Coupeville Sports

Bessie Walstad (left) and Maria Rockwell. (John Fisken photos)

Rockwell and dad Sheldon.

Walstad and parents Shawn and Renee.

They are opposite, and yet the same.

Maria Rockwell was the bright, blazing star who touched down briefly onto Coupeville High School’s softball field, while Bessie Walstad was, well, the rock. Both had a huge impact on the program.

Rockwell was a freshman phenom for the Wolves four years ago, played a year in Florida, returned to the Island and and sat out a year to focus on school work, and then returned as a seasoned vet. She’s won five games on the mound for the Wolves this season, and is one of the more feared CHS sluggers.

Walstad is that rarity, a four-year varsity vet who has been at the forefront of her team the entire way. Not that you would know it by her words, as the catcher always seemed not to care a bit for power trips.

You can be a star without screaming and hollering, and Walstad was that player. In all three of her sports (volleyball and basketball also drew her time), she led by example and teammates responded, showing her a reverence reserved for the greats.

Tuesday, the duo played their final home game in a Coupeville uniform. There is still a road game at Sultan Thursday and then (hopefully) a long playoff run.

Whether they play college ball after this, at whatever level, is immaterial today. I hope they both get the chance, but that opportunity would not define them.

They are both smart, confident young women who have graced our town and our ball fields with their presence. They walked off the diamond as seniors like they walked on as freshmen, heads held high.

They were Wolves and they were class acts.