BREMERTON — The Narrows League fastpitch playoff match-up pitting the North Kitsap Vikings and the Stadium Tigers Monday was decidedly more about positioning than it was about winning.

Win or lose, the two teams would be moving on to play some of the fiercest competition in the state at the district tournament this coming weekend. That prompted the coaches of both teams to go deep into their benches in a game that didn’t exactly hold what you’d call a playoff-type atmosphere.

Nonetheless, North nabbed a 5-3 win.

“I guess my bench is a little bit better than theirs,” joked North Kitsap coach Dan Kolda.

Coreena Stout, out for weeks with a concussion, was back in the line-up and on the mound to get the win, striking out four and going two-for-four at the plate. She capped a three-run third inning with a 2 RBI double and North first baseman Josie Ball added an RBI single to put North up 5-0.

Stadium countered in the fifth and sixth but North starter Rachael Kramer came into the game for the final three innings to end the Stadium rally.

North will play Prairie at 1 p.m. May 27 at West Central Districts, a team that Kolda said has been an offensive powerhouse all season. He’ll go with Kramer on the mound.

“I’ve got to give Rachael a shot,” he commented. “She’s gonna be tough … and I expect her to limit their offense.”

North Kitsap has never won a district game and doing so would place them in the annals of Viking sports history, Kolda said.

“Not everybody gets the opportunity to play postseason,” Kolda commented. “They’ve got an opportunity to make history. It would be unprecedented.”

It’s a message that the coach has been trying to instill in his players, especially the seniors.

“I look back to my own high school games,” he said. “Tell them how precious these years are.”

The message has evidently hit home.

“The past three years we’ve made it to districts and we’ve been through so much this season,” said NK senior Molly McCluskey. “Why stop here?”

“This is a great team,” added North senior Chrystal Camus. “I don’t want to see (the season) end any time soon.”