Coupeville Sports

Softball has the most-recent state tourney team win among Coupeville High School sports programs, thanks to the play of Mollie Bailey and friends. (Karen Carlson photo)

It’s been awhile.

The last time a Coupeville High School boys team won a game at the state tournament, in any sport, Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States.

The day was May 23, 1987 and the Wolf baseball team beat White Swan 2-0 as it wound its way to a 3rd place showing.

Since then, nada.

After beating White Swan, the ’87 CHS diamond men fell 14-7 to Morton, beginning what now sits at a 33-year streak without a team win in a state tourney game for Coupeville’s male athletes.

And I stress the word TEAM, as CHS sports programs where the athletes compete as individuals, have produced big success in that time, topped off by state champs in track and cross country.

Take a look at sports where success hinges on a team, however, and Wolf boys are in a long dry spell.

Wolf baseball (0-5), football (0-2), basketball (0-2), and soccer (0-2) have made it to the big dance multiple times in the past three decades, but none have won since ’87.

That has given the CHS girls a chance to play catch-up, and they have in a big way.

The ’87 baseball win was the fourth state tourney triumph by a Wolf boys team, while the Coupeville girls have now won 16 times.

The first victory came courtesy of the girls basketball squad in 2000, with the most recent W captured by the 2019 softball sluggers.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the first CHS team to make it to state, in any sport, the 1970 boys basketball team, it’s well past time for modern-day Wolf boys to recapture past glory.

Until they do, the stat sheet speaks for itself, and it tells us this — CHS girls rule the school.

State tourney history for CHS team sports (compiled by WIAA):

Baseball:

First trip: 1973
Most-recent trip: 2014
Total trips: 9
State tourney wins: 2
Schools beaten: Kittitas, White Swan
Best finish: 3rd in 1987

Boys Basketball:

First trip: 1970
Most-recent trip: 1988
Total trips: 5
State tourney wins: 2
Schools beaten: Columbia (Burbank), Montesano
Best finish: No trophies

Boys Soccer:

First trip: 2009
Most-recent trip: 2010
Total trips: 2
State tourney wins: None
Schools beaten: None
Best finish: No trophies

Football:

First trip: 1974
Most-recent trip: 1990
Total trips: 4
State tourney wins: None
Schools beaten: None
Best finish: No trophies

Girls Basketball:

First trip: 1998
Most-recent trip: 2016
Total trips: 7
State tourney wins: 7
Schools beaten: Freeman, Onalaska, Overlake, Winlock, River View, Cascade Christian, Zillah
Best finish: 6th in 2002

Softball:

First trip: 2002
Most-recent trip: 2019
Total trips: 3
State tourney wins: 5
Schools beaten: Cle Elum, Royal, Okanogan, Napavine, Deer Park
Best finish: 3rd in 2002

Volleyball:

First trip: 2001
Most-recent trip: 2017
Total trips: 5
State tourney wins: 4
Schools beaten: King’s, Freeman, Toutle Lake, Zillah
Best finish: No trophies