Central Kitsap boys soccer secures league title ahead of West Sound's playoff push
Central Kitsap's boys soccer team is accustomed to reaching the postseason. That won't change this spring, but the Cougars will head to the playoffs next month, they'll do so with a significant accolade under their belts: South Sound Conference 3A champions.
Central Kitsap (11-1-2 overall, 11-0-2 in league) used a pair of wins this week against Timberline and Yelm to secure its league title ahead next week's West Central/Southwest Bi-District tournament. It's a special honor in the eyes of Cougars head coach Patrick Leonard, whose team is set to host a playoff opener May 3 against the third place squad from the South Sound Conference, either Gig Harbor or Timberline.
"It's the first time we've won the league in nine years," Leonard said.
The championship is also something Leonard is convinced folks outside the program didn't expect. Graduation hit the Cougars hard in 2023, creating quite a bit of turnover in the team's starting lineup this spring.
"We were definitely look at as having more of an off-year, a rebuilding year," said junior captain Nicholas Strickland, who scored the game-winner in Tuesday's 1-0 triumph over Timberline.
Why have the Cougars been successful? Figuring out ways to win close games against its two biggest league rivals played an important role. Central Kitsap scored a pair of 2-1 wins against last year's league champ, Gig Harbor, and also notched a pair of one-goal victories over Timberline.
Leonard is also getting contributions from players up and down his roster, something Strickland said shows up at practice each week.
"The level of consistency that each person goes into training with every day translates to game day," Strickland said. "Everybody is putting in their all."
Pointing out that a league title doesn't guarantee playoff success, Leonard doesn't have any doubts his team will remain motivated once the postseason begins. The Cougars have played all season with a chip on their shoulder.
"We were ready when everyone counted us out," senior captain Porter Herbig said.
West Sound's soccer playoff picture
The North Kitsap Vikings (12-0 overall, 11-0 in league) went into Friday's road game at Port Angeles on track to clinch, with a win over the Roughriders, to secure the Olympic League title next Tuesday at home against Olympic. North Kitsap has outscored opposition by a 60-7 margin this spring and has the look of a team that could be challenging for the state's biggest trophy next month.
Bainbridge, having already clinched a top-two finish as lone 3A team in the Olympic League, is in line to avoid having to compete in a play-in game in the West Central/Southwest Bi-District tournament, which begins May 4. The Spartans (11-3, 10-2) had to suit up for a district play-in game last season and ended up falling one win shy of qualifying for state.
The rest of the Olympic League is a bit of a muddled picture with teams still fighting for positioning with one week remaining in the regular season. Bremerton (6-6, 6-5), Sequim (5-6, 5-6) and North Mason (5-5-1, 5-5) have the advantage over Olympic (4-9, 3-8), Kingston (2-9, 2-9) and Port Angeles (3-10, 2-9).
Klahowya is headed to the West Central District 1A tournament, which starts May 4, likely as the third seed from the Nisqually League. The Eagles (9-2-2, 7-2-2) are unbeaten in their past six games heading into Friday's home game against East Jefferson.
South Kitsap (1-11-1, 0-10-1) will finish its season next week with two South Puget Sound League 4A contests.
This article originally appeared on Kitsap Sun: Central Kitsap boys soccer secures league title ahead of playoff push
