Coupeville Sports

  Sophomore defender Seth Campbell battles for a ball in an earlier season game. (John Fisken photo)

Abraham Leyva is fighting hard for a league scoring title.

The Coupeville High School sophomore launched his seventh goal of the season into the back of the net Monday night in Everett, punching a penalty kick past a flailing goaltender.

Unfortunately for the Wolves, Leyva’s score was their only one of the evening, and they fell 5-1 to host King’s.

The loss dropped Coupeville to 4-4 overall, 3-4 in Cascade Conference play at the halfway point of the season.

The Wolves sit one game behind King’s (4-3 in league) and two back of South Whidbey (5-2) in the chase for the two 1A playoff spots the league has to offer.

The Knights proved to be a tough match-up for Coupeville, CHS coach Kyle Nelson said.

“We got beat by a strong King’s team. The strong physical play wore us down,” he said.

Leyva broke off a spectacular run on the goal and was fouled in the penalty box, setting up his penalty kick.

King’s countered with a hat trick off the toe of Ryan Fransen to put the game away. That gave Fransen eight goals on the season, sliding him past Leyva for the league lead.