Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Boys Soccer’ Category

Shane Squire (right), with partner in crime Sebastian Davis.

Shane Squire (right), with partner in crime Sebastian Davis.

Math brought Shane Squire back to soccer. Sort of.

The Coupeville High School sophomore started playing the beautiful game at age four and stayed with it through sixth grade, then walked away for a few years.

Now, he’s back on the pitch, partially inspired by the words of his match teacher, Kyle Nelson, who just happens to be the new varsity soccer coach at CHS.

Not that Nelson gets sole credit, as Squire’s friends, who include fellow soccer and tennis players (he’s a two-sport athlete who also dabbles in theater and Science Olympiad) were the ones who put him over the top.

“I decided to play this year because I enjoy playing it with friends and wanted to engage in more school sports,” Squire said. “I hope to get more physically fit and win some games, while enjoying the sport I am playing.”

Sebastian Davis, a tennis/theater/Science Olympiad compatriot, was a big inspiration. As was Wolf goalie Joel Walstad.

Sebastian convinced me to try out for sports and has helped me train for the past few years to reach a higher level of physical fitness.” Squire said. “Joel encouraged me to play “futsal,” — indoor soccer — at the school, which peaked my interests and got me involved with the team.”

Away from the soccer pitch, he stays active, tossing in longboarding, biking (while listening to music), skiing and playing basketball with friends to his already long list of school-related activities.

On the field, the defender is always trying to work on the finer points of his game.

“I think my strengths would include my ability to learn quickly and not give up,” Squire said. “I would like to improve my endurance and accuracy.”

At the end of the day, win or lose, soccer’s mix of team and individual play intrigues him, and keeps him coming back for more.

“I enjoy that we both have to rely on our teammates, but can excel on our own at the same time,” Squire said. “I also like that it challenges me both mentally and physically.”

Read Full Post »

Cody Menges patrols the back-line for CHS.

Cody Menges patrols the back-line for CHS.

“There are always better people than me out there and I want to be better than those people.”

Coupeville High School sophomore Cody Menges is not content to rest on his laurels on the soccer pitch.

The goal for the Wolf defender is always to stay hungry, to fine-tune his skills, to show improvement with each practice.

“I enjoy soccer because I can always do better and challenge myself,” he said.

Already a veteran, with a solid 10 years put into the sport, Menges got an early start.

And, while he also has tried his hand at track in the past, it’s the beautiful game that brings him back each season.

Every time he comes back, he finds a solid support group waiting to back him up.

“My mom and dad were the ones who got me into doing soccer, so they are a big part of that,” Menges said. “Plus, all the coaches I’ve had over the years that have helped me.”

Off the field he keeps busy (“My favorite way to spend my time is to just hang out with friends”), but he always stays reminded of the quest to get better.

“I think I need to work on my ball control and how fast I can move with the ball,” Menges said. “My big goal is, of course, to be on the varsity squad or to letter would be nice, but just be an all-around better player.”

Read Full Post »

Marcos

Jose Marcos (41) during football season.

Jose Marcos (John Fisken photo)

Marcos operates on the soccer pitch during the season-opening jamboree. (John Fisken photo)

Jose Marcos is waiting for you to make a mistake.

The Coupeville High School sophomore, who bounces between playing defender and midfielder for the Wolf boys’ soccer squad, lives for that moment when an opponent trips up. That’s his time to pounce.

“Well, I think that I’m good at waiting for my opponent to make a mistake, then taking the ball and passing it quickly instead of stabbing and letting him get past me,” Marcos said. “I need to work on my speed, because when someone does get past me, I sometimes can’t catch up with them again.”

A two-sport athlete (he also suits up for the CHS football team), he enjoys his biology and history classes, listens to rap or rock before a game “to get me pumped up” and uses swimming as a way to relax.

Marcos first picked up soccer while living in Barstow, California (“I started because all my friends were playing on a team, so I decided to join one as well”), and, eight years later, he’s still going strong.

Maybe it’s because the game gives him something new to enjoy every time he takes the field.

“There’s not just one specific thing I can choose about it,” Marcos said. “I just like soccer; it’s a great and fun sport to play.”

He has lofty goals for his team (“to win at least 70% of our games”) and wouldn’t mind putting the ball in the back of the net at least once before the season is done. Mostly, though he wants “to have fun while I’m out there.”

When he’s on the soccer pitch, he can draw on the support of his family, but it’s his friends who drive him to succeed day in and day out.

“My friends were the ones who made me the person that I am now,” Marcos said. “They were the ones that would help me and tell me not to stop running and cheered me on even when I was tired and wanted to stop.

“They made me the athlete I am today.”

Read Full Post »

Abraham Leyva (21), seen here in Saturday's jamboree, scored twice in Coupeville's season-opening win Tuesday. (John Fisken photo)

  Abraham Leyva (21), seen here in Saturday’s jamboree, scored twice in Coupeville’s season-opening win Tuesday. (John Fisken photo)

One game and the joint already belongs to him.

Making his regular season debut, Coupeville High School sophomore Abraham Leyva punched in a pair of goals Tuesday, sparking the Wolf boys’ soccer squad to a 3-0 non-conference victory over visiting Friday Harbor.

In a game in which Coupeville dominated both halves of the field from start to finish — leaving Wolf goalie Joel Walstad just a handful of save opportunities — it was the sophomores who made the difference.

Leyva officially opened the season’s scoring when he redirected a blocked shot on goal over the Friday Harbor netminder’s arm in the game’s 22nd minute.

Coming down the right side with a full head of steam, Wolf senior Sean Donley blasted a shot that hit the goalie’s hands hard enough that the ball ricocheted away. One bounce and the ball was on Leyva’s foot, then it was gone, arcing off of his toe and dropping neatly into the back of the net.

Despite having many more shots on goals, Coupeville went scoreless for the next 48 minutes, before finally putting the game on ice with two scores in the final ten minutes.

Sophomore Zane Bundy took off on a daring one-on-one run, pulled off a shake-and-bake move that left the Friday Harbor goalie on the ground, waving his arms above his head in frustration, then slapped the ball in for a score.

As the wind-chilled CHS fans rocked the bleachers — none louder than proud mom Janine Bundy — he did a little shimmy, before being mobbed by his teammates.

Leyva capped the scoring with a booming rocket from almost midfield during stoppage time.

Friday Harbor was unable to mount much of a charge offensively, with their coach loudly half-pleading at one moment, “We HAVE to get the ball off of our side of the field.”

A strong defense anchored by seniors Brett Arnold and Jared Dickson and junior Oscar Liquidano blunted virtually every chance the Wolverines put together.

Playing behind his solid line, Walstad had a handful of easy saves and one nice one where the basketball star went airborne and snagged the ball at the peak of his jump.

The victory came in new coach Kyle Nelson’s first official game. Coupeville played in a jamboree Saturday.

Read Full Post »

Jared Dickson (right) goes high as he fights for a ball. (John Fisken photos)

Jared Dickson (right) goes high as he fights for a ball. (John Fisken photos)

Devoted soccer moms Janine Bundy (left) and Cheridan Eck hunker down on a balmy Whidbey afternoon.

   Devoted soccer moms Janine Bundy (left) and Cheridan Eck hunker down on a balmy Whidbey afternoon.

Aaron Wright rampages.

Aaron Wright (7) rampages.

The Wolf varsity.

The Wolf varsity and new head coach Kyle Nelson (back row, far right).

Loren Nelson directs traffic.

Loren Nelson directs traffic.

Coupeville's JV, coached by the dapper Gary Manker.

Coupeville’s JV, coached by the dapper Gary Manker.

Wolf goalie Joel Walstad clears the ball.

Wolf goalie Joel Walstad clears the ball.

Spring has sprung.

The third, and final, sports season of the 2013-2014 school year went live Saturday, as the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad kicked off with a home jamboree against South Whidbey and Lake Stevens.

On hand to document the doings was traveling photo man John Fisken.

If you like what you see, follow the link below to see more (and possibly purchase some). A percentage of all sales helps fund college scholarships for CHS student athletes.

And don’t forget — use the coupon code EB57554962 (buy before Mar. 30) and you’ll get 15% off your purchase.

http://www.cascadeathletics.com/index.php?act=view_gallery&gallery=5755&league=2&page=1&page_name=photo_store&school=24&sport=0

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »