SILVERDALE — It didn’t really matter which Smith got the ball for the North Kitsap Vikings Friday.

Led by sophomore James Smith, the Vikings were able to secure their best win yet under first-year football coach Steve Frease, crushing Central Kitsap 40-14 at Silverdale Stadium.

Combining strong, pressuring defense with a potent, multifaceted running game, the Vikings led 33-0 at the half. The win was even more important for the Vikings (3-3 overall, 2-2 Narrows League Bridge Division), keeping them in the hunt for a postseason berth.

“We’re excited. It’s always good to come to school on a Monday after a win,” Frease said. “It just shows our group of kids are pretty resilient. We’re improving each week.

“Any win is a good win but this one is especially sweet. That keeps us in the playoff hunt.”

As for Central Kitsap (2-4, 2-2), the team continued its roller coaster season, following a strong victory over Olympic with a devastating loss to the Vikings.

CK coach Mark Keel was none too happy about his team’s performance.

“No, not at all,” Keel said. “Take your pick. We started bad and got worse.”

The Smiths were the main source of Central’s frustrations defensively, as James Smith led the charge with two scores in the first quarter alone. James Smith finished the game with 148 yards on 14 carries, scoring three times on the ground. Jerrell Smith also kept CK busy, running 14 times for 99 yards himself. Even Jamaal Smith got in on the action for NK, rushing three times for 20 yards while adding a 17-yard touchdown catch.

Keel said the key to the game for the Vikings was the fact that CK was kept off kilter on both sides of the ball.

“We weren’t very tough up front,” Keel said. “They were coming off the ball. They were snapping the ball when we had guys still trying to get set.”

Viking quarterback Paul Stock was solid, passing just 4-for-6, but for 70 yards and a score.

In addition to the offensive domination, NK used a great defensive effort that included four sacks on Cougar Zac Brown. That pressure also forced CK’s field general to fire two interceptions.

“Our defensive game plan was great,” Frease said. “Offensively, to score on your first six touches is great against anyone. It just snowballed. That’s what makes high school football fun. Once that happens, it’s infectious. I just hope that will carry over to the rest of our season.”

Brown was able to fire 14-of-24 passing for 199 yards, adding a late fourth-quarter touchdown to Cody Oakes. Keel said the line simply didn’t give him enough time.

“He didn’t have a whole lot of time,” he said. “We didn’t give him a lot of time to set up.”

The Cougars had some great runs, like Danny VanDatta’s only carry of the game, a 21-yard scamper. But overall, Jeff Melin managed just 21 yards on 14 carries, adding a fourth-quarter score, while Derek Smith had a team-leading 26 yards on 7 carries. Cody Oakes was able to snag 5 passes, but gained just 35 yards through the air.

No one expected the game to unfold like it did, with the Vikings scoring on their first six possessions through the start of the third quarter. NK had a shot to make it seven, but a field goal by Jeff Ottele couldn’t find its way inside the uprights.

More than anything, Keel said he was “shocked” at the way his team played.

“Believe me, I am. I am shocked,” he said. “I still don’t understand what happened. We had a good week of practice. We knew how important this game was to our season and postseason.”

With just three games left in the regular season, the Narrows League playoff picture is starting to take shape.

Last weekend, South Kitsap took sole possession of first place with a win over Olympic, coupled with Shelton stopping previously undefeated Gig Harbor. In the Bridge Division, only Bremerton has been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. With Olympic and Port Angeles needing a ton of help to make the playoffs, not to mention a complete turnaround themselves, it appears unlikely that those two squads will factor into the picture aside from filling the role of potential spoiler.

That leaves South, Shelton, Gig, NK and CK.

CK has the toughest route ahead, with a 2-2 Bridge record. They’ll face Bremerton this week before wrapping up against SK and GH. With three wins, the Cougs can still have a shot, but will need some help.

With games against Port Angeles and Olympic the next two weeks, the Vikings will finish up against Shelton, an upset that would be needed to complete the run.

“You know how big that is,” Frease said of the position his team is now in. “We’re a game out of the playoffs.”

Keel wasn’t as happy about his squad’s chances, but did say the Cougars wouldn’t back down.

“You always tell them that, but I can’t think of any positives (against NK),” Keel said. “That’s a tough one. Funny things have to happen for us now (to make the playoffs).”

And while Frease is cautiously optimistic, he said things finally started to click against the Cougs, something NK will need to continue.

“I think we knew going in that we were going to play some young backs. We have a senior line but a very inexperienced line,” he said. “The combination of the two, you saw it gel on Friday.”

North Kitsap will travel to PA on Friday while CK heads to Bremerton.