Coupeville Sports

“What’s that I taste? Oh yes, sweet, sweet victory.” (Deb Smith photos)

Wolf fans enjoy the balmy Port Townsend weather.

CMS coach Bob Martin (red shirt, middle) rallies his troops.

“Water tastes nice, victory even better!”

“It was “that” game, the one you wish you could duplicate throughout the season.”

As he basked in an improbable, but highly satisfying, rout of host Port Townsend, Coupeville Middle School football coach Bob Martin was almost downright giddy.

Almost.

Former Marine Corps drill sergeants don’t do full-on giddy. Even when their out-manned team rises up and thrashes their foe 52-13.

So, maybe not giddy, but definitely pleased.

“Yes, we need to work on tackling, but once those young players figured out they could do it, you couldn’t stop them,” Martin said “Yes, our hard work beat their talent!

“They had big kids and you could tell our boys were intimidated, but that wore off quickly.”

Despite hitting the gridiron Wednesday with just 14 active players, the Wolves seized control of the game early and never looked back.

Coupeville took a 14-13 lead, stretched it out to 30-13 at halftime, and continued to pour it on in the second half, scoring from all directions.

Wolf quarterback Cade Golden lit up the skies, completing 12 of 17 passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns, while Jake Mitten and Dakota Eck tallied three touchdowns apiece.

Mitten, who rushed for 80 yards, scored twice on passes from Golden and once on a run, while also finding time to kick four field goals.

Eck was a two-way threat, rumbling for 72 yards, scoring twice on offense and pulling off the play of the game on defense for touchdown #3.

With Port Townsend threatening to score, the CMS 8th grader swooped in, stripped the ball at the two-yard line, then sprinted 98 yards the other way for a game-busting score.

Coupeville’s defense was strong (Miles Davidson and Ben Smith recovered fumbles while Alex Jimenez had a “great bone-crushing tackle while on kickoff – stopped the kid in his tracks!”) and its offense even stronger.

When Mitten and Eck weren’t lugging the ball, Smith (42 yards rushing) and Gabe Shaw (28 and a touchdown) both stepped up and helped shoulder the load.

The key to a successful day was the team’s line (Tian Yu, Davidson, Shaw, Smith, Sage Downes and Logan Wertz), which shoved Port Townsend back time and again.

“Can’t do anything without them,” Martin said. “They’re figuring it out, gaining confidence every day. It’s great to see!”

With just 14 active players, everyone chipped in, and Coupeville also got contributions from Dylan Estes, Damon Stadler, Trystan Ford and Jacob Kendall.

The team-wide effort was best summed up by assistant coach Michael Golden, who surveyed the winning Wolves and delivered the line of the night.

“They played their hearts out!”