Coupeville Sports

Bennett Richter’s Wolves have shown considerable fight while playing larger schools. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s been a gauntlet.

Coming off its first state tournament appearance in three decades-plus, a new-look Coupeville High School football team has opened its season with three straight games against bigger schools.

And not just bigger schools, but ones playing top-level ball, as seen in their combined 8-1 record.

Friday night brought another loss for the Wolves, as they fell 46-13 at Sultan in a game which was just 20-13 at halftime.

That leaves Coupeville, a 2B school, at 0-3 after playing three 1A schools, with two of those games on the road.

The Wolves get a chance to turn things around starting next Friday, Sept. 22, when they host Northwest 2B/1B League rival La Conner (0-2) in their first conference clash.

Five of Coupeville’s final six regular-season games are against fellow 2B schools, with two bouts apiece against La Conner and Friday Harbor controlling everyone’s playoff destiny.

For the second week in a row, the Wolves came out and claimed the early lead, before being overpowered by a deep, run-happy squad.

CHS senior quarterback Logan Downes tossed a pair of first-half touchdowns, both landing in the arms of sophomore speed demon Aiden O’Neill, as the air attack slashed the Turk defense.

The scoring lobs give Downes eight passing TD’s through the first three games, and 27 for his career.

O’Neill has broken into the end zone a team-high four times this season, with three of his scores coming off of pass receptions.

The touchdowns were the first given up by Sultan this season, which outscored its first two opponents by a combined score of 88-3.

The undefeated Turks, who scored on an 85-yard run early, methodically went to work, scoring twice in the second quarter to reclaim the lead at 20-13.

After that, the second half largely belonged to Sultan, which tacked on two more scores in the third, and another two in the fourth.

The host team did pass on a chance to tie their season high in points, however, taking a knee instead of kicking a PAT or going for a two-point conversion after its final touchdown.

Davin Houston (The Man in Black) busted off a big play Friday at Sultan. (Nikki Breaux photo)

Even trailing big, Coupeville’s players showed fire in their soul, with senior Mikey Robinett crashing through the line again and again on rushing attempts and freshman Davin Houston ripping off a long kickoff return.

Fellow frosh Matthew Gilbert replaced Downes at QB for the game’s final drive, with Adrian Cunningham and Dylan Robinett both picking up their first rushing attempts of the season.