Back-to-back wins have the Wolf girls at 2-1 on the year. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Welcome to the frozen tundra of Cow Town, and here’s a loss for you.
Playing in a very chilly gym Saturday, the Coupeville High School varsity girls’ basketball team turned up the heat with some white-hot shooting, romping to a 53-10 win over visiting Clallam Bay.
The non-conference victory, in which nine different Wolves made the net pop, lifts Megan Richter’s squad to 2-1 on the season.
Having racked up back-to-back triumphs in less than a 24-hour span, Coupeville will try and carry its sweet shot-making ability way down the road to Forks Monday, kicking off another three-games-in-six-days stretch.
Saturday, while their fans contemplated lighting bonfires in the bleachers to warm up, the Wolves played some scorching ball.
Busting out to a 20-0 lead, Coupeville didn’t give up a shot across the first four minutes of the game, and didn’t surrender any points until a miracle three-ball plopped in with two seconds to play in the opening quarter.
Teagan Calkins set the tone by ripping down an offensive rebound, then powering back up through multiple defenders for a bucket to open the scoring.
From there, six different Wolves netted a bucket in the opening frame, with Katie Marti drilling a three-ball from the side and Danica Strong netting a gorgeous turnaround jumper to spark things.
The best play came late in the quarter, with Strong snagging a rebound and firing an outlet pass to quicksilver guard Haylee Armstrong.
The defensive dynamo showed off her offensive skills as well, hauling in the pass, taking a quick dribble or two, then sliding the ball under a defender’s arms and right onto the waiting fingertips of teammate Madison McMillan, who knocked down the running layup.
From 20-3 at the first break, the Wolves steadily turned up the heat.
Capri Anter rippled the nets on a jumper, becoming the 250th CHS girl to score in a varsity game across the past 51 seasons, before Armstrong and Tenley Stuurmans got artful.
On back-to-back breakaways, the duo changed up roles but produced nothing but net.
First Stuurmans set up Armstrong for a layup with a lob over the top, before Armstrong came right back on the next play, sucking the defense in, then flipping the ball to her running mate, who banked in the ball while on the move.
Up 30-5 at the half, Coupeville gave up a basket to open the third, before closing the game on another 23-3 run.
The pinpoint passing and sharing of the ball continued, with Mia Farris, Armstrong, and McMillan combining to pull off a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am bucket.
So did the milestones.
Farris converted a steal into a breakaway bucket to reach 150 points for her varsity career, before Lyla Stuurmans sank a jumper — off a pass from her younger sister — to crack 200.
Coupeville spread the love around all day, with Marti topping all scorers with 10 points.
She was joined by Strong (8), Calkins (7), Farris (6), Tenley Stuurmans (6), Armstrong (6), Anter (4), McMillan (4), and Lyla Stuurmans (2).
Jada Heaton had at least three buckets roll off the rim at the last second, preventing Coupeville from going 10-for-10 in scoring, but the senior sparkplug was a whirling dervish on defense.
Whether coming in all elbows firing in pursuit of rebounds, poking balls loose to set up breakaways, or bouncing off the floor, huge grin still in place, she remains the feisty heart of the Wolves.
Coupeville Sports 