Coupeville Sports

Lewis Pope made an impressive debut for the Falcons. (Shelli Trumbull photos)

Joel Walstad pumped in seven for the Wolves, who lost for the second straight night.

   Pope discusses strategy with new SWHS coach Mike Washington, who moved down the Island after running the boys’ hoops program in Oak Harbor.

The legacy lives on.

Seventeen months after the premature death of his father, South Whidbey High School boys’ basketball coach Henry Pope, Falcon freshman Lewis Pope stepped on his home court Tuesday night, wearing a #15 uniform in memory of his father’s birthday, and dazzled.

His 12-point performance, added to 30 from senior Parker Collins and 13 from junior Ricky Muzzy, was more than Coupeville could handle as it absorbed its second non-conference loss in as many nights.

Now 0-2 on the season after a 74-47 defeat, the Wolves have suffered from a similar pattern — strong first quarter, then a major stumble that forces them to play from far behind the rest of the night.

Trailing by just a point at 14-13 at the first break, Coupeville was drilled 25-13 in the second quarter and 19-9 in the third.

Then, just like they did Monday, they rallied a bit in the fourth quarter, long after the game was decided.

The Wolves were paced by senior Aaron Curtin, who banged away for 15 points, five rebounds and three steals in his second game back on the court.

After lettering as a freshman and sophomore, he sat out his junior year, but returned with his sweet shooting touch intact.

Wiley Hesselgrave and Joel Walstad chipped in seven apiece in support, while CJ Smith hit for six.

Risen Johnson and Gabe Wynn each popped for four and Aaron Trumbull and Ryan Griggs added a bucket apiece.

Much as in their loss to Meridian, turnovers killed the Wolves. They brought them down from 25 to 16, but it was still too many.

“Just like the last game, we played well in the first half and had our problems in the second half,” said CHS coach Anthony Smith. “We had a lot better effort at times; now we have a couple days to work on things so can get a victory Friday.”

Coupeville returns to action with home games Friday (Darrington) and Saturday (Bellevue Christian).

JV loses: Still missing several players who aren’t eligible yet, the young Wolves struggled, falling 76-26.

Individual scoring stats weren’t available.

While his squad is now 0-2, JV coach Dustin Van Velkinburgh is not ready to write the season off.

“We have talent and it is my job to make the best use of that talent and to get these athletes to perform at a level that is higher than they see possible,” he said. “I’m committed to making that happen.”