Nick Guay, having fun every step of the way. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
So, one night, Nick Guay swung by the duplex and dropped off chocolate chip cookies sent my way from his mom.
Was that, in itself, enough to earn him induction into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame?
Well, it didn’t hurt…
Still, cookies or no cookies (and always choose cookies), Guay more than earned HoF status with his year-round play across the last four years.
The lanky one suited up for Coupeville High School in soccer, basketball, and track and field, and made sizable contributions in all three.
On the pitch, Guay rattled home 14 goals, the sixth-most in program history.
And he did so even with his freshman season reduced to just a handful of games thanks to the pandemic.
Guay scored in all four of his campaigns, jumping from one score as a frosh to five as a sophomore, punching in two as a junior, then closing with a six-goal burst in his final go-round.
Carried off the pitch by his teammates after a playoff thriller. (Morgan White photo)
But he was more than a goal scorer, as he was also a goal denier, often playing in the net for Coupeville, with maybe his biggest day coming in the playoffs as a junior.
Squaring off with Lopez Island and Providence Classical Christian in a three-team tiebreaker on the turf at Oak Harbor Stadium, the Wolves won both games to earn the lone bi-district playoff slot up for grabs.
Guay blanked the Lobos 1-0, then came up big on both sides of the ball during a penalty kick shootout to break a scoreless regulation tie with PCC.
Stepping out of the net, he joined Preston Epp and Aidan Wilson in popping balls into the corner of the net to stake CHS to a 3-2 lead.
Down to its final shooter, PCC needed a miracle, and its prayers went unanswered under cloudy skies as Guay caused his rival to shank the ball to the left on the final shot of the day.
Taking his silky-smooth style of play to the hardwood, he saw varsity action in three seasons, racking up 213 points with a mix of three-balls and swooping layups.
That puts him 136th all-time for a program which has played since 1917, right between fellow all-timers Ryan Keefe and Jordan Ford.
But again, Guay’s contributions were about far more than just scoring.
He was a crafty rebounder — using his long reach to snag key boards — a smart defender, and a guy who always brought a big burst of energy with him to the floor.
Along the way, Guay was part of two squads which won league and bi-district titles while advancing to state.
Making it to the big dance was something he also accomplished in track, where he closed out his CHS career by earning 5th place at the state meet in the high jump.
Stretching for that elusive extra inch. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
That senior season saw Guay also compete at state in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays.
Overall, he racked up 27 wins across three seasons of track and field, competing in sprints, relays, the high jump, the long jump, and, for one moment, the shot put.
A talented athlete who could do it all, and look smooth at every moment, Guay was also one of Coupeville’s top 10 seniors in terms of GPA and received his fair share of honors for his off-field accomplishments.
From the stands, it always looked like he greatly enjoyed his time wearing a Wolf uniform, bringing a sense of style and an upbeat attitude, whether he was in the middle of the action, or cheering on his teammates.
So, yes, even if he hadn’t delivered chocolate chip cookies to Coupeville Sports world headquarters, we’d most likely still be doing this.
Nick Guay will be remembered by Wolf fans, young and old, and hailed for what he accomplished and how he accomplished it long after his graduation.
Today, we swing open the doors to the Hall o’ Fame, adding him to our roster.
After this you’ll find him up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab, making the joint a whole lot cooler for his presence.
A fan favorite. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Read Full Post »
