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Archive for the ‘Girls Basketball’ Category

“This one hurt”

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , on December 8, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Avalon Renninger had four points and six rebounds Saturday as the Coupeville varsity girls absorbed a tough road loss. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Legendary basketball coach George Raveling once said, “Life is about turning obstacles into opportunities.”

It’s a lesson the Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball team will need to embrace.

The Wolves looked like they were headed for their second-straight win Saturday, but took an unexpected left turn off a cliff with no parachute, watching in horror as their victory slipped away.

Able to score only seven points across the game’s final 16 minutes, Coupeville surrendered an eight-point advantage, tumbling to an unexpected 31-27 loss at Orcas Island.

The non-conference defeat drops the Wolves to 1-4 on the season.

With four days until their North Sound Conference opener at South Whidbey, it also presents them with a major gut-check moment.

“Now it’s up to us to turn things around,” said CHS coach David King. “Tonight’s game was an unexpected obstacle. This coming week will determine if we can turn it into opportunities.”

Despite a long day of bus and ferry travel to get to a far-flung outpost, Coupeville came out strongly, using its defensive press to disrupt the Orcas attack.

While they struggled a bit with turnovers, the Wolves did get going on offense in the second quarter, taking a 5-5 stalemate after one quarter and turning it into a 20-12 lead at the half.

Sophomore Chelsea Prescott and senior Ema Smith were a two-woman wrecking crew in the opening half, combining for 11 of their team’s points, with all of them coming in the second frame.

Prescott got hers the old-fashioned way, hitting three field goals, while Ema Smith stroked a three-ball and slipped a pair of free throws through the twines.

Toss in a pair of buckets from Avalon Renninger, a long trey off the fingertips of Scout Smith and a field goal from Lindsey Roberts, and CHS was beginning to click on the offensive end of the floor.

One of Renninger’s scores was especially highlight reel worthy.

A long pass intended for Roberts flew over her head as she charged down the sideline in pursuit.

Instead of giving up, the senior captain hit another gear only she has, saving the ball at the last millisecond (while crashing into the Orcas ticket-taker) and re-directing it towards her teammate.

Sprinting up the middle of the floor, Renninger, a professional ball-hawk, snatched the loose orb, pivoted and promptly banged home the bucket to complete an “all-out hustle play.”

Unfortunately for the Wolves, things dried up severely after that.

“Coming out for the third, everything went sideways,” King said. “We couldn’t take care of the ball, and, when we did, our offense slowed down to a snail’s pace.”

Coupeville went nearly five minutes into the second half without scoring, finally breaking through on a free throw from Prescott and a breakaway layup by Tia Wurzrainer.

And yet, despite tallying just three points in the third, the Wolves were holding on to the lead heading into the fourth.

But, up by four, they continued to stall on offense and didn’t help themselves at the free throw line, missing all five of their attempts in the final quarter.

“Orcas had taken the momentum from us; they kept fighting and got into the bonus and in the fourth they shot eight free throws and made four,” King said. “They also beat our press a couple of times with a full court dribble-drive that resulted in layups or getting to the free throw line.

“We played very well for about a quarter and a half,” he added. “The game is four quarters, and we just didn’t get it done and Orcas did.”

The way they lost, even more than the L itself, is what haunts the man at the helm.

“As a coach, this was a tough loss,” King said. “We can’t take possessions off — not keeping the ball moving — on offense. We turn the ball over 21 times, it’s going to show up in our ability to score.”

But there are still 13 regular season games left, including all 10 league contests, and Coupeville’s coach is confident his team can find its sweet spot.

“I was pleased with the press and the many deflections and our 16 steals,” King said. “Just need to convert those.

“We will see if we can correct some things,” he added. “We have to learn when we have a lead, we can’t let up.”

Prescott paced the Wolves with nine points, three rebounds and two steals, while Ema Smith (5), Renninger (4), Roberts (4), Scout Smith (3) and Wurzrainer (2) also scored.

Hannah Davidson and Renninger each snatched six rebounds, Ema Smith topped the stat sheet with five steals and Scout Smith doled out two assists.

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Wolves on the prowl!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, Middle School, tagged , , , , on December 8, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Alita Blouin knocked down 14 points Saturday as Coupeville’s SWISH basketball team split a doubleheader. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

On to the postseason, and don’t spare the gas.

The Coupeville 8th grade SWISH girls basketball squad closed the regular season Saturday, splitting a pair of games to run its record to a crisp 6-2.

The Wolves, playing without back-court ace Savina Wells, who was on a family trip, hung tough with high-powered Victorious Hoops, before falling 33-18 in their opener.

Then, they rebounded and drilled Arlington 28-9 in the nightcap.

Now it’s on to the league tournament, which goes down in Mount Vernon Dec. 15.

Saturday, the twin terrors that are Alita Blouin and Maddie Georges paced the Wolf scoring attack, rattling home 15 and 10 points, respectively, across the two games.

Lauren Marrs and Nezi Keiper each added six, Carolyn Lhamon slapped home five and Gwen Gustafson banked in four.

Keiper led Coupeville on the glass, ripping down 16 rebounds, while Lhamon snagged 11 and Gustafson corralled five.

Ryanne Knoblich, Brionna Blouin and Hayley Fieldler rounded out the active roster for the doubleheader.

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First win a thriller!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 5, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville captains (l to r) Ema Smith, Scout Smith and Lindsey Roberts all came up huge Wednesday as the Wolves won a thriller against Friday Harbor. (Photo by Johnsphotos.net)

Offense sells tickets, but defense wins games.

Luckily for the Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball team, it was clicking on both sides of the ball Wednesday night.

Powered by a season-high 16 points from Lindsey Roberts, the Wolves exploded on visiting Friday Harbor, then turned to a withering defense (and some pressure-packed free throws from Ema Smith) to nail down a 34-32 win.

The non-conference victory, which came down to the game’s final play, lifts Coupeville to 1-3 on the season.

As exciting as the ending was for the fans, it was heart-stopping for both coaches, as the last 58 seconds were a jumble of nerves, miracle shots, and gut-check plays.

Up 32-27 after Roberts slipped a pair of free throws through the net with just a bit over a minute left on the clock, the Wolves looked in control.

Then Friday Harbor got dramatic.

A pull-up jumper cut the margin to three, before the visitors forced a turnover in the back court on the ensuing in-bounds play.

Taking things from bad to worse for Coupeville, Friday Harbor slid a dagger between the rib cages, knocking down a three-ball from the right side that needed a prayer to hit pay dirt, and got that prayer answered.

With the game knotted at 32 — the first tie since early in the first quarter — it might have been easy for the Wolves to fold. To put up a good fight, fall just short, and accept a moral victory.

To which Coupeville, to a player, said “screw that.”

Ema Smith, who was born with ice water running through her veins, absorbed a foul with 38.6 seconds to go, calmly loped to the line, stared down each Friday Harbor player one after another, then drilled both free throws.

The net barely moved on either shot, the partisan CHS crowd exploded, but Ema Smith didn’t smile. Not yet.

Instead, she and her teammates slapped hands, hunkered down and made not one, but three defensive stands, as the clock spun madly towards 0:00 and the score remained locked at 34-32.

Roberts yanked down a long rebound on the next shot, only to lose her footing and have the ball skid out of bounds.

No problem, as Hannah Davidson, lunging forward/being bulldozed from behind by a Friday Harbor player, pulled in the next rebound.

The fact she ended up on the floor after being pasted sent the Wolf junior to the line with 6.9 ticks left, but the rim turned unforgiving, spitting out both of her charity shots.

Again, no problem, as Ema Smith tipped the rebound to Roberts and … lost in the moment, the Wolves put up a shot instead of holding on to the ball, letting the clock run and getting fouled.

Ball hit rim and kicked way, way out, possibly causing Coupeville coach David King to have an aneurysm as he watched what could have been a game-tying layup at the buzzer by Friday Harbor develop in slow motion.

Except, Lindsey Roberts is fast, and by fast, I mean, faster than anyone in a Friday Harbor uniform could ever hope to be in their entire lifetime.

Roaring past two rivals in a single bound, she flung out her long arms, fingertips made contact with leather as the buzzer roared, and then she was hugging the basketball to her chest like she had saved a baby from a burning building.

Then, and then only, Ema Smith smiled, pummeling her fellow senior captain with glee.

As their teammates crowded around, keeping the celebration going, King sank into his chair, let out his breath with a great whoosh, and smiled, too.

A game that ended with a defensive stand for the ages began as an offensive slug-fest.

Roberts came out firing on all cylinders, dropping eight points in the first quarter.

Toss in a bucket from Nicole Laxton, who scooped up a loose ball and nimbly twirled and banked the ball home, and Coupeville had one of its better offensive frames of the season.

Only problem is, Friday Harbor had an answer for every bucket, then tossed in two more just because, and led 14-10 at the first break.

While the Wolves were trailing, they didn’t look or play as if they were down, though, and promptly took control of the game in the second quarter.

Roberts splatted a three-ball from the left side to cut the lead back to one, then after Friday Harbor’s only bucket of the quarter, Coupeville went to work.

Scout Smith drained a long jumper off of an offensive rebound, then Avalon Renninger pump-faked her defender into the parking lot, spun past her and sank a gorgeous little runner.

That shot proved to be huge, as the Wolves would never trail after Renninger crafted her own personal highlight reel.

Three free throws (two from Chelsea Prescott and one from Scout Smith) sent CHS into the locker room up 20-16, then two jumpers from Scout Smith to kick off the third pushed Coupeville’s lead to eight.

Friday Harbor refused to break, running off six straight points to pull back within 24-22, before Roberts ended the third with a free throw and then a long, crisp outlet pass that perfectly led Prescott to a breakaway layup.

All of which set up the frantic fourth.

King praised his team’s effort from top to bottom, while singling out two players for being a catalyst.

“This was Scout’s best game on the young season. She took care of the ball and defensively stepped up with guarding their #12 post player,” King said. “She did a great job sticking with her and not letting her get to the spots she wanted in their offense. She also deflected many passes, very disruptive.

“I’d also like to throw some praise Tia (Wurzrainer’s) way,” he added. “She is still working on being comfortable with handling the ball. Tonight she helped with getting open on their press. Then, after her steals and rebounds, she dribbled out of trouble.”

Roberts filled up the stat sheet, adding nine rebounds, two steals, two assists and three blocks to go with her game-high 16 points.

The scoring outburst carries her five slots higher on the all-time CHS girls basketball career scoring chart, from #35 to #30.

With 332 points and counting, Roberts passes Mia Littlejohn (317), Marie Grasser (321), Taniel Lamb (330), Misty Sellgren (331) and Amanda Allmer (331).

Scout Smith knocked down seven in support of Roberts, while Prescott (4), Renninger (2), Ema Smith (2), Laxton (2) and Davidson (1) also scored.

Ema Smith ripped down eight boards, with Scout Smith adding four rebounds and three steals.

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To the final point, to the final buzzer!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 3, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Kylie Chernikoff had a team-high seven rebounds and three steals Monday, as the Coupeville JV went toe-to-toe with 2A Sequim. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s all about the lessons.

Do you take them in? Do you build on them? Do they foster growth?

The Coupeville High School JV girls basketball squad is young (11 of 14 players are freshmen) and still finding its way.

So, while losses like the 35-20 defeat the Wolves absorbed Monday in Sequim hurt in the moment, they can be the start of something bigger as athletes adjust to the difference between high school ball and what came before.

“Attitude and effort are the only things in life you can control,” said Coupeville coach Amy King, and it’s a stark truth.

While the non-conference loss to a 2A school drops the Wolves to 0-2 on the season, they can look to how they responded in the second half as a positive to build on.

Coupeville could not get a shot to drop for much of the first half Monday, with buckets from Kylie Chernikoff and Anya Leavell the only small solace in a 19-4 deficit.

The Wolves struggled to break Sequim’s half-court man press, which made it hard to even get shots launched.

“We had turnover after turnover,” King said. “Passing the ball into the waiting hands of Sequim, who used that to fast break.”

Things took a turn for the positive after Coupeville coaches delivered a halftime pep talk/come to God moment.

“We challenged the team to get out of their own heads and start playing basketball,” King said. “The energy needed to elevate from everybody, talk on defense and get scrappy.”

And scrappy they got, as Leavell and Kiara Contreras led a defensive stand, going after the ball with ramped-up intensity instead of sitting back and letting the play come to them.

With Chernikoff, Ja’Kenya Hoskins and Abby Mulholland cleaning the boards with authority, CHS pushed the flow of the game, playing Sequim even in the second half (16-16), while winning the battle in the fourth quarter 10-4.

“We were stirring up some energy, started moving the ball better and getting open shots,” King said. “We moved the ball like we knew how, and we changed our press break enough to get a few longer passes down the court, which made their defense scramble a little bit.

“If we had played that way in the first half, the game may have turned out a little different.”

Izzy Wells paced the Wolves with eight points, all coming in the second half, while snagging six rebounds.

Leavell netted six, with Chernikoff, Mollie Bailey and Hoskins adding two points apiece to round out the Wolf scoring.

Coupeville’s leader on the glass was the always hard-charging Chernikoff, who ripped down seven rebounds to go with her team-high three steals.

Hoskins added six boards, with Contreras and Kylie Van Velkinburgh each doling out two assists.

All 11 CHS girls in uniform Monday played, with Alana Mihill, Lily Leedy and Morgan Stevens also seeing floor time.

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“We have fight, despite the score!!”

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 3, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Ema Smith tallied seven points Monday at Sequim, achieving a personal scoring milestone. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Some nights it’s better to look at the small moments instead of gazing too long at the big picture.

There was likely a fair amount of frustration Monday, as the Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball team got pounded on the boards, went scoreless for an entire quarter and fell by a considerable margin to host Sequim.

After absorbing a 50-24 defeat at the hands of their 2A foes, keyed by a 21-0 third quarter, the Wolves sit at 0-3 on the still-young season.

But, there were positives buried in the aftermath.

For one, Coupeville rallied in the fourth quarter, winning pride points by closing the game on a 9-4 surge.

And secondly, two Wolf seniors exited the gym having achieved at least a small triumph, as both made moves on the school’s all-time scoring list.

Lindsey Roberts, back after a college trip, led Coupeville with 10 points, which gives her 316 for her career.

She sits in 35th place in program history (1975-2018), and is just 16 points from sliding into the top 30 all-time.

Her running mate, Ema Smith, added seven Monday, cracking the 100-point barrier, becoming just the 97th Wolf female to achieve triple digits in 44 seasons of hardwood play.

So, some grace notes.

Other than that, it was a fairly rough night, as Coupeville struggled at the free-throw line, hitting just 5-20, was out-muscled on the glass and couldn’t slow their foe down.

Sequim built a 13-5 lead after one quarter, stretched the margin out to 15 points midway through the second, and settled for a 25-15 advantage at the half.

Then, disaster.

“Coming out for the third, we didn’t get it done defensively and they had three quick and easy open looks at the basket for scores,” said Coupeville coach David King. “From then on, it was an all-out blitz for Sequim.

“Defensively, we are struggling and just not playing well on that end.”

The Wolves dug deep in the fourth, something their coach wants to build on.

“Some pride took over; it shows we have fight despite the score,” King said. “We have to keep pushing forward and continue to fight like we did tonight.

“It’s going to be baby steps and it starts tomorrow at practice.”

Roberts snagged a team-high nine rebounds and made off with five steals to go with her 10 points, while Ema Smith had seven points and six boards.

Avalon Renninger (4), Tia Wurzrainer (2) and Chelsea Prescott (1) rounded out the scoring, while Hannah Davidson yanked down seven rebounds, Ja’Kenya Hoskins collected five and Scout Smith hauled in four.

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