POULSBO — Josh Gilson rose to the occasion in the biggest game of his high school career thus far. The speedster was on the receiving end of two picture perfect crosses from Vikings right forward Zach Sampson, that Gilson converted into goals (10th minute, 35th minute) in the Vikings convincing 5-1 victory over Mount Tahoma Tuesday.

The goals helped cement the Vikes’ walk-away win of the Narrows League loser-out playoff game at North Kitsap Stadium.

“It feels great to help our team out. We’re playing as one right now,” Gilson said. “We’re one big, happy family out there.”

Gilson said he had no doubt his team would emerge victorious.

“As soon as we had the ball on their end at the beginning of the first half, I knew we had it,” he said.

North outlasted Mount Tahoma in one of its most physical games of the season. Gilson had a golden opportunity to score his third goal of the game in the closing minutes of the first half until Wilson goalie Donavon Morrison took him down, swiping his forearm across Gilson’s face five yards in front of the net. Morrison earned a yellow card for the flagrant foul but paid dearly as Sam Mouser scored (39th minute) on the ensuing penalty kick, extending North’s lead to 3-0 at halftime.

In the second half, Jon Luc Klinker put the ball in the net (46th minute) on an assist from Jake Pederson for North’s fourth goal of the night.

North’s final goal of the evening came off the foot of Sampson. He knifed his way through the Mount Tahoma defense on a nifty wrap around goal (56th minute) uncorking a low blast just out of Morrison’s reach. The shot found the left corner of the net, giving North a 5-1 lead it wouldn’t relinquish the rest of the way.

Vikings coach Chris May said he was impressed with the composure his squad displayed in a game in which Mount Tahoma committed an excessive number of fouls. Three of Mount Tahoma’s players earned yellow cards.

“Our guys didn’t get caught up in the extra-curricular activities on the field,” May said. “It was a total team effort. Our whole team did a great job. We came out focused and finished tonight.”

May said his team was excited about its next second round playoff game against Wilson that took place on Wednesday night in Tacoma.

The Vikings lost its previous match against Wilson 1-0 on April 10.

Wilson drops NKHS 4-0

It wasn’t the result the Vikings envisioned after crushing Mount Tahoma in its first contest of the Narrows League playoffs.

Unfortunately for North, its second contest of the postseason wasn’t as kind as the first as Wilson came up with a 4-0 victory against the Vikings at the Stadium Bowl in Tacoma on Wednesday night.

“All of the credit goes to Wilson. They played well in all facets of the game,” May said. “They will be tough to beat.”

North has an opportunity to keep their season going this weekend against one of its biggest rivals.

The Vikings play South Kitsap in a Narrows League playoffs loser-out game at 11:30 a.m. today at Mount Tahoma High School. The winner of this contest will advance to the West Central District playoffs.