Coupeville Sports

Lexi(e) Black: Superstar

     Defense was taught early in the Black household, something Brittany (left) and Lexie both picked up quickly.

It’s sad, but true — Coupeville High School does not have the brilliant sports history of a King’s or an Archbishop Thomas Murphy.

But, when your teams don’t go to state in every sport, every year (oh, the wonders of “scholarships”…) you tend to appreciate those moments a bit more. At least that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

The Wolves have had multiple state champs in track (Kyle King, Amy Mouw, Jon Chittim, etc.) and cross country (Tyler King and Natasha Bamberger), but have yet to win the big one in a team sport.

The closest Coupeville came was the brilliant 2002 softball squad led by Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby, which won four of five games (knocking off Cle Elum, Royal, Okanogan and Napavine while being nipped by Adna) to finish 3rd.

The dynasty of Wolf sports was the girls’ basketball program in the early 2000’s, as Coupeville finished 6th in 2002 and 8th in both 2003 and 2005. And, while the 2002 team got halfway to a state title, it was the 2005 squad that still sits in the record books.

Lexie Black (born with an E at the end of your name, whether you use it now or not, little missy!) and her little sis, Brittany, dominated the paint all season, and Lexie topped out with a sense-shattering 10 blocks in a win over Zillah on March 4, 2005. The sound of rejection was a sweet song all night long at the Yakima SunDome.

Both her individual mark and the Wolves team-record of 14 blocks still holds down first-place in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association record books for 1A teams, more than seven years later.

So, next time someone gives you grief about Coupeville’s lack of a sports heritage, tell them to look in the record books, and then bow down to the eternally awesome Ms. Black!