Coupeville Sports

Joye Jackson (the paint is from a team-bonding paint fight after cheer practice).

Tori Wellman

A season of improvement ended under chilly skies Monday night.

Despite strong defensive efforts from Jacki Ginnings, who time and again caught and denied potential breakaway shooters, and Tori Wellman, who used her shoulder to deflect a point-blank shot, the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer team fell 3-0 to visiting Granite Falls.

The loss, coming in the final game for Wolf seniors Wellman and Joye Jackson, who got the start in goal before giving way to junior Julia Myers — back after missing several games with a concussion — dropped Coupeville to 2-14.

Playing for their third coach in as many years, that doubled the Wolves’ win total from a season ago. Victories came against Cascade Conference opponent Sultan and non-league foe Concrete, while Coupeville came close in a number of contests.

The Wolves, who did not qualify for postseason play in a year in which only two of the three 1A schools in their league made the playoffs, can return a strong core led by eight juniors next season.

For Wellman and Jackson, Monday was their swan song, however, and they went out with roses for their moms and send-offs read by CHS cheer coach Sylvia Arnold.

Wellman, daughter of Josh Wellman and Leona Lidral, has played soccer since she was six. A strong all-around athlete, she also has competed in cheer, t-ball, basketball, BMX, horeback riding and track.

Jackson, daughter of Alex Jackson and Line Goulet, is, like Wellman, a Coupeville native, and first begin to play soccer at age eight. She has ran track and played both softball and tennis for the Wolves.