Jennifer Spark (John Fisken photo)
Wolf captains Jacki Ginnings (left) and Erin Rosenkranz head out to the Homecoming dance. (Wendy McCormick photo)
Troy Cowan loves his defenders.
The first-year Coupeville High School girls’ soccer coach has been impressed with the hustle, resilience and scrappiness of the pack of Wolves who patrol the backfield in support of goaltenders Julia Myers, McKayla Bailey and Joye Jackson.
It starts with junior captain Jacki Ginnings, who leads a group that usually includes Marisa Etzell, Jennifer Spark, Carlie Rosenkrance and the wham-bam twins, Ivy and Ana Luvera.
While goal scorers such as Makana Stone, Erin Rosenkranz, Micky LeVine and Tori Wellman draw attention up front, it’s the group on the other side of the field that dictates the flow of the game.
“Jacki plays defense with reckless abandonment!!!,” Cowan said. “I mean, this kid is flying around in the 18 just daring offensive players to enter her web of destruction.”
Ginnings is just a junior, while running mate Spark, a sophomore, could be a star for several more seasons.
“I need to toot the horn for one of our most consistent and solid defensive performers, Jennifer Spark,” Cowan said. “She has really improved her play, but because she relies heavily on her BIG foot to save us so many times, others don’t get to see what this kid really can do.
“She is an amazing all-around player and WILL make an impactful presence in this league and have a long and prosperous high school/college soccer career,” he added.
With three games to play in the regular season the still very-young Wolves (only Wellman and Jackson are seniors) have improved on last year’s record, dumping Sultan and Concrete while coming close in several other games.
The Wolves are playing for their third coach in as many seasons, but you can see the rise in skill and confidence with each game.
“Very proud of all the girls,” Cowan said. “We are trying to build something special here in Coupeville and change the culture and this takes time and lots of hard work.
“The Lady Wolves are giving me all the hard work,” he added. “We just need to be patient and stay the course!!!”
Coupeville Sports 
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