Coupeville Sports

   Senior Drew Chan will lead an injury-ravaged Wolf team into the district playoffs next week. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

If you’re going to pull off a series of upsets, you might as well start with the biggest one first.

There will be a David vs. Goliath feel when district playoffs open next week for the Coupeville High School boys’ basketball team. Locked in as the #3 seed from the Cascade Conference, the Wolves (1-17 with two games to play) will open against Lynden Christian in a game at Mountlake Terrace High School Tuesday, Feb. 5.

The Lyncs (currently 15-4) will not only be the #1 seed from the Northwest Conference, but they are also the defending 1A state champs. Last season, Lynden capped its postseason run with a 57-45 shredding of Zillah in the championship game.

Regardless of the outcome of their opener, Coupeville is guaranteed at least a second playoff game Thursday, Feb. 7. Win anywhere in there and they play on, with four of the eight teams from district advancing to tri-districts.

A huge key to the chances for an upset will be the overall health of the team. Gavin O’Keefe (broken leg), Ben Etzell (wrist injury, staph infection) and Aaron Trumbull (concussion) are all out or highly questionable.

While the Wolf boys know their opening opponent, the Coupeville girls (5-13) are not 100% set yet.

Trailing South Whidbey by two games with two to play, there is still a chance they could catch the Falcons for the #2 seed out of the Cascade Conference. Wins over Granite Falls and King’s and losses by South Whidbey to Archbishop Thomas Murphy and Granite Falls would leave the two Island squads with identical league records.

Coupeville and South Whidbey split their season series, each winning on their home court.

Districts kick off for the girls Monday, Feb. 4, with a second game Wednesday, Feb. 6, with all games also at Mountlake Terrace. The top three finishers in the eight-team field will advance to tri-districts.

If the Wolves are the #3 seed, they will face the #1 seed from the NWC, while, if they pull off a comeback and claim the #2 seed, they would face the #3 team from the NWC.

A close battle is still being waged for the top three spots in the NWC, with Lynden Christian holding an 8-2 mark (and all of the tiebreakers) in league play. Blaine is 7-3 and Nooksack Valley 6-4.