POULSBO — North Kitsap High School senior Jared Prince’s college journey to find a niche for his athletic abilities turned out to be quite the competition in itself.

Prince referred to his two choices of higher education — the University of Washington, which he once favored, and Washington State University — as “dead even,” following a recruiting trip to Pullman last weekend.

He was torn between childhood ambitions of being a Husky and a desire to play for Cougars coach Donnie Marbut, whom he highly respects.

It all came down to the wire Tuesday, in what would prove to be a Garrison finish. Marbut had already offered Prince several concessions for attending WSU, even bringing No. 18 — the jersey worn by former Seattle Mariners’ first basemen and journeyman player John Olerud — out of retirement so Prince could wear his favorite number. But nothing could top what the Cougar coach did, in Prince’s estimation, earlier this week.

As North Kitsap pounded the Shelton Highclimbers 17-2 at home, Marbut was in attendance, coming to see Poulsbo’s leading pitcher in action one more time. His trek from Pullman to Poulsbo sealed the deal for Prince.

“He’s seen me play millions of times,” Prince said. “So, I said, ‘You drove seven hours from Pullman to watch us win 17-2?’ I told him, ‘I’m your guy — you got me.’”

Prince admitted that making the decision has taken a lot of stress off his back. But many decisions still remain.

Will he focus on baseball or walk on to the football team? And what about going straight to the minor leagues of baseball?

For now, the senior is focusing on winning a state title in the Purple and Gold. As a quarterback in football and forward in basketball, both Viking teams have made playoff runs. None, though, is as highly anticipated as on the diamond, he said earlier in the season.

“We still want to win state championship,” Prince said. “I’ve got some pressure taken off my shoulders and we’re going to go after it.”

Following graduation, Prince said Marbut will be setting him up to play summer baseball and then he’ll head straight into fall training for the PAC-10 Cougs. He added that though he’ll likely get the itch to play football — as Vikings’ quarterback, he’s won the Narrows League MVP two year’s running — he’ll forgo the gridiron.

“Baseball’s investing the money in me now,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll play (football). Right now I’m going there to play baseball.”

He certainly isn’t going to rule out the chance to walk onto the Cougar’s football squad, he added. His last option is waiting to see how the minor league baseball draft goes this year. Though he said he’ll likely be at WSU next year, he’s going to be keeping his options open.

“If I get drafted, I’ll take a look at any scenario,” Prince commented. “If it feels right and the dollars are there, I’ll go for it.”