Coupeville Sports

Wolves Tenley Stuurmans (left), Haylee Armstrong (center), and Capri Anter dream of their own state tourney success. (Photo courtesy Sarah Stuurmans)

Big stage, big performance.

The Coupeville High School JV girls’ basketball team played in front of its largest crowd of the season Saturday night, by a lot, and rose to the occasion.

With the gym crammed for the 50th anniversary of the CHS hoops program, Kassie O’Neil’s squad heard a lot of cheers, and probably missed some nice comments from former coaches in the crowd.

And while they lost 41-37 to a visiting South Whidbey squad led by a 21-point performance from freshman Jada Balora, the Wolves delivered their best show of the season.

“They played so well tonight,” O’Neil said. “They’re getting better each game and it’s been such a joy to watch them grow into a cohesive team.”

While South Whidbey has three freshmen and seven sophomores on its JV, Coupeville counters with three freshmen and six 8th graders.

Though considerably younger than their foe, the Wolves, now 1-4 after the non-conference loss, came out strong as a steady stream of fans poured into the gym.

Fab frosh Haylee Armstrong had the hot hand early, banking in back-to-back rebounds for quick buckets as CHS built an 11-7 lead after one quarter of play.

Things slowed a bit for the Wolves in the second quarter, as Balora, who somehow is NOT a varsity swing player (which boggles the mind, frankly) pumped in 12 points during a 17-4 Falcon run.

Trailing 24-15 at the half, Coupeville regrouped in the second half, with 8th grader Tenley Stuurmans rising to the moment, draining one sweet jumper after another.

Lyla’s lil’ sis poured in 14 of her team-high 16 after the break, as the Wolves won the third and fourth 12-10 and 10-7 respectively.

CHS got all the way back, knotting up the game at 34-34 midway through the fourth, but ultimately couldn’t stop Balora and friends on this night.

Still, the rabidly pro-Coupeville crowd went wild for Stuurmans knocking down a three-ball, then slicing to the hoop for two well-executed buckets.

Equally enthralling to the fans, many of them seeing this pack of Wolves play for the first time, was the hustle and willingness to dive for loose balls demonstrated by the young guns.

Armstrong finished with nine to back up Stuurmans and her 16, while Bryley Gilbert popped for five, including a three-ball of her own.

Chelsi Stevens (2), Capri Anter (2), Lexis Drake (2), and Adie Maynes (1) also scored, with Drake hitting a particularly picture-perfect jumper.

8th graders Ari Cunningham, Taylor Marrs, and Ava Lucero rounded out the rotation on a night when the next generation of Wolf hoops stars shone brightly in front of their predecessors.