POULSBO — The Sport Haus 14- and 15-year-old Babe Ruth baseball team recently wrapped up one of its most successful seasons in history.

The budding Babe Ruths won the North Kitsap Babe Ruth League with a perfect 16-0 record.

Manager Jeff Reitan said it’s been a long time since the ballers have posted a perfect record. So long, in fact, he can’t remember the last time.

“They were just a good team,” he said. “We happened to have a lot of good players with a lot of camaraderie.”

And several of the 15-year-old players on the Sport Haus team were selected to be members of the 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Star team.

The All-Star season kicks off on Saturday with district play. The 15-year-old All-Stars have won districts the last two years, which is key because winning districts secures a trip to state.

On Saturday the All-Stars play Sequim at Sequim High School at 2 and 5 p.m. It’s a best of three tournament and if need be the third game will be played at 2 p.m. on Sunday.

But a third game shouldn’t be needed, said Reitan and a few players.

“I have a good feeling we’re going to go to state this year,” said Curtis Wildung, Kingston High School’s varsity catcher. “We have a really good team. I’m really confident in what we can do.”

Although Reitan said North Kitsap’s team handled Sequim pretty easily last year and NK has a good chance of a repeat, he doesn’t like to to let the “cart get in front of the horse.”

Instead he emphasized the team’s strengths: pitching, defense and experience.

All on the team have played ball together for years.

Reitan looks to Jon Hawkins and TJ Reitan as pitching powerhouses.

“Their control is good,” he said. “Jon throws really hard and TJ is more of a finesse pitcher.”

On the defensive side of the game Reitan highlighted Trent Mitchell and Wildung as key support players.

Mitchell’s nicknamed “Gumbi” because he “bends so well” to stop the ball.

“Trent is just a great glove. Nothing gets by him. He’s like a vacuum,” Reitan said. “Curtis is huge on defense.”

But to advance to state the NK All-Stars must bring the big bats, which is a bit of a concern for Reitan.

He said last year at districts they lit it up, but at state the bats froze.

“The consistency of hitting is something we’ve got to work on big time,” Reitan said. “That of anything is my biggest concern because I know they all can do it. It’s just a matter of doing it at the right time.”

The team, which has been practicing five days a week for two hours each day since June 16, is working diligently on being patient at the plate. And similar to Reitan, they’re concentrating on the right areas and looking to have some fun as well.

“Don’t underestimate the team you’re playing and play the game until it’s over,” said pitcher TJ Reitan of his Saturday game strategy. “It’s not too serious, we’re just out here to have fun.”

If the North Kitsap 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars win two on Saturday they’ll face eight Northwest/Central Washington teams at state on July 9 in Port Angeles.

And if Saturday’s contest goes anything like the “warm-up” tournament — the Baseball Player Association Summer Celebration — the All-Stars competed in last weekend at Spanaway, it’ll be a two game limit.

The BPA event was 16-year-old and under. The 15-year-old All-Stars wiped up the older players as they won the tournament by posting a 4-0 record. The NK All-Stars came from behind by five to secure the championship game.