Coupeville Sports

You may boo them, but you need them. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Blame it on the refs.

Or, at least on a lack of refs.

The ongoing state-wide shortage of prep sports officials will sting Coupeville next, as the Wolves Senior Night for football and cheer is being bumped up a day.

CHS will welcome Friday Harbor to town Thursday, Oct. 26 for the regular-season gridiron finale, instead of Oct. 27 as originally planned.

Kickoff is 4:00 PM.

The game could be a big one beyond the festivities honoring Coupeville’s 12th graders.

If the Wolves take care of business this coming Friday and beat La Conner for a second time this season, the clash with Friday Harbor will have playoff implications.

If Coupeville sweeps its two remaining games, it will finish 3-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League action, claim a share of the conference crown, and force a tiebreaker with the Wolverines to determine which team advances to state.

Moving the game up a day does create multiple conflicts for Wolf fans.

CHS volleyball is scheduled to travel to Friday Harbor Oct. 26, while Wolf cross country will be at the Tri-District meet at Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood.

There is also a Coupeville School Board meeting planned for that same day.

For those who choose football, parking will be an issue thanks to the early start.

The primary parking lot for CHS football games at Mickey Clark Field is the same one used by Coupeville Elementary School, which will be wall-to-wall vehicles as school gets out for the day.

The smart call is to use the baseball parking lot and come through the back entrance to the gridiron, though those parking slots are likely to vanish quickly as well.