Coupeville Sports

Anthony Bergeron fights for position. (Shelli Trumbull photos)

Middle school hoops star Luke Merriman (with phone) entertains the JV players.

Jared Helmstadter tries to break free from defensive pressure during the JV game, which Coupeville lost 74-16.

The fourth quarter was a battle.

Unfortunately for the Coupeville High School boys’ basketball team, its game Friday at Archbishop Thomas Murphy was already long gone before the late stand.

Not even a close 15-13 tussle over the final eight minutes could save the Wolves, who were playing without leading scorer Nick Streubel, as they fell 67-30.

The loss dropped Coupeville to 1-8 overall, 0-5 in Cascade Conference play. The Wolves host Mount Vernon Christian — a team they beat last season — at 1 PM today.

Playing in Everett, the Wolves were down a man from the start, as Streubel sat in street clothes. The Big Hurt was a 6-foot-3, 285-pound stat keeper as he recovers from a sprained ankle suffered Tuesday against Sultan.

Coupeville came out slow, falling behind 16-5 after the first eight minutes, and never recovered.

ATM, which got a game-high 16 points from Abe Lucas, then outscored the Wolves 18-4 and 17-8 over the next two quarters.

Aaron Trumbull led Coupeville with eight points, while Joel Walstad and Anthony Bergeron each banked in seven. Gavin O’Keefe popped for six and Oscar Liquidano chipped in with two points.