FORT STEILACOOM — Finally, the championship season has arrived for the North Kitsap Cross Country team. It’s been a long, but important road for the determined Vikings as they enter the meet which holds the key to their team goal of returning to state.

Wednesday afternoon at the Narrows League Championships in Fort Steilacoom Park, the Viking boys and girls earned entry into the West Central District III meet, each with a stellar third-place team finish.

The top 35 individuals and the top seven teams of the league meet earned a spot in districts, which will be Nov. 3 at American Lake Golf Course in Lakewood.

“They weren’t jumping up and down when they got those third place ribbons, they were just like, ‘OK, next race, let’s do it,’” said NK head coach Lee Hodin, noting the runners’ desire for the state meet.

Leading the Lady Vikings on the afternoon, sophomore standout Ruby Roberts earned her first trip to the district meet as she finished with a time of 18:48.85 to clinch sixth place overall. Senior Cody Bradwell led the NK boys with a fourth-place, 15:59.00 finish.

North junior Kelly Cates also finished in the top 10 for the girls as she came in eighth with a time of 19:23.32.

In team standings, the Gig Harbor Tides were a first place wash in both divisions as the girls earned the NL title with 28 points, while the boys scored 41. North’s girls finished with 76, while the boys tallied 93.

“That was certainly the best finish I’ve seen in a while for a North Kitsap Cross Country team at a 4A League level,” Hodin said. “Athletes were posting PR’s (personal records) across the board and had all kinds of things to be proud of.”

Hodin said nearly all NK runners — including Bradwell and Roberts — broke their best mile and two-mile marks of the season at the meet, displaying the poise and intensity that is expected in the championship season.

Though the atmosphere of the Narrows League meet was gray, drizzly and dismal, the Vikings confidence was a sunbeam. Combining a championship attitude with their athletic abilities, the Vikings reaped the benefits of their mental and physical preparation.

“It’s no longer, ‘Hey, we are an OK team that might do something,’ now the mentality is just completely different where there’s an expectation,” Hodin said. “I think they are humble but at the same time they are hungry, and that’s the perfect team for me.”

With the league accomplishments fueling the NK confidence, both teams step into the district meet with the weight of the season on their shoulders. Since the close of last year’s history making trip to Pasco — for the first time ever both the boys and girls teams earned a berth to the state meet in 2005 — NK’s athletes have been fixed on returning.

Through the aches and pains, sweat and gains of training and the regular season, the Vikings have built their base. Now, they should be on the incline to their peaks, Hodin said.

“We are running for state,” he said.

The West Central District meet will begin at 12:30 p.m., Oct. 28 at the American Lake Golf Course in Lakewood. The top 30 participants and the top six teams will advance to the state championships in Pasco Nov. 3-4.