Wyatt Fitch-Marron scored six points Wednesday. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
No more road trips.
Wednesday’s trek to Everett to face Northshore Christian Academy was the final time this season the Coupeville Middle School boys’ basketball squad will bounce across the backroads of America.
After this the Wolves cap the 2022 season with a pair of home rumbles, welcoming Sultan to The Rock Monday, Dec. 12, before hosting South Whidbey two days later.
Those games will put a bow on a season of learning and improvement, as CMS coaches Craig Anderson, Jon Roberts, and Jaylen Nitta continue to finetune the collective skillsets of their assembled players.
How the final off-Island excursion went:
Level 1:
Northshore played a “staggering press” and drove the Wolf ballhandlers bonkers in a lopsided 45-8 win.
The hosts went up 34-0 at the half, as Coupeville struggled to adapt while missing leading scorer Jayden McManus, who was out sick.
“Missing Jayden again is a true bummer,” Roberts said. “He is a KEY competitor on our team.
“His inside presence on defense keeps the other team off. On offense his inside game opens up our outside game. Alas that didn’t happen.”
Roberts was pleased, however, with how his team responded in the second half.
Instead of hanging their heads and accepting the loss, the Wolves manned up and fought Northshore virtually even across the third and fourth quarters.
“What I did see was a team after halftime that used the anger of being nearly beat to pulp to find a lower gear and the result was far better defensive play,” Roberts said.
“Steal attempts, riding players hard to the bucket and picking up fouls. Getting rebounds and going HARD back to the bucket.
“Coaches emphasized grit, toughness in practice on Tuesday. We saw some of this today.”
Riley Lawless paced CMS with four points, while Davin Houston and Chayse Van Velkinburgh each popped for a bucket.
Carson Grove, Sage Arends, Mahkai Myles, Joshua Stockdale, and Nic Laska helped round out the Wolf roster.
Level 2:
Northshore is the only Cascade League school not to field three teams, so Coupeville combined players from its second and third squads in a 47-14 loss.
Wyatt Fitch-Marron had the hot hand for the Wolves, rattling the rims for a team-high six points, while Roger Merino-Martinez (4), Jacob Barajas (2), and Liam Lawson (2) also scored.
Lawson had the shot of the afternoon, as Katie Smith’s nephew knocked down a long jumper where he was mere inches away from getting credit for a three-ball.
Hunter Atteberry, Nathan Niewald, Brantley Campbell, Charles Hart, Zach Blitch, Dylan Robinett, Kenneth Jacobsen, and Khanor Jump also saw floor time for CMS.
Coupeville Sports 
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