Stange’s marauders decimate Friday Harbor!!

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Stange’s marauders decimate Friday Harbor!!

September 22, 2012 by David Svien

The last thing Friday Harbor wanted to see getting off of a ferry … Stange’s marauders!! (Photo by Wendy McCormick)

They came. They saw. They beat the ever-lovin’ snot out of their hosts.

And then they were polite about having done so.

Facing a Friday Harbor team severely lacking in numbers and experience, the Coupeville High School boys’ tennis team did exactly as expected Friday afternoon, crushing their perennial league rivals 5-0. And while Wolf coach Ken Stange was thrilled to see his men play with precision and focus, and not need to dive head-first onto a cement court, he was also pleased with the way the victors handled their triumphs.

“There wasn’t really a standout performance today in the sense of someone stepping up huge and making big shots in crucial moments,” Stange said. “Each match-up was set for us to win from the get go. All the boys had to go out and do was execute the basics — consistency, depth and placement. They all did what they were supposed to do.

“I was especially proud that my boys didn’t take the easy opportunity to brag or show off,” he added. “They were businesslike and were gracious winners.”

Until this season, when South Whidbey dropped from 2A to 1A, Friday Harbor was Coupeville’s only foe in District 1. The two teams face off three times a year, with some players meeting up to five times after the district tournament is tossed in. While Stange, who has his biggest roster in years at 24 players, enjoys seeing his team thump on their primary rival, he also understands the challenges Friday Harbor coach Dick Barnes faces.

“The Wolverines only had two players today with experience from last year. They are fortunate that their coach was able to find enough guys to keep the team together,” Stange said. “It would be sad to lose them, but I met someone who has been putting together some youth programs in the San Juans that could help create more players.

“I hope they can pull it off, because, while they are our rivals, they are also our friends,” he added. “We share a lot in common with that small school on an island. We play them so often that the players from the two school get to know each other and much respect is built over that time.”