POULSBO — Many teams came great distances — from Oregon to Canada — to play in the 20th annual Viking Tournament, held last weekend at sites around North Kitsap.
But it was those closest to home who had the most to celebrate.
Take, for example, Monday’s finals match-up of the boys’ U-11 Thor division, pitting North Kitsap’s Explosion 93 team versus South Seattle’s Los Tecos club.
The Explosion, in only its second tournament ever, plowed through its first two games, beating Bainbridge FC 93 5-0 Friday and racking up goals on Crossfire for an 8-0 win Saturday.
But the team met its first match Sunday versus the Los Tecos team, dropping the game 3-0 but still maintaining enough points from its first two wins in the round-robin to advance to the tournament semi-finals Monday.
After a 5-3 win over SK United to advance to the finals, Los Tecos was again on the other side of the field.
Explosion’s second match with Seattle’s Tecos — a team almost entirely composed of Latino players — had both crowds yelling loudly at North Kitsap’s No. 3 field, a makeshift playing area normally suited for the North Kitsap Vikings baseball team.
On one side, it was screams of “Let’s Go!” On the other, it was “Vamos!” In the end, the Explosion had its revenge in a 3-1 win, taking home its first tournament victory and lots of confidence heading into its third tournament in three week’s time in Camus.
“We beat this team and they couldn’t do anything about it,” said the NK Explosion’s Garrett Wilder. “And it’s our hometown tournament.”
“It’s cool we beat a team that already beat us,” added the Explosion’s Nathan Foster, “And we came back and beat them.”
The Explosion’s tournament victory was matched by one other from North Kitsap: the Boys’ U-18/19 Stinky Pigs team. Two other teams exclusively from North took home second place finishes: the girls’ U-14 Skadi NK Ambush and the boys’ U-14 Thor division NK Fusion.
More than anything, Viking Cup gave confidence to its home teams in sizing up the competition, a good gauge of where they’re at — or where they need to be.
“To win Viking Cup is a good thing,” said Explosion’s Chris Gracey. “It tells us that we should win the next (tournament).”
Aside from the competition, other aspects of Viking Cup had folks flocking from towns and cities hundreds of miles from Little Norway and the North End.
Rob Warnell, coach of the PCU Matrix U-14 team and the PCU Heat U-18 team out of Portland, Ore., said the tournament had once again been enjoyable for him and his players.
“It’s been a great tournament — very well run,” he said. “It’s competitive and the facilities are great. We’ll keep coming back.”
His team has been staying in Silverdale at the Red Lion and has been frequenting the Olive Garden after games, he said.
“Other than the traffic, it’s been good,” Warnell said. “And it’s really beautiful up here.”
Two first timers to the event were Sean and Tina Clark, whose daughter plays for the U-15 premier team the Columbia Timbers out of Vancouver.
“(The Cup) is well done,” Sean Clark said. “The fields are in good condition and there’s no confusion going on. This is big for the Poulsbo area.”
Tina Clark added that when going to various soccer competitions, a tournament’s Web site is a good indicator for how well it will be run. She said the Viking Cup Web site is top notch from what she’s seen in other tournaments.
The flavor of Little Norway adds to the experience, she noted.
“The City of Poulsbo is so dang cute. And the shopping is great,” she added.
Viking Cup referee Dana Reinhart of Lakewood has been coming to the event since 1993. The professionalism of the players and coaches at Viking Cup keeps him coming back, he said.
“I come because there is such good sportsmanship,” he commented. “They treat the refs wonderfully here. I’ve had no cards in four games.”
Reinhart and his wife used to bring a mobile home to Poulsbo for the event. Now, they frequent the Poulsbo Inn each year.
Bill Krippaehne, of Laurlhurst, has a son on the LVR Atlas U-18/19 team playing in the tournament. He said his son’s team has been journeying to Poulsbo for the Cup for four years — and will continue to do so.
“It’s a great event for this community,” he said. “And everyone’s very welcoming here.”
LVR Atlas has been staying at the Poulsbo Inn and been going often to the Poulsbo Bakery and to Central Market.
“We like to support the local economy,” he said. “And especially the bakery.”
BU11 THOR — 1st – NK EXPLOSION 93. 2nd — LOS TECOS. BU12 THOR — 1st – BAINBRIDGE FC 92 WHITE. 2nd – BAINBRIDGE FC BLUE. BU13 THOR —1st – FC KITSAP DELA CRUZ. 2nd – BAINBRIDGE FC 91. BU14 THOR — 1st – EMERALD CITY M90 WHITE. 2nd – NK FUSION. BU15 THOR — 1st – BAINBRIDGE FC 89. 2nd – FC KITSAP. BU16/17 THOR — 1st – UP RUSH. 2nd – SPARTA 88. BU18/19 THOR —1st – NK STINKY PIGS. 2nd – FC KITSAP RED 85. GU11 IDUN — 1st – CROSSFIRE PREMIER 93(S) 2nd – DOSVEEDANYA 93. GU11 SKADI — 1st – FC KITSAP 93. 2nd – CROSSFIRE PREMIER 93 (C). GU12 IDUN — 1st – FC WILLAMETTE PRIMO.2nd – NW NATIONALS NOVA. GU12 SKADI — 1st – RIVER CITY SURGE. 2nd – FC MUKILTEO MAGICS. GU13 IDUN — 1st – EMERALD CITY F91 GREEN. 2nd – FC PUYALLUP PRIDE. GU13 SKADI — 1st – FC KITSAP RED 91. 2nd – CROSSFIRE PREMIER 91. GU13 FREYA — 1st – DOSVEENDANYA 91. 2nd – FCA 91 GOLD. GU14 IDUN — 1st – DOSVEEDANYA 90. 2nd – NORPOINT FC 90 SPIRIT. GU14 SKADI — 1st – WV TASMANIAN STORM. 2nd – NK AMBUSH. GU15 IDUN — 1st – FC KITSAP 89 RED. 2nd – FC WILLAMETTE POWER. GU15 SKADI — 1st – CPS TIMBERS. 2nd – NONE (TEAM FORFEITED). GU16 IDUN — 1st – EMERALD CITY F88 GREEN. 2nd – PHOENIX 88. GU16 SKADI — 1st – FW REIGN 88 WHITE. 2nd – LOSC FINESSE. GU17 IDUN — 1st – DOSVEENDANYA 87. 2nd – FC WILLAMETTE PREMIER 87. GU18/19 — 1st – FC KITSAP 86 RED. 2nd – PCU HEAT.
