Reactions on the bench Monday tell the whole story. (John Fisken photos)
Kacie Kiel scored her first varsity points in her playoff debut.
Jai’Lysa Hoskins ices her hurt ankle.
There are nights when nothing goes right.
Monday was almost one of those nights for the Coupeville High School girls’ basketball team, as they were hammered 55-18 in the opening round of the district playoffs by seven-time state champ Lynden Christian.
Boasting a private school-worthy collection of talent and height — five players 5-foot-11 or taller — the Lyncs forced 40 turnovers and used a crippling press to shred Coupeville’s confidence almost from the opening buzzer. Lynden Christian eventually racked up 22 steals to just eight baskets by the Wolves.
Coupeville, now 6-15, will get an immediate chance to bounce back, however, traveling to Langley Wednesday to face off with Island rival South Whidbey in a loser-out game. The two squads split their season series, and the Falcons (11-11) will be without top scorer Hayley Newman, who quit the team in the regular season’s final week.
While the final score was lopsided Monday, there were a few bright moments to light up the general darkness.
Sophomore Kacie Kiel, brought up from the JV, scored her first bucket at the varsity level off of a perfectly run play started with a pass from out of bounds.
Hard-nosed rebounder Jai’Lysa Hoskins spent part of the third quarter with ice on a twisted ankle, but was able to get it taped and returned, boding well for the remainder of the playoffs.
Despite facing a very imposing front-line, young Wolf post players Hailey Hammer and Makana Stone acquitted themselves well under pressure.
“Jai’Lysa again brought great energy to the defensive end and Hailey also did what she could against a much taller team,” Wolf coach David King said.
Coupeville actually controlled the game for the first minute, as Stone won the opening tip and Bessie Walstad scored the game’s first basket, making off with a steal and turning it into a breakaway layup. Then things went South, fast.
“We hung in there for the first three to four minutes, before the pressure got the better of us,” King said. “We didn’t handle the pressure defense on their press and then the on-ball defense from their guards.
“We prepared for their press and knew how to break it; when we did we had numbers, it just didn’t happen often after the initial three-four minutes of the game,” he added. “We didn’t make the necessary passes or cuts. LC was the aggressor and came to meet our passes instead of us. This is something we will need to correct at practice before our game on Wednesday.”
Walstad paced Coupeville with six points, while Breeanna Messner banged for four and Stone, Hammer, Kiel and Lauren Escalle each chipped in with a basket apiece. Hammer collected eight boards to lead the Wolves on the defensive glass.
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