POULSBO – A few days earlier, the plan was clear for the North Kitsap lacrosse team, struggling at 1-4: stay focused when the heat’s on, shake off the small stuff, tighten up the defense, get more aggressive on ground balls.

It worked.

North Kitsap’s lacrosse team scored 44 goals to South Kitsap’s 11 in a two-game series April 11 and 12. The wins moved North (3-4) to third place in the Cascade Conference of WHSBLA Division II, behind Vashon (5-1) and Klahowya (4-1).

Forty-four goals in two games. How powerful is that? Consider this: Going into the series, senior midfielder Kellson Arthurs was 14th in goals in the 74-team, 13-conference Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association. After those two games, he’s tied for first with 24. Also on the list are junior attackman Derek Jacobson, fourth with 20 goals; and senior attackman Matt Dotterweich, seventh with 16.

Dotterweich is first in assists with 16; Jacobson is seventh with eight.

Arthurs is first in ground balls with 60; sophomore midfielder Daxton Solis is third with 41, up from 20th.

Freshman goalie Ian Poffenroth’s save percentage improved from .369 to .406, putting him sixth on the WHSBLA list.

Arthurs had eight goals, two assists and 13 ground balls in North Kitsap’s 21-5 win April 11 at South Kitsap High School.

North took a dominant 19-4 half-time lead before cruising with two goals in the third, then playing to a scoreless fourth.

It was North Kitsap’s 10th consecutive victory over South Kitsap since 2010.

Jacobson rounded out the North Kitsap leaders with seven goals and two assists, while South was led by Alex Scott with a pair of goals.

The rematch the following day, at Strawberry Field in Poulsbo, was virtually a repeat performance, with North defeating South Kitsap 23-6.

Next: North Kitsap (3-4 conference, 3-5 overall) faces Stadium (1-3-0) April 19 in a 7 p.m. start at Strawberry Field.  South Kitsap (2-3-0) faces Klahowya (4-1-0) April 15 in a 5:30 p.m. start at Klahowya Secondary School in Silverdale.