A new year, much like a new sports season, always begins the same way — full of promise, uncertainty and excitement.
This is true no matter the sport or level of competition. From tee ball to the pros, every team starts every season with the same record, hopes and dreams.
One of the great things about sports is that you never know what you’re going to see next. You can watch a sport your entire life and still see something you’ve never seen before. And no matter how many times you’ve seen a big upset, a buzzer-beater or a successful Hail Mary, the surprise moments never get old.
And what about those moments right here in Kitsap? At the beginning of 2017, who could have predicted that three freshmen would win district cross-country races? Who knew Kingston had just enough left in the tank in the final relay to capture that 2A swimming title? How about the way the season ended for Central Kitsap girls soccer, did anyone see that coming?
So, what is there to look forward to in 2018? Here are a few of my own picks, and by no means is this an exhaustive list.
Kingston at North Kitsap, Jan. 9 and 19 (girls)
Along with Port Angeles, these two teams look to be the best in the Olympic League. The Vikings and Bucs have yet to meet one another on the court this season, but they will play twice in the span on 10 days this month. Kingston is coming off wins over Central Kitsap and South Kitsap, while North Kitsap just returned from the Anacortes tournament over the holiday break. Expect these two prime-time matchups to help decide the league standings.
North Kitsap at Olympic
It wasn’t too close the first time around, with North Kitsap handing the Trojans a 20-point loss, but Olympic is back on the winning track as it defeated Steilacoom and Clover Park during the holiday break. I would expect this matchup to be as physical as the first game, but Olympic’s defense should be up to the task of slowing down the Vikings offense. Both teams are ranked by the WIAA RPI as top 20 teams in 2A as of press time.
Can Kingston swimming defend its 2A title?
Head coach Mark VanHuis said his team is about as fast as it was last season despite losing two state meet swimmers to graduation. A few of his swimmers participated at nationals with the Poulsbo Pirahna swim club in December, so his top guys have been at their peak fitness levels early in the season.
How far can South Kitsap wrestlers go?
The early results have been superb for South Kitsap wrestling with a win at HammerHead and a second place finish at the Pacific Coast Championships in late December. The Wolves have a number of wrestlers that have competed well and won at region- and state-wide events, such as brothers Xavier and Mason Eaglin, Davonn Keyes, Sebastian Robles and Nathan Marin. The state championships are a long, long way off and head coach Chad Nass will surely keep his guys focused on the next meet at hand, but South Kitsap will be a team to watch come February.
Spring season
With baseball, softball, boys soccer, girls tennis and track and field, among others, it’s going to be a busy spring season. It’s also the only season I have not covered since moving to Washington in July. I have heard about North Kitsap’s amazing run to the semifinals last year, can they do it again? Olympic also boasts a number of players that performed well during the American Legion tournament over the summer, so I am excited to get my first look at the Trojans.
I have also read about a couple of pretty good players, namely South Kitsap’s Dusty Garcia, who is committed to Arizona State, and another Division-I athlete in Klahowya’s Amber Bumbalough (committed to Northern Illinois University). Both should be among the most exciting athletes to watch in the West Sound this spring. Olympic’s Darrelle White is also a top triple jumper.
Can Danya Wallis make it 4-for-4?
The North Kitsap senior has won state titles in each of her first three seasons, and frankly, the last two years it has not been close. Four state titles is a rare acheivement in any sport, so all eyes will be on Wallis this spring as she attempts to carve out a place for herself in Kitsap County and Washington high school tennis history.
Next football season
Let’s face it, there’s nothing quite like the Friday night lights in high school sports. Whether it’s North Kitsap Stadium, Silverdale Stadium, Bremerton High School or Kitsap Bank Stadium at South Kitsap, the right atmosphere can provide an experience that few others can match.
And there should be plenty of storylines. North Kitsap made an amazing run to the quarterfinals last season. Will they rebuild or reload? Central Kitsap has been snake-bitten the past two years, just missing out on the playoffs. How do they respond in 2018? Klahowya returns just about its entire team from last year, and despite a high level of inexperience, the Eagles made it interesting, staying the playoff race until the final two weeks. They should be much better next year. Olympic also showed phenomenal improvement over the course of last season with a number of young players in key roles.
XC season
OK, so this is a bit of a personal choice. As a novice whose best 5,000 meter time clocks in at a little over 28 minutes, these runners constantly leave me in awe. Madison Zosa of North Kitsap, Maya Nichols of Central Kitsap and Rachel Newhard of Klahowya all won their district races last year as freshmen. The sky is the limit for them.
Central Kitsap and South Kitsap also figure to be very successful as teams next year. Both teams return most of their top runners and always seem to have replacements ready in the wings for those that graduate. I would expect both the boys and girls teams from both schools to finish high at districts again and return to the state meet.
More opportunities to be on the sidelines
It is nothing less than a privilege to cover high school sports for a living and tell the stories of these young athletes. It has not only given me some of the most gratifying moments of my professional career, but a chance to move to Washington after spending my entire life in New Jersey and New York. The sports department here consists of just one person, but I am dedicated to covering as much as I possibly can.
— Mark Krulish is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at mkrulish@soundpublishing.com.
