Coupeville Sports

   Hours after reigning over the Homecoming dance, Makana Stone poured in 42 points during a fall ball doubleheader Sunday. (John Fisken photos)

   Wolf marksman Kailey Kellner was on point, tallying eight points and 15 boards over two razor-thin losses.

Imagine if they weren’t tired.

Coming off of Homecoming week, and, just hours before, the dance itself, the Coupeville High School girls’ basketball team found itself playing a fall ball doubleheader Sunday.

And, despite runnin’ and gunnin’ on tired feet, and with little sleep, the Wolves almost pulled off back-to-back wins against tough competition.

In the end, Coupeville couldn’t quite get over the last hurdle, falling 25-24 to potential future playoff foe Mount Baker and 38-36 to 3A Marysville-Pilchuck.

Overcoming their tiredness to put together their best afternoon of ball so far in league play, the Wolves were patient on offense, battled for rebounds, scrambled after loose balls and showed a great deal of poise.

Reigning 1A Olympic League MVP Makana Stone, the CHS Homecoming Queen, had herself an afternoon to pace the attack.

She opened with 14 points and 13 rebounds against Mount Baker, then got epic against the Tomahawks, jamming home a game-high 28, snatching 14 boards and rejecting a pair of shots.

Her predominately young teammates provided able support, led by Kailey Kellner, who tallied eight points, 15 rebounds and two assists on the day.

The Wolves also got contributions from Sarah Wright (five points, five rebounds), Lauren Grove (two points, four rebounds, three steals, three assists) and Mia Littlejohn (two points, three rebounds, three steals, two assists).

Freshmen Lindsey Roberts (one point, eight rebounds) and Kalia Littlejohn (three rebounds) rounded out the CHS attack.

While Stone was en fuego for most of the afternoon, her teammates all had their moments when they stepped up and snatched the spotlight, as well.

Grove made off with a ball, beat the defense down the floor on a one-woman breakaway, heard the mob coming and calmly slammed on the brakes and went to the left hand for the bucket.

Kellner pulled off a sparkling give-and-go with Stone for a bucket, Wright hit the boards like a wild woman and three of the Wolves teamed up for a defensive gem late in the second game.

With a full-court press on, Kalia Littlejohn drove the player with the ball to the sideline, where big sis Mia and running mate Grove were waiting.

Trapped, the Marysville player stepped out of bounds, turning the ball over, just as Wolf coaches Sherry Roberts and Aimee Bishop had written it up.

Coupeville returns to Skagit county one more time, with a final fall ball doubleheader Nov. 1.

Practice for the high school season, when the Wolves will defend their league title, officially starts Nov. 16.