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Archive for the ‘Football’ Category

Just win, baby!!

Posted in Football, tagged , , , , on September 22, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Cameron Toomey-Stout (John Fisken photos)

  Cameron Toomey-Stout wants to know how to make the computers love Coupeville a tad bit more. (John Fisken photos)

Joel Walstad

Joel Walstad has the answer. “Just win, baby!”

Rankings, what are they good for?

Well, starting arguments. That’s a given.

Coming off a 48-24 drubbing of Chimacum (in which they led 41-0 at the half), the Coupeville High School football squad jumped back up 13 slots when “Debbie,” the sometimes-evil, sometimes-friendly computer at ScoreCzar.org, issued her latest rankings.

The Wolves (2-1 overall, 1-0 in Olympic League play) are now ranked #26 in 1A, with this Friday’s foe, Port Townsend, coming in at #10.

Defending state champ Freeman is locked in at #1.

Coupeville’s fellow league mates, Klahowya and Chimacum, come in at #34 and #46. Island rival South Whidbey is at #39.

The only point of contention (and it’s a small one) is that four teams with losing records (#19 Kings, #21 Medical Lake, #22 Stevenson and #24 Deer Park) are ranked ahead of CHS.

“Debbie” generally feels losing to a “good” team is better than beating a “bad” one when she spits out rankings.

I would argue that winning, over whatever teams you play, trumps all, since that’s sort of the point of organized sports.

But, again, not that big of a deal. Even at 1-2, King’s is surely dangerous, as always.

What’s slightly more ridiculous are the rankings at MaxPreps.com.

Not where Coupeville is placed, as they are at #31, but that two teams that are 0-3 are AHEAD of the Wolves.

I give you #19 Connell (outscored 124-17 this season) and #24 La Center (blasted 113-3), ladies and gentlemen. And I say, give me a freakin’ break.

Any time where losing big to “quality” teams is more highly valued than WINNING — La Salle (Union) Gap is merely 3-0 but ranked four slots BEHIND Connell — gets my dander up.

But I’m an idiot, not a computer, so what do I know?

To see the complete rankings, hop over to:

http://www.scoreczar.org/classifications/4-high-school-football-wa1a

http://www.maxpreps.com/rankings/football/1/division/wa/T0IxtCu7S06CMuq9iEkSZA/division-1a.htm

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Born to run!!

Posted in Football, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on September 21, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Mitch Pelroy (Haylee Sauer photos)

Mitch Pelroy (Haylee Sauer photos)

Pelroy takes off on a return in an earlier season game.

Pelroy takes off on a return in an earlier game.

Can’t hold him down.

Former Wolf football star Mitch Pelroy ripped off big return yardage Saturday, doing his part to help spark the Montana Western gridiron squad to its first victory in four weeks.

The 50-30 savaging of visiting Montana State-Northern in NAIA action snapped a three-game skid and improved the Bulldogs to 2-3. They now have a bye week before returning to action Oct. 4 against Carroll College.

Pelroy was his team’s primary return man Saturday, taking back four kickoffs for 97 yards, with his longest run stretching 28 yards.

He also hauled in Montana State’s lone punt, picking up 10 yards before being taken down. He was a hit on defense as well, recording a tackle from his defensive back position.

Bulldog quarterback Tyler Hulse ran for three touchdowns and threw for two more as Montana Western strolled up and down the field all day.

To see more of Haylee Sauer’s Montana Western football photos, pop over to:

https://www.facebook.com/hayleesauerphotography

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Battaglia the next big thing!!

Posted in Football, Middle School, tagged , , , , on September 20, 2014| 1 Comment »

Chris Battaglia (74) runs downhill in Coupeville's opener against Sultan. (John Fisken photo)

Chris Battaglia (74) runs downhill in Coupeville’s opener against Sultan. (John Fisken photo)

Chris Battaglia is the future, and the future is bright.

The Coupeville Middle School eighth grader scored a pair of touchdowns in his team’s season opener Wednesday, heralding the start of what could be an impressive second season for the two-way star.

Battaglia plays fullback, outside linebacker and “head hunter” for the Wolves and went out for football last year because “I was interested in doing something active.”

He’s quickly becoming an active force for CMS, one who takes pleasure in success, both as an individual and as a teammate.

“I enjoy working with my team to complete plays and celebrating our touchdowns,” Battaglia said. “I think my strengths are my ability to run with speed and force.

“As one of the team captains I would like to help set up the seventh grade players for success in their following seasons.”

As he moves forward in his football career, he has his eyes set on prizes both near (“I’d like to work on not fumbling the ball”) and far (“My long term goal would be to obtain a college scholarship.”)

Battaglia plans to participate in SST (speed and strength training) after football and will run track for CMS in the spring. As a seventh grader he medaled in the mile, high jump and as part of a 4 x 200 relay unit.

He will also be running in The Biggest Loser half marathon.

Away from the field, Battaglia enjoys wood shop (“I like it because I get to work with my hands”) and snowboarding (“it’s such a fun sport and you get to feel so alive.”)

Regardless of what he’s doing, he never has to look very far to find a positive role model in his life.

“It’s hard to put into words, but all I can say is that my father, Brian Rogers, inspires me to be a great athlete and a great man.”

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The camera? The camera is everywhere!!

Posted in Cheer, Fashionable Fans, Football, tagged , , , , on September 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Wolf soccer star Lauren Bayne was busy taking her own pics. (John Fisken photos).

Wolf soccer star Lauren Bayne was busy taking her own pics. (John Fisken photos).

The hardest working chain gang in town are (l to r) Mike Etzell, Lark Gustafson, John Thompson and Randy Payne.

  The hardest working chain gang in town are (l to r) Mike Etzell, Lark Gustafson, John Thompson and Randy Payne.

The Wolf cheer squad.

The Wolf cheer squad.

Alex Schmakeit would rather be fishing.

Alex Schmakeit would rather be fishing.

Never too busy to make signs. It's (l to r) CHS volleyball players Ally Roberts, Sydney Autio and Kacie Kiel.

  Never too busy to make signs, it’s (l to r) CHS volleyball players Ally Roberts, Sydney Autio and Kacie Kiel.

Maddie Big Time (AKA Madeline Strasburg) always stays hydrated, both on and off the volleyball court.

  Maddie Big Time (AKA Madeline Strasburg) always stays hydrated, both on and off the volleyball court.

Band

And the band played on (just not right at that moment).

The crowd is wowed

The crowd is wowed by action on the field, but Hailey Hammer (grey hoodie) seems pretty dang sure Jae LeVine (bottom left) is about to create some shenanigans.

Football was not the only game in town.

Yes, Coupeville was thumpin’ Chimacum on the gridiron Friday night, but there was also considerable action happening off the field.

Good thing photo man John Fisken found a bit of time to snap pics of cheerleaders, fans and just about anyone who wandered by his camera.

The photos above are a smidgen of the sights on display.

To see more pics of the Wolf cheerleaders (purchases help fund scholarships for CHS student athletes), jump over to:

http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/album.jsp?aid=768a5498cf356f1b3042

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Give a lineman some love!!

Posted in Football, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , on September 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Anthony Maggio (right) with some of his family.

Anthony Maggio (right) with some of his family.

High school weight room days.

High school weight room days.

Senior Night with coach (and dad) Tony Maggio.

Senior Night with coach (and dad) Tony Maggio.

Linemen never get enough love.

Quarterbacks and running backs and receivers pile up the easy to digest stats and their names pop up in stories far more often. It’s just how sports reporting works.

But, if it wasn’t for the linemen, the guys who fight, kick and scrape down in the muck, none of the pretty boys would get a chance to pile up those stats.

So, every once in a while, you need to stop and pay tribute to the guys who don’t get quoted, who don’t get the spotlight and, even if they’re not recognized on a regular basis, are vitally important to their team’s success.

Guys like Anthony Maggio.

The former Wolf two-way standout, who is now attending the College of Idaho, celebrates a birthday today. So, it’s a good time to take that moment and remember what linemen do.

Maggio was one of the best, a soft-spoken guy who led by example, in the weight room and on the gridiron.

Working along side fellow heavy hitters like Nick Streubel and Caleb Valko, he anchored the line and would not give way. Ever.

Then, he took it a step further and was successful off the field as well.

Put the whole package together and young Mr. Maggio was, and is, a class act — someone Wolf fans can proudly claim.

Happy birthday, Anthony. Keep on impressing us.

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