Coupeville Sports

Kacie Kiel is a two-way threat. First, she’ll score on you. Then she’ll shut you down when you try to score. (John Fisken photos)

Kiel hangs out with her teammates.

“I believe I have the best defender in the league in Kacie.”

Coupeville High School girls’ basketball coach David King preaches defense, defense, defense. And no one buys in quite as obsessively as the junior with the mega-watt grin and deceptive intensity, Kacie Kiel.

She may not have weight-room muscles or overwhelming height, but the wiry wonder doesn’t back down from anyone.

Snatching boards away from bigger foes, gliding step-for-step with the player she’s guarding, rarely letting them get past her, Kiel is a firebrand.

King generally puts her on the other team’s best scorer, and Kiel has been lights-out.

Savanna Hanson of King’s scored 34 against Cedcarcrest, a top-five 2A school? Kiel held her to 10 the next night.

It’s been that way all season, and even more since she’s returned after a brief battle with a gimpy knee.

Having a ballhawk to team with Julia Myers, whose sunny off-court personality is contrasted with the withering stare-downs she drops on anyone who tries to take a rebound away from her, gives King a strong defensive punch.

“Kacie has really stepped up since she came back from her knee injury,” King said. “I’m able to keep Makana (Stone) fresh by giving Kacie the person we want to slow or shut down. This also allows Makana to play a bigger or stronger post player and have help defense.

“Julia comes in and lately has given Kacie a breather and she gets the assignment to shut down the other teams scorer,” he added. “Or if both are in, she moves into the post and battles.”

As the Wolves (9-11) emerge from the 2A-heavy Cascade Conference and prepare to open the 1A district playoffs Tuesday at Mount Baker, defense is what will make or break their postseason hopes.

So it’s a good thing King likes what he sees from his roster, top to bottom.

Fellow starters Breeanna Messner, Madeline Strasburg and Amanda Fabrizi join Stone, a certified shot-blocking sensation, and Kiel, to form a strong core.

When Coupeville goes to its bench, headed up by “super sub” Myers, there’s little to no letdown on the defensive side of the ball.

“McKayla (Bailey) and Wynter (Thorne) have always been defensive-minded players,” King said. “They both bring something different to the defensive end. Wynter the speed and anticipation and McKayla the strength and willingness to defend girls sometimes six or more inches taller than her.

“Monica (Vidoni) has come a long way with her effort on defense,” he added. “We need her to continue to be hungry and want to make a difference on defense.”

The last woman off the bench generally is freshman Carlie Rosenkrance, who has spent much of her playing time leading the Wolf JV. The sister of two-time CHS Athlete of the Year Cassidi Rosenkrance, she’s a player to watch, however.

“Carlie hasn’t gotten much playing time at the varsity level, but her length, instincts and speed will be an asset,” King said.

Whether it’s Kiel wreaking havoc, Messner adding to her legendary collection of floor burns diving for loose balls or Bailey tearing opponent’s heads off while wrestling for rebounds, the Wolves are on the attack and their coach abides.

“I preach defense and that defense wins games,” King said. “And they have all bought into this!”