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Archive for July, 2016

Birthday girls Mollie Bailey (top) and Avalon Renninger. (John Fisken and Sherry Roberts photos)

   Birthday girls Mollie Bailey (top) and Avalon Renninger. (John Fisken and Sherry Roberts photos)

They are the sparkling future of Wolf sports.

The duo of Mollie Bailey and Avalon Renninger share a lot in common, starting with having birthdays just a few hours apart.

Bailey’s was Friday (I just found out) while Renninger’s is today.

Both are younger sisters of highly-successful Coupeville athletes (McKayla and McKenzie Bailey, Sage Renninger) who are already on their way to being just as big stars, if not bigger, themselves.

Bailey, who will be an eighth grader at CMS in the fall, is a scrappy point guard on the basketball court and an even scrappier catcher on the softball diamond, a hard-hitting, fast-talking whirlwind.

Meanwhile, Renninger, who will be a freshman at CHS, is a ball of energy blazing across the soccer pitch, basketball court and (so far) track oval (though she may swap that for tennis).

Described by CHS hoops coach David King as a bulldog, for her willingness to get down and scrap with foes for every loose ball, every rebound, Avalon has a motor which never stops running.

Both young women share a lot of similar traits, being outgoing and friendly off the field, and then being more than willing to slice you off at the kneecaps in the heat of battle.

Like their sisters before them, the duo also have a love for the camera and are willing to play the PR game.

Bailey, in particular, is gunning for her sister’s Photo Bomb Queen status and she’s got the chops to make it happen.

As they both make the move upwards this year, with bright careers ahead of them, sports-wise and as smart, tough-nosed young women of the prairie, we want to wish them happy birthday.

Your future is wide-open, ladies. Go claim your destiny.

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Lindsey

   Wolves (l to r) Lindsey Roberts, Kailey Kellner and Sarah Wright hang out between drills. (Sherry Roberts photos)

Avalon

Avalon Renninger (right) learns the game from college players.

huddle

The players huddle up before taking the floor.

Genna

Renninger and coach are joined by Genna Wright.

laugh

The team that laughs together, kicks butt together.

squad

The Wolfpack.

They sacrificed some of their free time for future success.

Four Coupeville High School basketball players and one plucky middle school hard-court ace traveled to Bellingham this week to attend a summer hoops camp at Western Washington University.

Wolf senior Kailey Kellner, sophomores Lindsey Roberts and Sarah Wright, freshman Avalon Renninger and 8th grader Genna Wright all gave up a bit of their vacation time for the popular event.

It was the first time at the camp for the two youngest Coupeville hoops stars, while the older trio were all returning veterans.

The camp made all the players stretch their skill-set, with most of them put in control of the ball as a point guard.

An increase in battle-hardened ball-handlers could pay huge dividends for the Wolves going forward.

And it’s not the only camp in play this summer for Coupeville girls.

Six Wolves — Kellner, Tiffany Briscoe, Kalia Littlejohn, Allison Wenzel, Kyla Briscoe and Mia Littlejohn –are tentatively slated to attend a shooting clinic at King’s High School in August.

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Mia Littlejohn: Soccer Sensation. (John Fisken photos)

Mia Littlejohn: Soccer Sensation. (John Fisken photos)

Littlejohn

Littlejohn practices her karate mid-match.

The season never stops.

Coupeville High School junior Mia Littlejohn plays soccer nearly year-round, finding time to weave basketball into the picture as well.

All that time and effort continues to pay off, as she has been invited to play for yet another high-level team.

This time around it’s the Bellingham Ranger 98/99 premier team, which is headed off to California for a three-day tourney next weekend.

The Rangers will vie in The Rage College Showcase in Pleasanton June 22-24.

A prime opportunity for Littlejohn and teammates to be scouted by college coaches, the tourney will consist of four games in three days.

Bellingham opens against a team from Utah June 22, then plays two games against California squads the next day.

The Rangers wrap things with a final game against a team from California June 24.

Along with the college showcase Littlejohn will play in two tourneys in early August with her normal premier team.

Playing alongside sister Kalia, Mia is scheduled to take part in The Rush Cup and the Phillips 66 Rimland Challenge.

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Jonathan Thurston

Jonathan Thurston deals the high, hard cheese. (John Fisken photos)

Thurston works

   Thurston (Batman shirt) brings the spirit along with running mates (l to r) Jimmy Myers, Uriel Liquidano and Aiden Crimmins.

grin

“I must destroy you.”

Don’t sleep on Jonathan Thurston.

The Coupeville High School senior, who celebrates a birthday today, may weigh about 17 pounds (after a big meal) but 16 pounds of that is heart.

He’s a rampaging beast on the football field, not afraid to hit (or be hit by) much heavier players, bouncing right back up after first holding on to the pass he went up to snag.

Thurston put together one of the better games I’ve seen by a Wolf in recent years.

It came in a JV game against 2A Anacortes last year, when he hauled in a pair of touchdown passes, pilfered an interception and spent much of the game backhanding the Seahawks, often times for real.

The visitors had a roster twice the size of Coupeville (at least) and some of their secondary tried to shove Thurston around.

Didn’t work, as he still made the snag on a throw over the top from Wolf QB Shane Losey, then shot up and knocked a pesky Seahawk on his butt as he strode back to the huddle, smiling all the way.

Thurston is an equal opportunity guy, also tossing some heat for the Wolf baseball squad and playing a vital role in the student cheering section at volleyball games.

Away from athletics, Jonathan seems like a pretty good dude, as well, smart, friendly and outgoing.

As he prepares for his final season on the gridiron, surrounded by his friends, we want to wish him all the best.

Happy birthday, Mr. Thurston. Keep on knockin’ fools on their butts.

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Allison

   Coupeville hurler Allison Wenzel works on her javelin form at the University of Washington. (Susan Wenzel photos)

track

Entrance way to the big time.

Allison

Wenzel brings a touch of Wolf Nation to U-Dub.

Allison Wenzel is following in the legendary footsteps of her coach’s son.

Tyler King, a state champ in track and cross country during his days at Coupeville High School, went on to star at the University of Washington.

Now Wenzel, who just finished her sophomore season under the tutelage of CHS track guru Randy King, is spending time on the U-Dub campus at a summer track camp.

She and fellow Wolf junior-to-be Henry Wynn are both participating in the four-day event, which is put on by Washington Track Camps LLC.

But, just because both are making the trek from Whidbey doesn’t mean the high school teammates are hanging out in the big city.

They don’t see much of each other because he is working distance and sprint and she is doing throwing,” said mom Susan Wenzel. “Track and field … never the twain shall meet.”

Allison, also a volleyball and basketball star in Coupeville, is focusing on the javelin during her time at the UW camp.

She finished fourth at districts in the event as a sophomore and was an alternate to the state meet. Next year, she wants to fully punch her ticket to Cheney.

“She said she is learning a lot about form and technique,” Susan Wenzel said.

The second javelin thrower to come through the family (older sister Rachel chucked for the Wolves from 2011-2013) Allison is making an impression on her new coaches.

Wenzel walked away with a candy bar after beating her group with the closest throw to a hula hoop target.

Now, she’s already talking about making the trip a regular occurrence.

“She plans to go back next year because she is really enjoying it,” Susan Wenzel said. “And she wishes more Wolves were there!”

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