Ben Etzell (Shelli Trumbull photos)
Kurtis Smith
Morgan Payne
For once, the Cascade Conference paid attention.
Breaking a trend recently of snubbing Coupeville High School athletes in all sports, league coaches picked two Wolves as First-Team All-Conference baseball selections Monday. Overall, five CHS diamond men were honored.
Junior pitcher Ben Etzell and junior outfielder Kurtis Smith were tabbed to the first team, while junior infielder Morgan Payne earned Second-Team honors. Junior catcher Jake Tumblin and sophomore pitcher Aaron Curtin received honorable mention selections.
Little 1A school Coupeville went 10-12 in the just-concluded season, beating every team in the 1A/2A league at least once with the exception only of defending 2A state champs Archbishop Thomas Murphy.
The Wolves pushed ATM to the limit in an instant classic at home, however. That looks even more impressive now that the Wildcats will play in the state semifinals this weekend against Tumwater, two wins away from capturing back-to-back titles.
Not surprisingly, ATM dominated the voting, with shortstop Trevor Morrison being named league MVP. The Wildcats one-two pitching duo of seniors Zander Clouse and Derrick Mahlum joined Etzell as First-Team pitchers.
South Whidbey’s Tom Fallon was picked as the coach of the year.
Coupeville Sports 
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