t Cryder, Moore each finish with two goals in 5-1 win over NK.
Call it West Sound dominance.
The South Kitsap High School boys soccer team improved to 5-0-1 against teams from this side of the Narrows Bridge as it earned a 5-1 Narrows League win on Thursday against North Kitsap.
South midfielder Taylor Cryder doubled his season production with two goals in the first half. His first came two minutes into the match on an assist from Jordan Thomas and he added another in the 15th minute from Nico de la Cruz.
“I just wanted to come out and explode,” Cryder said. “We wanted to put this one away early.”
The second one was enough for the Wolves (9-0-2 overall, 7-0-1 league), who haven’t surrendered more than a goal in a match this year.
South has allowed seven goals in 11 matches this year, an average of 0.64 per contest.
“We were free to attack from square one because of what they were doing in the back,” South coach Eric Bergeson said. “So much started back there.”
Justin Moore also scored a pair of goals in the second half and now has 10 for the season.
His first came in the 50th on an assist from Ryan Muyskens and he added another in the 72nd on a penalty kick.
Quincy Lyman scored South’s final goal in the 78th on an assist from Cory Matthews.
“Five-one against a quality team like North Kitsap makes me proud,” Bergeson said. “The way it happened with an early goal makes me more relaxed, which every coach appreciates.”
While the offense was happy, Bergeson noted the Wolves’ defenders were upset about the goal Josh Lax scored in the 65th that cut South’s lead to 3-1.
“I love my defense because even at 5-1 they’re disappointed,” he said. “They’re full of intensity and commitment — that shutout means something.”
That was about the only complaint afterward, though. Bergeson said the early lead allowed him to rotate 18 players, which he said should benefit the team “with our depth for the playoffs and next year.”
He also said it was important because of a scheduling quirk.
The Wolves played at least two matches every week in March. There weren’t any matches during the first week of April because of spring break, but South returned to its regular two league contests last week. North was its only match this week.
“It’s a little awkward,” said Bergeson, adding that the Wolves had their annual team tournament on Monday. “Our team tournament … is one of our most exciting, intense days.”
South will need more of that as it concludes the regular season next week. A win at Mount Tahoma on Tuesday could set up the Wolves for a league-title match on senior day at 7 p.m. Thursday against Bellarmine Prep.
“We’re not going to take Mount Tahoma for granted anymore than any other team in our league, which means zero,” Bergeson said. “We have a league tournament and a district tournament. These games are inching us toward our goals.”
at South Kitsap 5,
North Kitsap 1
First half — 1, South Kitsap, Taylor Cryder (Jordan Thomas), 2nd minute; 2, South Kitsap, Cryder (Nico de la Cruz), 15th.
Second half — 3, South Kitsap, Justin Moore (Ryan Muyskins), 50th; 4, North Kitsap, Josh Lax; 5, South Kitsap, Moore (penalty kick), 72nd; 6, South Kitsap, Quincy Lyman (Cory Matthews), 78th.
