Coupeville Sports

   I count four, maybe five ‘staches in this photo, with the Aparicio brothers prominently rockin’ the fuzzy lip.

I have come to mourn a loss. The loss of the high school ‘stache.

Let me take a step back here and explain. I’m not talking about my own ‘stache (I didn’t grow a beard until my days as Sports Editor at the Whidbey News-Times, when I was trying to look semi-distinguished (ha!) and hide the fact that at 21 I was barely older than the athletes I was covering.)

No, I’m talking about the glorious assortment of “Dazed and Confused” ‘staches I saw on Coupeville High School athletes (and a young football coach sportin’ short shorts by the name of Ron Bagby) when I recently went through Sherry Roberts’ Big Bag ‘o Newspaper Clippings.

I’m working on features on both Sherry and husband Jon, both of whom are former CHS Athlete of the Years and the former Ms. Bonacci let me go through her impressive collection of memories from her high school athletic exploits. Or, as Jon calls it, the “Sherry Loves Sherry” box.

And, oh lord, along with the ’80s hair (which I expected) there was also a bevy of ‘staches. In one boys’ basketball photo, at least four of the players were rockin’ the ‘stache.

During this same time period depicted in the photos, it was mentioned that FOUR Wolf teams had gone to state that year, and another two had missed by a single game. At a time in 2012 when CHS has hit a bit of a dry spell when it comes to sending teams of any sport to state, that is freakin’ unbelievable.

And it means only thing. The ‘stache has to come back.

I am calling on every member of the Wolf boys’ basketball team to accept the ‘stache challenge. I’m not talking about merely taking part in No Shave November. I’m talking bout bringing back the Full Bagby!

I just saw a Coupeville Middle School basketball game where one of the 7th graders from King’s was sporting a beard, so don’t tell me you don’t have the face for it. You just need to step up and embrace your manhood.

If a few girl hoopsters want to jump in and join the challenge, well … yeah.

And spring athletes, be you baseball players, track runners or soccer players, get those hairs sproutin’!

We’re going back to a time when Coupeville High School was a lot hairier and went to state on a regular basis in every sport — and we’re getting there one ‘stache at a time.