Coupeville Sports

Randy Payne, far right, the man behind the snacks that fueled Coupeville High School’s crack football chain gang.

At long last, one of the deepest, darkest secrets of Coupeville High School football can be revealed to the world.

If you wondered how the crack four-man chain gang team that worked home games for the Wolves could always have so much pep in their step, even on nights when the rain slashed down non-stop, now you can know their secret.

They had snacks … and didn’t share them with the rest of us!

Randy Payne started the “secret” ritual, and it soon spread to chain gang mates Mike Etzell, Jim Stolee and John Thompson. The others credit Payne as their unsung MVP, and the snacks were just the icing on the cake.

Wait, they had cake?!?!

“Randy was a key member of our crack chain gang squad,” Etzell said. “He read the policies and procedures manual, went thru the week long training sessions, stayed up late studying film … you get the idea.

“Did I mention he went so far as to bring snacks for everyone, which turned into a rotating weekly potluck on the sidelines by season’s end?” he added. “This was truly a group of guys that knew how to have a good time while helping out!!”