Cinderella teams dancing, dynasties forming and state titles returning featured the 2023-24 high school sports season in Kitsap County.
The five Kitsap News Group newspapers created the first Kitsap Athletic Cup last year, and North Kitsap won with 242 points. We returned with the same scoring system to find out who won the second year. Teams get 25 points for a state title, 20 for placing second, 19 for third and so on down to two points for placing 20th. In addition, teams received three points for either winning the league or district title.
North Kitsap – 235 points
North Kitsap continues its bragging rights over the county with another dominant school year. Boys tennis brought three doubles teams to state and returned to Poulsbo with the Vikings only state title. Six teams finished in the top five in state, too.
Boys tennis: 1st in state, league title, district title – 31 points
Football: 4th in state, league title, district title – 24 points
Boys basketball: 3rd in state, league title – 22 points
Boys Soccer: 3rd in state, league title – 22 points
Softball: 3rd in state, district title – 22 points
Girls swim: 3rd in state – 19 points
Boys wrestling: 8th in state, league title – 17 points
Baseball: 8th in state, league title – 17 points
Boys swim: 5th in state – 17 points
Gymnastics: 12th in state – 10 points
Girls soccer: 16th in state, league title – 9 points
Volleyball: 16th in state, league title – 9 points
Girls basketball: 16th in state – 6 points
Boys track & field: 18th in state – 4 points
Girls tennis: league title – 3 points
Girls track & field: league title – 3 points
Bainbridge – 179 points
The Spartans finished second again with help from their aquatic sports and gymnastics. The boys water polo team returned the lone state title this year while the girls water polo team fell short by one point. In addition, the Bainbridge boys soccer made a great run to finish the season and build up a few points too.
Boys water polo: 1st in state, league title – 28 points
Boys swim: 3rd in state, league title, district title – 25 points
Gymnastics: 5th place in state, league title, district title – 23 points
Girls swim: 7th place in state, league title, district title – 21 points
Girls water polo – 2nd in state – 20 points
Girls track & field: 8th in state – 14 points
Boys Soccer: 8th in state – 14 points
Girls cross country: 12th in state – 10 points
Boys cross country: 13th in state – 9 points
Girls tennis: league title, district title – 6 points
Boys track & field: league title – 3 points
Boys golf: league title – 3 points
Girls golf: league title – 3 points
Central Kitsap – 107 points
Central Kitsap’s long-distance runners scored more than half of the Cougars points with its second-consecutive dominating season during the fall. In addition, CK’s bowling battled at state, and the boys soccer team prevailed during the regular season.
Girls cross country: 1st in state, league title, district title – 31 points
Bowling: 5th in state, league title – 20 points
Boys Soccer: 16th in state, league title, district title – 12 points
Girls swim: 15th in state – 7 points
Volleyball: 16th in state – 6 points
Girls soccer: 18th in state – 4 points
Softball: 20th in state – 2 points
Klahowya – 79 points
Klahowya’s girls soccer and bowling played a huge role in scoring the Eagles points for a second year. Even though both teams lost crucial players, the Eagle squads battled and placed well at state. Klahowya softball also made a run at districts and earned a few extra points for the school.
Girls soccer: 2nd in state, league title, district title – 26 points
Bowling: 5th in state, league title – 20 points
Softball: 9th in state, district title – 16 points
Girls cross country: 13th in state – 9 points
Boys Soccer: 16th in state – 6 points
Boys wrestling: 20th in state – 2 points
Kingston – 61 points
Bucs fans should not care about what place or how many points Kingston had this year because they had one of the best sports seasons in school history. The girls basketball and baseball teams broke decade-long state droughts while softball made its first state appearance in school history. Plus, the cross-country runners returned with a podium finish for the second-straight season.
Boys cross country: 5th in state, league title, district title – 23 points
Girls cross country: 14th in state, league title – 11 points
Boys swim: 12th in state – 9 points
Girls basketball: 16th in state – 6 points
Baseball: 16th in state – 6 points
Softball: 16th in state – 6 points
Bremerton – 43 points
Bremerton’s boys basketball team could have been the best team to follow this season. A bunch of underclassmen were one shot away from dethroning the Lynden Lions and making a run for the state title. The Knights also earned a few points from reaching the football playoffs and a couple of track stars placing at state.
Boys cross country: 3rd in state, league title, district title – 25 points
Boys basketball: 5th in state – 17 points
Boys track & field: 13th in state – 9 points
Football: Tied for 16th in state – 6 points
Girls swim: 16th in state – 6 points
Girls track & field: 17th in state – 5 points
Olympic – 37 points
Olympic’s heavyweights helped the Trojans place top 10 in state wrestling this season. In addition, the softball team returned to state and captured a win to secure a few extra points for the school. Boys wrestling: 10th in state – 12 points
Softball: 12th in state – 10 points
Boys cross country: 14th in state – 8 points
Girls cross country: 15th in state – 7 points
South Kitsap – 33 points
The Wolves dropped this season despite having a handful of teams reach the postseason. However, the boys wrestling team battled in one of the toughest leagues and came out 8th in state. A handful of track stars brought home individual titles and led the Wolves to a high finish.
Girls track & field: 3rd in state – 19 points