Coupeville Sports

Jennifer Spark (Kali Barrio photo)

The Coupeville High School girls’ soccer squad is a young team and one adapting to a new coach.

But there is a core of rock-solid players on the team, and one of the areas that has impressed first-year head man Troy Cowan the most through his team’s first two games, is his defense.

Backing up goalies Julia Myers and McKayla Bailey, the last line of resistance even has its own nickname now.

“Of course, you have heard of the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Iron Curtain defense,” Cowan said. “Well, let me introduce you to the new legends on the block; we like to call them the Kevlar Five.

“Quarterbacking our defense is the dynamite kid Jennifer Spark, along with our fierce outside defenders of captain Jacki Ginnings and superstar freshman Carlie Rosenkranz,” he added. “Completing the legendary group called the Kevlar Five is the wonder twins, Ivy and Ana Luvera!”

Sparked by their defenders, the Wolves (0-2 heading into a home game against Lakewood Thursday) are making big strides day in and day out. Improvement and growth come first, then establish a bedrock that wins can be built on.

“We are very proud of the steps the girls are making and the new formed chemistry that is obvious to all that watch the Lady Wolves on the pitch,” Cowan said. “I told the girls this is a process and we are building something special and it will take time.

“They all gave 100% and are going to be very dangerous in a very short time,” he added. “We have adopted a new campaign this year, we call it I.E.D — Improve Every Day!!!”

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Marisa Etzell, an athlete for all seasons, scored Coupeville’s first goal of the girls’ soccer season Tuesday. (Photo courtesy Kristi Etzell)

Marisa Etzell had the magic foot.

Playing in front of the home fans for the first time this season, the Coupeville High School junior punched in the Wolves first goal of the 2013 campaign Tuesday night.

After playing on the defensive line last season, the fleet-footed Etzell has moved up the field and immediately showed off her offensive skills.

It wasn’t quite enough, however, as visiting Cedarcrest stormed back with a barrage of second-half goals to down Coupeville 4-1.

Now 0-2 overall, 0-1 in Cascade Conference play, the Wolves will get another crack at a home match when they host Lakewood Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 PM.

Cedarcrest, one of the biggest 2A schools in the 1A/2A league, got an early surprise from the smallest 1A school when Etzell beat the Red Wolf goalie in the 22nd minute.

Coupeville made it stand up until halftime, before Cedarcrest responded with second-half scores from Nicole Vanderwal, Kassandra Mora-Villalobos, Meghan Rodger and Brielle Rhode.

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Micky LeVine

Jennifer Spark

Erin Rosenkranz

Jacki Ginnings

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, not so good. The Four Horsemen of the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer team, much better.

The quartet dubbed as team leaders by new coach Troy Cowan are young (none are seniors), talented and ready to take the Wolves to a new level.

Junior mid-fielder Erin Rosenkranz, the team captain, is joined by junior mid-fielder Micky LeVine, junior defender Jacki Ginnings and sophomore stopper Jennifer Spark to form the core of a group that will step up and replace graduated leaders such as Amanda d’Almeida and Haley Marx.

Ginnings, along with junior goalie Julia Myers, is one of two CHS players who completely missed last season due to injuries.

With both back — Myers is vying with incumbent netminder McKayla Bailey for net time (“I think our opponents are going to be surprised by the Lady Wolves’ outstanding goalie play,” Cowan said) — the Wolves will have a deep, talented roster.

New blood, in the form of freshmen with big upsides, helps that as well.

“We have several freshmen who are joining us and all have potential to become future Lady Wolves stars,” Cowan said. “Without a doubt I am extremely excited about Carlie Rosenkrance. Carlie is explosive, cerebral and is going to have a huge impact on the team.”

Cowan, who hails from select soccer, is taking over a program that won just one game last season. However, the Wolves were a scrappy team, and one dominated by players who play year-round.

“We want to be competitive, to improve and to give 100%,” Cowan said. “We have to win the effort battle and win every loose ball to be competitive.

“The wins will come with time and practice, but we have got to play within ourselves and never quit,” he added. “If we can focus on the basics and work hard we will accomplish our goals.”

Perennial powers King’s and Archbishop Thomas Murphy are the teams to beat in the eight-team Cascade Conference, but, in the end, it’s more about seeing continued improvement.

“We are trying to build this program up by using positive energy, positive thoughts and positive ideas,” Cowan said. “We have to change how people view Coupeville soccer, because we need to have future players getting excited about playing for the red and black and representing their alma mater.

“We will be making some radical changes to the way we play and the way we think on the pitch,” he added. “Changes of this magnitude take time and effort, so we are hopeful that the community of Coupeville and the student body of CHS can continue providing us the outstanding support we have become accustomed to.”

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