Coupeville Sports

Valen Trujillo sells out completely in pursuit of the ball. (John Fisken photos)

Emily Coulter launches a ball skyward.

The Wolves celebrate a point.

The “accidental” coach enjoyed her season.

Bumped up from the middle school to take over the Coupeville High School JV volleyball squad at the last second after the first coach got a teaching position in another district, Amy King had to move quickly.

And she did, meshing her style with new varsity coach Kirsty Croghan and beginning the process of building a program in a new direction.

With a wide disparity in player skills — some of her girls could have played varsity in a year where that team wasn’t so senior-dominated, while others had never played the sport before — growth came first, then wins.

The Wolves got some of the latter, and a lot of the former.

“It’s been a great season with tons of improvements all around,” King said. “I was happy to get to coach this bunch of girls; they came together as a team and worked hard all season.

“I’m very proud of them all!”

In their final go-round Tuesday they faced a visiting King’s squad that could beat many varsity teams, but held their own through two sets, falling 25-15, 25-15, 25-6.

Monica Vidoni, Miranda Engle, Tiffany Briscoe and McKenzie Bailey came through with several strong plays apiece, while Valen Trujillo was a dynamo as usual, flying from one side of the court to the other to cover both her space and anything her less-experienced teammates left unpatrolled.

The shot of the night, however, came off the fists of Emily Coulter, who knocked a high, looping ball that hit an overhanging basketball backboard, rattled around, then dropped through the basket for two.

As it plummeted (still in play) the Wolves stopped watching the trick shot do its magic dance just long enough to knock it back over the net for a winner. Then the celebration started at mid-court as Coulter’s grin went ear to ear.