POULSBO — Outside of a 0-0 tie, the goal scoring was as low as it could be Tuesday night at NK Stadium.

However, the same would not be said for the collective blood pressure of those in attendance. That, for certain, was very high.

Central bested its North-end rivals 1-0 in a game that saw goalies Kamryn Morgan and Emily Zygmontowicz bring their best stuff to the field, as equally as the offenses of both teams who attempted to score on them.

“I got a ton more gray hairs, that’s for sure,” Central Kitsap coach Vicky Webb said. “North came out so ready, so prepared. We did step it up, but this one could’ve gone either way.”

“They wanted this game really bad,” said North coach Teri Ishihara. “In many ways, the luck just wasn’t on our side.”

The Vikes’ Morgan was challenged early in net by shots from Cougar strikers Caitlin Verhofstadt and Brandi Hamre. But North had its first — and perhaps best chance all night — in the 10th minute, when Brenna Lander crossed the ball to Rachel Parcells on the Cougs’ doorstep. CK’s Zygmontowicz was nowhere in sight, but Parcells just missed the net high.

All game long, North used an up-the-sidelines attack, primarily with the feet of Stephanie Skelly, who could out-run just about everyone else on the field. Skelly bounced one off the cross-bar in the 13th minute and nearly kicked a loose ball home right before the end of the first half.

The offensive game all night seemed to be dictated by four players — the sisters Stephanie and Kim Skelley for the Vikings and Hamre with Verhofstadt for the Cougs.

But North’s supporting cast held CK without a shot on goal for 17 minutes in the start of the second half and the pressure fell on Zygmontowicz. Somehow, she managed to make every ball that North flung at her.

“Emily absolutely saved their behinds tonight,” Webb said of Zygmontowicz. “She got to shots nobody would’ve gotten to, time and time again.”

That sparked one offensive for CK in the 58th minute, a lingering ball in the goalie’s box that North couldn’t clear. Verhofstadt crossed the ball in front of the chaotic net that blurred Morgan’s line of sight. The hero of the situation turned out to be one not often called upon — CK’s Lindsay Ogaard.

“She’s not necessarily a goal scorer,” Webb said of Ogaard. “But she steps in when she can.”

Two more tries from North by Megan Hyte and Stephanie Skelly that tried “Ziggy” — as she is called by her teammates — but nothing could get through.

The Vikings did gain another win Thursday, beating the Bremerton Knights 8-1. Amber Grable, Stephanie Skelly and Kim Skelly each had a pair of goals and Lander and Kelli Gillespie added a goal each for the win.

North Kitsap (6-3-1 overall) will go to league leading Gig Harbor Tuesday for perhaps its biggest regular season game. North is only four points behind the Tides in the standings.

Despite Tuesday’s loss, Ishihara said her girls are still roaring to go in the remaining part of the season — the biggest games still ahead.

“They want to get to the (league) tournament and past that first game,” Ishihara said. “And I know they can do it — it’s just a matter of staying focused.”

By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

POULSBO — Outside of a 0-0 tie, the goal scoring was as low as it could be Tuesday night at NK Stadium.

However, the same would not be said for the collective blood pressure of those in attendance. That, for certain, was very high.

Central bested its North-end rivals 1-0 in a game that saw goalies Kamryn Morgan and Emily Zygmontowicz bring their best stuff to the field, as equally as the offenses of both teams who attempted to score on them.

“I got a ton more gray hairs, that’s for sure,” Central Kitsap coach Vicky Webb said. “North came out so ready, so prepared. We did step it up, but this one could’ve gone either way.”

“They wanted this game really bad,” said North coach Teri Ishihara. “In many ways, the luck just wasn’t on our side.”

The Vikes’ Morgan was challenged early in net by shots from Cougar strikers Caitlin Verhofstadt and Brandi Hamre. But North had its first — and perhaps best chance all night — in the 10th minute, when Brenna Lander crossed the ball to Rachel Parcells on the Cougs’ doorstep. CK’s Zygmontowicz was nowhere in sight, but Parcells just missed the net high.

All game long, North used an up-the-sidelines attack, primarily with the feet of Stephanie Skelly, who could out-run just about everyone else on the field. Skelly bounced one off the cross-bar in the 13th minute and nearly kicked a loose ball home right before the end of the first half.

The offensive game all night seemed to be dictated by four players — the sisters Stephanie and Kim Skelley for the Vikings and Hamre with Verhofstadt for the Cougs.

But North’s supporting cast held CK without a shot on goal for 17 minutes in the start of the second half and the pressure fell on Zygmontowicz. Somehow, she managed to make every ball that North flung at her.

“Emily absolutely saved their behinds tonight,” Webb said of Zygmontowicz. “She got to shots nobody would’ve gotten to, time and time again.”

That sparked one offensive for CK in the 58th minute, a lingering ball in the goalie’s box that North couldn’t clear. Verhofstadt crossed the ball in front of the chaotic net that blurred Morgan’s line of sight. The hero of the situation turned out to be one not often called upon — CK’s Lindsay Ogaard.

“She’s not necessarily a goal scorer,” Webb said of Ogaard. “But she steps in when she can.”

Two more tries from North by Megan Hyte and Stephanie Skelly that tried “Ziggy” — as she is called by her teammates — but nothing could get through.

The Vikings did gain another win Thursday, beating the Bremerton Knights 8-1. Amber Grable, Stephanie Skelly and Kim Skelly each had a pair of goals and Lander and Kelli Gillespie added a goal each for the win.

North Kitsap (6-3-1 overall) will go to league leading Gig Harbor Tuesday for perhaps its biggest regular season game. North is only four points behind the Tides in the standings.

Despite Tuesday’s loss, Ishihara said her girls are still roaring to go in the remaining part of the season — the biggest games still ahead.

“They want to get to the (league) tournament and past that first game,” Ishihara said. “And I know they can do it — it’s just a matter of staying focused.”

By JOSH FARLEY

Staff Writer

POULSBO — Outside of a 0-0 tie, the goal scoring was as low as it could be Tuesday night at NK Stadium.

However, the same would not be said for the collective blood pressure of those in attendance. That, for certain, was very high.

Central bested its North-end rivals 1-0 in a game that saw goalies Kamryn Morgan and Emily Zygmontowicz bring their best stuff to the field, as equally as the offenses of both teams who attempted to score on them.

“I got a ton more gray hairs, that’s for sure,” Central Kitsap coach Vicky Webb said. “North came out so ready, so prepared. We did step it up, but this one could’ve gone either way.”

“They wanted this game really bad,” said North coach Teri Ishihara. “In many ways, the luck just wasn’t on our side.”

The Vikes’ Morgan was challenged early in net by shots from Cougar strikers Caitlin Verhofstadt and Brandi Hamre. But North had its first — and perhaps best chance all night — in the 10th minute, when Brenna Lander crossed the ball to Rachel Parcells on the Cougs’ doorstep. CK’s Zygmontowicz was nowhere in sight, but Parcells just missed the net high.

All game long, North used an up-the-sidelines attack, primarily with the feet of Stephanie Skelly, who could out-run just about everyone else on the field. Skelly bounced one off the cross-bar in the 13th minute and nearly kicked a loose ball home right before the end of the first half.

The offensive game all night seemed to be dictated by four players — the sisters Stephanie and Kim Skelley for the Vikings and Hamre with Verhofstadt for the Cougs.

But North’s supporting cast held CK without a shot on goal for 17 minutes in the start of the second half and the pressure fell on Zygmontowicz. Somehow, she managed to make every ball that North flung at her.

“Emily absolutely saved their behinds tonight,” Webb said of Zygmontowicz. “She got to shots nobody would’ve gotten to, time and time again.”

That sparked one offensive for CK in the 58th minute, a lingering ball in the goalie’s box that North couldn’t clear. Verhofstadt crossed the ball in front of the chaotic net that blurred Morgan’s line of sight. The hero of the situation turned out to be one not often called upon — CK’s Lindsay Ogaard.

“She’s not necessarily a goal scorer,” Webb said of Ogaard. “But she steps in when she can.”

Two more tries from North by Megan Hyte and Stephanie Skelly that tried “Ziggy” — as she is called by her teammates — but nothing could get through.

The Vikings did gain another win Thursday, beating the Bremerton Knights 8-1. Amber Grable, Stephanie Skelly and Kim Skelly each had a pair of goals and Lander and Kelli Gillespie added a goal each for the win.

North Kitsap (6-3-1 overall) will go to league leading Gig Harbor Tuesday for perhaps its biggest regular season game. North is only four points behind the Tides in the standings.

Despite Tuesday’s loss, Ishihara said her girls are still roaring to go in the remaining part of the season — the biggest games still ahead.

“They want to get to the (league) tournament and past that first game,” Ishihara said. “And I know they can do it — it’s just a matter of staying focused.”