quarter, but Logan Stigler struck with just 57 seconds left to restore his team’s two-goal lead. After Seth Bounds’s second goal of the game for Lakes, Anderson, Seth Northrop, and Carson Rader hit the back of the net to help South Kitsap pull away.

South Kitsap 9, Lakes 5

LA 1 2 1 1 — 5

SK 3 2 3 1 — 9

Scoring Summary

First Quarter

SK — Jamin Cummings

SK — Nate Anderson

SK — Anderson

LA — Neil Magnus

Second Quarter

SK — Anderson

LA — Mikael Bounds

LA — Bounds

SK — Logan Stigler

Third Quarter

LA — Bounds

SK — Seth Northrop

SK — Anderson

SK — Carson Rader

Fourth Quarter

LA — Magnus

SK — Cummings

— Mark Krulish is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at mkrulish@soundpublishing.com. Follow him on Twitter @MKrulishKDN.