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Wolf netters remain the gold standard!!

Posted in Girls Tennis on April 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Allie Hanigan prepares to unleash a knee-buckling serve. (John Fisken photo)

Best team in the school, hands down.

Ken Stange has the magic and his Coupeville High School girls’ tennis team has been the gold standard this spring. Now 8-3 after a win over visiting Granite Falls Thursday, the Wolves will go for double digits in the final week of the regular season.

The Wolves close with a trip across the water to play at Chimacum Friday, then welcome Lakewood, a team they have already beaten twice, to Whidbey Tuesday, April 30.

After that comes districts and things may get a bit dicey.

With only two singles players and two doubles teams advancing to tri-districts, it will be an uphill battle for Coupeville as they try to upset unbeaten Hayley and Carlie Newman of South Whidbey and a very deep squad from Blaine.

For now, though, the focus is on a 3-2 win over Granite Falls, and a satisfying one at that.

“It was exciting to see more close matches,” Stange said. “Players learn more from a close match, won or lost, than they do in in blowouts.”

Complete results:

Varsity:

1st Singles — Amanda d’Almeida beat Rachel Mow 6-3, 6-2

2nd Singles — Allie Hanigan beat Brittany Young 6-4, 6-1

1st Doubles — Iris Ryckaert/Holly Craggs beat Hailey Arndt/Kaitlyn Gresli 7-6(9-7), 7-6(8-6)

2nd Doubles — Julia Myers/Emily Gallahar lost to Sierra Murdoch/Laura Gilbertson 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(8-6)

3rd Doubles — McKenzie Bailey/Sydney Autio lost to Cassie Hart/Annie Hart 6-2, 6-3

JV:

4th Doubles — Ana Luvera/Ivy Luvera beat Brianna Cervarich/McKenzie Meyer 8-4

5th Doubles — Wynter Thorne/Faith Shinn beat Nia Klinnert/Danielle Coleman 8-6

6th Doubles — Joye Jackson/Haleigh Deasy beat Kailan Pierce/Brynne Mota 8-6

7th Doubles — Samantha Thomson/Julia Jones lost to Tien Nguyen/Brittany Lindell 8-2

8th Doubles — Micky LeVine/Jacki Ginnings beat Kailan Pierce/Brynne Mota 6-1

9th Doubles — Mary Massengale/Samantha Martin beat Tien Nguyen/Brittany Lindell 6-2

10th Doubles — Maureen Rice/Joye Jackson lost to Briana Cervarich/McKenzie Meyer 6-2

11th Doubles — McKenzie Rice/Julianne Sem lost to Nia Klinnert/Danielle Coleman 8-3

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Netters refuse to lose!!

Posted in Girls Tennis on April 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Iris Ryckaert and partner Holly Craggs battled through three sets and a do-or-die tiebreaker to come out on top Tuesday. (John Fisken photo)

They stared defeat in the eye and never blinked.

Rallying from a set down, Coupeville High School’s top two doubles duos pulled out heart-stopping come-from-behind victories Tuesday, turning the tide and lifting the Wolves to a 4-1 victory over visiting Lakewood.

It was enough to make CHS coach Ken Stange dance, but we’ll resist the temptation to run the justifiably famous photo of him doing just that for the 5,709th time. For now…

The win, which lifted the Wolves to 7-3 with three regular-season matches left, offered stark contrasts.

Both Coupeville singles players rolled to 6-0, 6-0 wins, while the visiting Cougars, who had loaded up their top players in the doubles matches, looked like they would run all three.

While the third doubles tandem of McKenzie Bailey and Samantha Martin weren’t able to make it back up the hill, the other Wolf duos came roaring back.

Iris Ryckaert and Holly Craggs had to endure a second-set tiebreaker just to keep their match going, while Julia Myers and Maureen Rice overcame early struggles as they adjusted to playing with a new partner.

In the end, with both their personal match and the team battle on the line, both Wolf duos played some sparkling tennis, rolling through their third sets by the time they kicked and clawed to be in them.

“I was thoroughly impressed with my one and two doubles teams,” Stange said. “Sure, they had to raise their levels of play to win. Many players can raise their game when needed. What truly impressed me today was their resilience and perseverance.”

With Ryckaert and Craggs, it was their fight even when way behind. Down 4-0 in the first, they refused to concede the set.

“Iris and Holly could have easily rolled over and lost the match. They did just the opposite,” Stange said. “They ran for errant balls. They picked each other up when they were down. They played as one being during the final two sets.”

And, for Myers and Rice, it was proof they can be counted on when the match is on the line.

“As for Julia and Maureen, they both have had their struggles during matches, and after dropping the first set, they too could have rolled over,” Stange said. “They didn’t relent. They proved that they could deliver in the clutch.”

Complete results:

Varsity:

1st Singles — Amanda d’Almeida beat Hannah Krustinger 6-0, 6-0

2nd Singles — Allie Hanigan beat Violet Jensen 6-0, 6-0

1st Doubles — Iris Ryckaert/Holly Craggs beat McKayla Schwiger/Kylie Staley 5-7, 7-6(7-5), 6-3

2nd Doubles — Julia Myers/Maureen Rice beat Jenny Tsengelmaa/Zaya Tsengelmaa 2-6, 6-4, 6-3

3rd Doubles — McKenzie Bailey/Samantha Martin lost to Jackie Storer/Maddy DeYoung 6-2, 6-4

JV:

4th Doubles — Emily Gallahar/Sydney Autio beat Bea Kiel/Lexi Zbeigien 8-3

5th Doubles — Jacki Ginnings/Micky LeVine beat Erin Espeland/Camilla Madero 8-5

6th Doubles — Ana Luvera/Ivy Luvera beat Micaela Mendiondo/Kathryn Winder 8-2

7th Doubles — Mary Massengale/Breanna Koym beat Apinya Taweesub/Bea Kiel 8-2

8th Doubles — Julia Jones/Samantha Thomson lost to Lexi Zbeigien/Hannah Krustinger 8-0

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Kids today, with their book smarts and all!!

Posted in Baseball, Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track on April 21, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Josh Bayne heads home in a hurry. Carrying a GPA above 3.5, he's probably on his way to do some homework. (John Fisken photos)

Josh Bayne heads home in a hurry. With a GPA above 3.5, he’s probably on his way to do some homework. (John Fisken photos)

Emily Gallahar is one of 20 tennis players to carry a 3.0 GPA or better.

If you’re smart, you play tennis.

That’s what our exclusive, in-depth analysis of the five Coupeville High School spring sports teams reveals.

Of course, by in-depth, I mean I scanned the program they gave out at the start of the season, which has little stars next to each athlete’s names to tell you who has GPA’s between 3.0 and 4.0. Then I counted them up and did as little math as possible.

And let me add, when I graduated Tumwater High School and ended my stunning three-year tennis career, I did so with a GPA as far under 3.0 as I could push it. And look where I am now! Um, yes…

Anyway, Wolf girls’ tennis coach Ken Stange is like the Pied Piper of well-educated student/athletes, with 20 of his 28 players (71%) boasting a 3.0 or higher, with 13 at 3.5 or better. Amanda d’Almeida tops the list with a 4.0 as an about-to-graduate senior.

Not that the other Wolf coaches have anything to be ashamed about. All five teams have more than 50% of their team staffed by players with 3.0 or better GPA’s, with baseball (9 of 14 for 64%) second-best overall.

But, if we move up a step and talk about 3.5 or better, softball (43%) almost topples tennis (46%).

Track and boys’ soccer, which had the biggest rosters when the program was printed (34 and 28 athletes), tie for the most 4.0 athletes, with three apiece.

We’ll give that race to track, by a hair, since two of the three soccer players are freshmen (Dawson d’Almeida and Loren Nelson join junior Jared Dickson) and have held on to their GPA’s a shorter time.

Two of the three track 4.0’s are held by veterans (junior Heni Barnes and sophomore Erin Rosenkranz) with freshman Makana Stone still in her first year of taking classes.

In the end, there are no spring scandals, no teams with a bunch of “dumb jocks.” 71 of 118 spring athletes (60%) carry a 3.0 or better and manage to combine class time with athletic success.

If I was prone to jumping to conclusions (I am, I am), I would say it proves one thing — the kids are alright.

Oh, and that they care a lot more about their GPA than I ever did.

Which is two things…

Yep, well, remember, this is being written by someone who finished off his math credits by signing up for remedial math as a senior, doing the entire workbook in one night, then pretending to do work each day while actually doodling cartoons.

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Mother Nature to take pity on Coupeville?!?!

Posted in Baseball, Boys Soccer, Girls Tennis, Softball on April 20, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Morgan Payne (8) and the Wolf baseball squad have four games next week, two at home.

Morgan Payne (6) and Wolf baseball have four games next week, two at home. (John Fisken photos)

Holly Craggs and her teammates are hoping to play at home twice next week. (John Fisken photo)

Holly Craggs and Co. are hoping to play at home Tuesday and Thursday.

Mother Nature is a fickle wench.

And yet, as we head down the home stretch of the regular season in spring sports, she’s claiming that she’s going to play nice. So, probably time to get out the snow gear…

With home games every day this upcoming week, the weather forecast calls for temperatures in the 50’s, sun and clouds, and, most importantly, a 0% chance of precipitation from Sunday through Friday.

It’ll be like frickin’ summer, won’t it?!

If the weather lives up to predictions, it will offer local fans a chance to see almost all of the various Coupeville High School teams, with very little competition for your viewing eyes. Only Tuesday has multiple events scheduled and every team is home at least once, except track.

Well, and golf, but Austin and Christine Fields never get to play in Coupeville, with all of their home meets being in Langley, so we won’t count them here.

Monday offers baseball against Sultan, Tuesday has softball and girls’ tennis both hosting Lakewood, Wednesday is Senior Night for boys’ soccer against Granite Falls, Thursday has girls’ tennis against Granite Falls and Friday wraps up with Sultan back in town for baseball.

If you haven’t been out yet, this is the time.

And, if you have endured through the sideways rain, the freezing temps and the gusting prairie winds, it may make for a nice change of pace.

Me, I’m thinking about breaking out the shorts again.

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EXCLUSIVE: d’Almeida signed, sealed and delivered!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, Girls Tennis, Wolves in college on April 19, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Amanda d’Almeida playing her “other” sport, where she is a three-time district champion. (John Fisken photo)

She’s going to Minnesota.

Coupeville High School senior Amanda d’Almeida, a standout soccer and tennis player who has combined athletic success with academic excellence, has signed to play college ball at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.

The Knights, who have repeat appearances in the NCAA tournament to their credit, are coached by Jocelyn Keller, who was a successful player at DePauw University.

d’Almeida received a $10,000 merit scholarship and “a very strong overall package,” said dad Dan d’Almeida.

Out of the numerous universities that recruited the standout scorer, she narrowed her final choices down to Carleton, Haverford, Whitman, CMS (Claremont-McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Scripps) and Willamette.

Pre-season camp begins August 17th for d’Almeida and her new teammates.

Her dad, who doubles as the girls’ soccer coach at CHS, hopes other Wolf athletes will take his daughter’s success as a reason to keep themselves equally dedicated, both on the playing field and in the classroom.

“I want to encourage athletes to be as great in the classroom as they are on the field or court in order to make affordable college possible,” he said. “Absolute dedication to a dream and hard work (off-Island year-round select soccer) pays off.

“Not always something that our kids want to hear, but often the ‘true’ story behind successful athletes.”

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