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Archive for the ‘Baseball’ Category

Spring sports bloom anew

Posted in Baseball, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track, tagged , , , , , on February 27, 2023| Leave a Comment »

The Battlin’ Lucero twins are back to lead Coupeville High School softball into a new season. (Photo courtesy Jess Lucero)

Spring is sprung.

The weather isn’t all that balmy, but the calendar says Feb. 27 and Washington state is famous for starting prep spring sports way too early, so here we go again.

Coupeville High School softball, baseball, track and field, and girls’ tennis are back at it, with the first games two weeks away.

Wolf track and field has a stacked roster. (Photo courtesy Bob Martin)

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The mound is his domain

Posted in Baseball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on February 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Hawthorne Wolfe, international man of mystery. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Fly high, Hawk.

Coupeville grad Hawthorne Wolfe had a strong debut for the Western Washington University club baseball team this weekend, picking up a win and save as the Vikings took two of three from Oregon State in the season opener.

WWU split games on Saturday, winning 6-5 and losing 4-1, then bounced back to claim Sunday’s bout 6-5 in 11 innings of taut diamond action.

Wolfe picked up the save in game one, facing four batters and retiring three of them.

The former Coupeville sensation came back around Sunday to nab the win on the mound, chucking the final three innings as the Vikings pulled out the victory.

Wolfe (2) with his new WWU teammates. (Photo courtesy Molly McPherson)

Western returns to action next weekend when it hosts Eastern Washington University Feb. 25-26 at Squalicum High School.

The teams play at 1 PM and 3 PM Saturday, then clash at 11 AM Sunday.

The Vikings have a long, successful diamond history, including a run at the National Club Baseball Association Division 1 World Series in 2013 when Coupeville grad Jordan Wilcox played for the team.

During his time at CHS, Wolfe was named Northwest 2B/1B League MVP during his senior baseball season, while also terrorizing his foes on the basketball court.

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Some schedules to put a spring in your step

Posted in Baseball, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track, tagged , , , , , , on February 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Mia Farris and Co. start spring sports practices Feb. 27. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

It snowed in Coupeville last night. At least a few flakes.

So, perfect time to start thinking about spring sports.

Because, if the past tells us anything, it’s this — it’ll be cold, wet, and windy through almost every game, with perfect temps and sunshine for the season finale.

And ONLY the season finale.

It’s the Whidbey way…

That being said, Coupeville High School spring teams will hit the practice field (or court, or oval), Monday, Feb. 27.

Wolf baseball has a new head coach in Steve Hilborn, while Kevin McGranahan (softball), Elizabeth Bitting and Bob Martin (track and field), and Ken Stange (girls’ tennis) are all back to add another season to their resumes.

Nick Guay should be back to soar into the heavens.

With the pandemic having receded, there are full schedules for the first time in several seasons.

Both CHS softball and baseball are set to play 20 regular-season games, with three league games against fellow 2B schools La Conner and Friday Harbor, and two each against the 1B schools.

Mount Vernon Christian doesn’t field a softball program, however, so McGranahan’s crew picks up an extra road double-header with Eastern Washington power Onalaska.

Tennis is the trickiest sport to schedule, as just two of seven NWL teams play the sport.

That means four matchups between Coupeville and Friday Harbor, with the rest of the schedule filled out with bigger schools.

The Wolves currently have home-and-away series with 1A schools South Whidbey and Granite Falls, and Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith plans to add several more, with 3A Oak Harbor a likely contender.

The schedules below are valid as of Feb. 14, but can, and very likely will be tweaked as things play out.

For one thing, barring some kind of miracle all-sun-all-the-time spring for the first time in recorded history on the prairie, Mother Nature will shake things up.

“I can’t feel the lower half of my body on this sublime “spring” day, Skippy, but please kid, take your sweet time throwing a whole bunch of warmup pitches…”

To monitor those changes, keep an eye on these websites:

 

School calendar:

http://coupeville.tandem.co/

 

Northwest 2B/1B League site:

http://www.nw1a2bathletics.com/

 

And here are the skeds, with (*) indicating league contests.

 

BASEBALL:

Mon-Mar. 13 — @ Meridian — (4:00)
Wed-Mar. 15 — South Whidbey — (4:00)
Sat-Mar. 18 — @ North Mason — (12:00)
Tue-Mar. 21 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Mar. 25 — Forks — (1:00)
Tue-Mar. 28 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Thur-Mar. 30 — @ Mount Vernon Christian (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 1 — Orcas Island (*) — (1:00)
Sat-Apr. 8 — @ Concrete (*) — (1:00)
Mon-Apr. 10 — Sultan — (4:00)
Tues-Apr. 11 — Darrington (*) — (4:00)
Thur-Apr. 13 — @ La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Tue-Apr. 18 — Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Wed-Apr. 19 — @ South Whidbey — (4:00)
Thur-Apr. 20 — Mount Vernon Christian (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 22 — @ Orcas Island (*) — (1:00)
Tue-Apr. 25 — Concrete (*) — (4:00)
Thur-Apr. 27 — @ Darrington (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 29 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Thur-May 4 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)

 

GIRLS TENNIS:

Thur-Mar. 16 — Granite Falls — (3:30)
Tues-Mar. 21 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Thur-Mar. 23 — @ South Whidbey — (3:30)
Mon-Mar. 27 — @ Granite Falls — (3:30)
Fri-Mar. 31 — Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 14 — South Whidbey — (3:30)
Fri-Apr. 21 — Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Tues-May 2 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (4:30)

 

SOFTBALL:

Mon-Mar. 13 — @ Meridian — (4:00)
Wed-Mar. 15 — South Whidbey — (4:00)
Tue-Mar. 21 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Mar. 25 — Forks — (1:00)
Sat-Mar. 25 — Granite Falls — (4:00)
Tue-Mar. 28 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Mar. 31 — Cedar Park Christian — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 1 — Orcas Island (*) — (1:00)
Sat-Apr. 8 — @ Concrete (*) — (1:00)
Tue-Apr. 11 — Darrington (*) — (4:00)
Thur-Apr. 13 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 15 — @ Onalaska – Game 1 — (TBD)
Sat-Apr. 15 — @ Onalaska – Game 2 — (TBD)
Tue-Apr. 18 — Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 22 — @ Orcas Island (*) — (1:00)
Tue-Apr. 25 — Concrete (*) — (4:00)
Thur-Apr. 27 — @ Darrington (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 29 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Thur-May 4 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Sat-May 12 — @ South Whidbey — (4:00)

 

TRACK:

Wed-Mar. 15 — @ La Conner (*) — (3:30)
Wed-Mar. 22 — HOME MEET (*) — (3:30)
Wed-Mar. 29 — @ Mount Vernon (*) — (3:30)
Fri-Mar. 31 — @ Trojan Twilight (Meridian) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 8 — @ Birger/Solberg Invite (Bellingham) — (10:00)
Sat-Apr. 22 — @ Eason Invite (Snohomish) — (10:00)
Sat-Apr. 29 — @ Sunny & 70’s Invite (Lakewood) — (10:00)
Wed-May 3 — @ League Championships (La Conner) — (3:30)
Sat-May 13 — Districts (HOME MEET) — (11:00)
TBD — @ Quad-Districts (TBD) — (TBD)
Thur/Sat-May 25-27 — @ State (Yakima) — (TBD)

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We’re trippin’ in the time machine

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on January 29, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Jim Clark rules the diamond. (Photos courtesy Renae Mulholland)

I don’t know it all.

Sometimes it probably reads like I think I do, but man, I maybe know like 7% of Coupeville’s sports history.

And yes, that’s seven, and not 70.

Every day I discover something new, it seems, and my best source of info is you, the people who have lived in this town.

The Whidbey News-Times moved their back issues off the Island a while ago, and stashed them, Raiders of the Lost Ark-style in a warehouse, never to be seen by the light of day again.

But you, my saviors, going through your attics, and basements, and barns, are sitting on a lot of history, and I appreciate it when you pass it on.

Who knows? Someday someone may find my holy grail – Tom Sahli’s basketball scoring stats for the 1951-1952 season.

Could happen…

Anyway, today’s glance at the past gives a glimpse of Jim Clark, who went from being a beautiful brawler to life as a standout diamond dandy.

And check out his opponent in the boxing ring in the third clipping – one Joe Finkbonner.

I know, kid was like nine years old, but I like to imagine a ring announcer going all Michael Buffer on his intro.

“In the left corner, wearing the blue trunks, weighing in at a titanic 68 pounds, the terror of the mainland, Joe “The Fink” … FINKBONNER!!!!”

Boo! Boo! Boo!!!!

And then Jim “The Jab” Clark defends Whidbey’s honor in a thunderous hail of, well, jabs.

Of course, right below the boxing recap is a brief note about Mr. Hilderdink’s small calf being mistaken for a deer and shot to heck by hunters who left their bifocals at home.

Probably high school basketball refs in real life…

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Hilborn new hardball head coach

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on November 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Steve Hilborn has been tabbed as Coupeville High School’s new head baseball coach. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Steve Hilborn is stepping up.

After several seasons as an assistant coach at Coupeville High School, plus a stint with the local Babe Ruth program, Matt and Scott’s dad is the new Wolf head baseball coach.

His hiring is on the agenda for Monday’s school board meeting.

The elder Hilborn follows in the footsteps of Will Thayer, who led the CHS hardball program for two seasons before moving to Las Vegas.

Hilborn inherits a team coming off of a Northwest 2B/1B League title.

While the Wolves lost a strong group of seniors to graduation, key returners should include Scott Hilborn, Jonathan Valenzuela, Chase Anderson, Peyton Caveness, and Cole White, among others.

Baseball gets back to action with the start of practice the final week of Feb. 2023.

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