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Archive for the ‘Hall o’ Fame’ Category

One team, one dream!!

Posted in Hall o' Fame, tagged , , , , , on February 5, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Play as a team, win as a team. (John Fisken photo)

Play as a team, win as a team. (John Fisken photo)

The great unknown.

That’s where the Coupeville High School girls’ basketball squad was sailing this season.

For four seasons the Wolves always had #23 to rely on, and knowing Makana Stone was running the court alongside you (OK, almost always ahead of you … she’s fast) had to be a great comfort.

When she graduated and went off to play college ball, it was a major transitional moment.

Makana. Novi Barron. Brianne King. Lexie Black. Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby.

Those are arguably, in whatever order you want to put them today, the five greatest female hoops stars to ever wear a CHS uniform.

Yes, I know, Megan Smith, Sarah Mouw, Marlene Grasser, Ann Pettit, Amanda Allmer, Amy Mouw, Jen Canfield and Tina Lyness are also in the conversation, as are many others.

But those five — Stone, Barron, King, Lex and Ash — are my picks (for today, at least).

Losing one leaves a gaping hole in the program, and that’s what David and Amy King faced this season. Replacing the irreplaceable.

Barring a fully-formed Sarah Mouw suddenly showing up on your doorstep, ready to play her senior season in your cow town, it’s an impossible task.

So the Kings tinkered and cajoled, exhorted and drove, and got 13 players to realize that, while they couldn’t replace Makana on their own, they each could chip in with a valuable sliver of the pie.

And here they stand now, the 2016-2017 Wolf girls hoops squad, having matched last year’s Makana-led team by going 15-4 overall, 9-0 in Olympic League play.

With Klahowya, Chimacum and Port Townsend united in trying to overthrow the “Evil Empire,” every night was a test for Coupeville. And it responded.

And that’s why the team, and I put an emphasis on TEAM, is being inducted into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame today, the sole member of the 84th class to enter these hallowed digital hallways.

Regardless of how they do in the postseason, these Wolves will forever be enshrined up at the top of the blog under the Legends tab.

Because they have, almost without fail, accepted their roles.

Sacrificed where needed, risen up both as individual players and supportive teammates. Realized they are part of something bigger than just themselves.

Bought into “one team, one dream.”

We’re talking about 13 players here, 12 of whom are still with the team, and all of them are very intelligent, driven young women with their own hopes, desires and dreams.

Every player, in their heart, wants to be the “star.” Otherwise, why play?

To be successful as a basketball team, though, athletes have to sacrifice.

To sell out on defense every play, while others get the momentary buzz of scoring baskets.

To make the extra pass, set a screen like it’s life or death, accept constructive criticism from a coach, cheer on a teammate’s success even at a moment when you desperately wish it was you on the court, and not them.

Doing all that is harder than just shuffling off in a corner, pulling back within yourself and wallowing in self-pity.

But it’s also a thousand times more rewarding in the end.

I’m not in the locker room. I’m not in these players homes. I can only go on what I observe from the stands and what I hear.

And based on that, I believe a large part of this team’s success is precisely because 99% of the time, they have truly bought into “One Team, One Dream.”

It’s why they are where they are, a three-time league champ carrying a #1 seed into the playoffs. And it will be the key to any success they have at the next level, both as a team and individuals.

So, congratulations for all have you accomplished, and for the success that still lies ahead, Wolves.

A single player can shine in the moment, but to truly succeed, it takes a team.

Inducted together, as a TEAM:

David King (head coach)
Amy King (assistant coach)
Kyla Briscoe
Tiffany Briscoe
Mikayla Elfrank
Lauren Grove
Kailey Kellner
Charlotte Langille
Kalia Littlejohn
Mia Littlejohn
Lindsey Roberts
Lauren Rose
Ema Smith
Allison Wenzel
Sarah Wright
Skyler Lawrence (manager)
Peytin Vondrak (manager)

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They were the real deal!!

Posted in Hall o' Fame, tagged , , , , , , on January 29, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Tom Sahli (top, last player on right), is joined by McKayla Bailey and Risen Johnson.

   Tom Sahli (top, last player on right), is joined by fellow inductees McKayla Bailey and Risen Johnson.

One physically towered over the crowd, while the other two soared up in the heavens on skill and passion alone.

Whether they were six-foot-three or not, the three superb athletes who form the 83rd class inducted into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame were game-changers and legend-makers.

So, let’s welcome old school hoops hotshot Tom Sahli, new school hoops terror Risen Johnson and the first great superstar of the era when I jumped from newspaper writing to blog ranting and raving — McKayla Bailey.

After this, you’ll find the trio hanging out at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab.

Today, we kick things off with Sahli, a giant from a time when basketball was played mostly below the rim.

A star on Coupeville High School basketball teams in the early ’50s, he went on to play college hoops at Pacific Lutheran University, where he and the rest of the Lutes who played between 1955-1959 are all enshrined in the school’s hall of fame.

Playing under legendary coaches Marv Harshman and Gene Lundgaard, PLU went 100-16 over that four-year span, finishing in the top three at the NAIA national tourney twice.

Sahli started at center for the Lutes varsity basketball squads while on campus, while also finding time to play (and star) on the school’s intramural football team.

While it’s hard to find a ton of info on his CHS days (did anyone keep their paper work and score books?!?), the mere mention of his name still draws raves, and a lot of credit goes to Orson Christensen, who first brought Sahli to my attention.

The other two inductees both played out their careers under my gaze, emerging as electrifying athletes and stellar people.

We got two years of Johnson dazzling us on the hardwood, and they were a wild ride.

The dude had a motor like few others, and rampaged from end to end like a man possessed, yet off the court was the laid-back, impeccably-dressed king of cool.

Put a basketball in his hands and his relative lack of size meant nothing, as he swooped, dove and darted, shredding hapless big men and leaving them flailing at where he had been.

Risen could put the ball in the bucket, from long range and slashing to the hoops, and he was a remarkably tough guy, bouncing off of bodies and the floor, quiet smile rarely leaving his face.

When he was out on the run, kick-starting the break, he was a thing of beauty.

You, me, the guy trying to get back on defense to guard him, sometimes even his own teammates didn’t know where Risen was going or what wonders he was about to lay down.

Johnson could zip laser passes between bodies, finding his teammate’s waiting fingers at just the right angle, or fake a guy out of his shoes, spin him around and bank home a runner like a ballet dancer with supreme hoop hops.

Even when he spun out of control, and the play didn’t go quite as he probably imagined, he was worth the price of admission and more.

If “entertainment” is not Risen’s middle name, it should be.

There have been a lot of good Wolf basketball players over the years, but were any as much of an edge-of-your-seat treat as Risen? I doubt it.

Win by 50, lose by 50, if he was on the floor, there was going to be a show and dang, it was fun to watch.

Our final inductee, Bailey, is already in the Hall as a contributor, for her peerless work as the one true Photo Bomb Queen. Today, though, she goes in for what mattered even more to her, the way she played the game.

A very talented athlete who battled through injuries, McKayla could do it all — basketball, volleyball, soccer (she went from newbie to starting goaltender in the blink of an eye) and, most of all, softball.

When she strode on to the diamond, Bailey was a beast, flinging heat and daring batters to try and dig in.

Her junior year, she took the ball every game, every inning, every pitch and carried the upstart Wolves to the state tourney, the first appearance by the team at the big dance in a decade-plus.

Put a bat in her hand and she would spray hits all afternoon, cracking moon shots to the wall or slicing wicked shots up the middle (or off of rival player’s arms and legs).

She was a terror on the base-paths, smart and enterprising and she was a deadly shortstop when not pitching, sprinting into the hole and firing balls like they were shot out of a cannon towards a patiently-waiting Hailey Hammer at first.

But it was the moments inside the pitcher’s circle, as she stalked around, slapping her glove against her leg, glowering at the batter over the top of her face-mask (when she wore it) and projecting an air of “I am gonna kick your fanny!!” when Bailey was supreme Bailey.

Off the field, in the dugout, at school, in the community, one of the most genuinely outgoing, supremely friendly, blazingly smart young women you will ever know.

But, on the field, a demon unleashed, and dang, the girl who grew from a “diaper dandy” to a seasoned vet, left every ounce of her soul and passion between the lines.

When she looks back at her high school career, it may not be perfect (injuries are a pain in more ways than one), but McKayla should be super proud of all she accomplished.

I know the rest of us are.

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All about that heart!!

Posted in Hall o' Fame, tagged , , , , , on January 22, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Jacob Martin

   Jacob Martin (top, right) is joined by Jaime (Rasmussen) Burrows and grandpa/grandson combo Murph Cross and Carson Risner.

Scrappers, one and all.

The four athletes who make up the 82nd class inducted into the Coupeville Sports Hall of Fame have radically different personalities, but they are bound together by the fight they showed on the playing field.

Whether charging after a loose ball on the hard-court, blowing up a foe on the gridiron or blocking the plate, the quartet made a sizable impact with their refusal to bend to their foes.

So, with that, we welcome Jaime (Rasmussen) Burrows, Jacob Martin, Murph Cross and Carson Risner to these hallowed digital hallways.

After this you’ll find them at the top of the blog under the Legends tab.

We’re going to kick things off with a 2-for-1 deal for the Cross family, as Jennie (Cross) Prince, who’s already in the Hall, gets joined by dad Murph and son Carson.

Murph, whose brother Corey is also enshrined in the Hall, is the kind of guy who, even long after graduation in 1965, is remembered as the “orneriest cuss I ever played with” by multiple former teammates.

Built like a brick wall and capable of hitting like a hammer, he anchored the line for the Wolf football team, did the work down in the trenches for the hoops squad and defended the plate as a catcher for the baseball team.

If you were an opposing player, or, sometimes, even his own teammate, Murph put the fear of God into you, and left dents in both your biceps and psyche, a true “old school” athlete who lived and breathed Wolf pride.

His grandson wasn’t quite as imposing, in attitude at least, as he was always his team’s leading jokester, but Carson could lay a whuppin’ on folks between the lines, and often did.

Anchoring both sides of the Wolf line on the gridiron, he played through pain and injury and never lost the mile-wide smile he always sported, except for a time or two where he came up swinging while protecting his teammates.

On the basketball court Risner played during a rough stretch where wins were few and far between and where he was often asked to spend most of his time taking the brunt of the abuse from other team’s bruisers.

Again, the mix of a sunny, upbeat attitude (smiling while elbowing a 6-foot-5 King’s player in the kidneys) and a willingness to get chippy and never cede ground helped give his squad someone to rally around.

Often showing a soft touch on the offensive end, as well, Carson may be best remembered for the infamous opening night game when all but one Wolf player was laid low by severe food poisoning.

Refusing to give in, Risner can be found in at least one photo from that night sitting on the edge of the bench, garbage can in hand, white-knuckling through the 30 seconds before he charged back on the court.

His team needed him, he was there. Every day.

The same could be said of Martin, one of the most underrated Wolf gridiron stars of the past decade.

A four-year player, he did whatever the coaches asked him to, without fail, a true warrior who left his soul on the field every play of his career.

In the early days, he was asked to block for other runners like Josh Bayne, Jake Tumblin and Lathom Kelley, before getting the chance to be the featured back as a senior.

He hit every block like his life depended upon it, giving his guys a chance to break free and pile up yardage.

Then, when it was his chance, he fought through injuries to roll up close to 1,000 yards across his prep career while also being a big hitter on defense.

Through it all, Martin remained the most low-key of players, a young man who grew from being a supporting player to being a team leader.

Always more intent on making his teammates shine rather than focusing on his own stats, he was a coach’s son, through and through, and the lessons learned from dad Jonathan were always evident.

After wrapping up his prep career, Jacob summed up his time on the field perfectly:

Football is a brutal sport: I broke my toe, pinky, thumb, and had two concussions. It was worth it.

I learned that no matter how physically and mentally tore I was, I’d get up and hit back harder.

Not because I had to, but because I knew it would benefit me; no matter what I face in life, I’ll always bounce back stronger.

Our final inductee, Burrows, was the blue collar warrior for the first CHS girls hoops teams to make a statement at the state tournament.

The 1998 squad was the first in program history to make it to state, the 2000 team the first to win a game at the big dance, and Jaime was one of just two players (along with Rachelle Solomon) to be a part of both.

A scrappy ball-hawk who hit the boards with a vengeance and believed deep in her soul that every loose ball rightfully belonged to her, Burrows was the perfect complement to big-time scorers like Tina Lyness and Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby.

But while defense and doin’ the dirty work was her calling card, Jaime could also drop buckets when needed, and showed no fear in the biggest of big game situations.

It was her last-second free throws Mar. 2, 2000 in fact which sealed the deal on Coupeville’s first-ever state win (a come-from-behind 46-42 thriller against Freeman).

Possibly the best barista to ever work at Miriam’s Espresso (let the epic fight begin…), Jaime has gone on to become a mom and now four-time inductee into the Hall.

While her first visits were for crafting a moment (the state tourney free throws) and as part of the ’98 and ’00 teams, this time the spotlight falls squarely on her.

As it always should.

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Youth will be served!!

Posted in Hall o' Fame, tagged , , , , , on January 15, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Anthony Bergeron (bottom, left) is joined by (clockwise( Joel Walstad, Oscar Liquidano and Jennifer Spark. (John Fisken and Shelli Trumbull photos)

   Anthony Bergeron (bottom, left) is joined by (clockwise) Joel Walstad, Oscar Liquidano and Jennifer Spark. (John Fisken and Shelli Trumbull photos)

We might have to ask for ID’s.

We’re going all “new school” today as we induct our 81st class into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

But while our four CHS grads are all young enough they could still easily pass for high school students if a 21 Jump Street situation were to arise, they all left behind a strong body of work.

So let’s not wait years to give them their props, but get it done long before any of them would need a wheelchair to get to the induction ceremony.

With that, we welcome engaged couple Anthony Bergeron and Jennifer Spark and gridiron brothers in arms Joel Walstad and Oscar Liquidano.

After this, you’ll find all four at the top of the blog under the Legends tab.

Our first inductee, Spark, can stand with any player to ever pull on a CHS soccer jersey.

Owner of a leg which launched nuclear strikes, she is arguably the best defender in Wolf girls soccer history, but one who impacted play all across the field.

Spark scored a surprising amount of goals for a defensive player, and most of her tallies came on long, booming kicks which exploded, then curled over the surprised goaltender’s head.

Her best score?

Probably the one that left her foot at midfield, traveled on a low, vicious line, then hit the goaltender squarely on the top of the head and ricocheted into the back of the net as her teammates (and family) went bonkers.

A quiet, but very effective, team captain, Spark battled through a terrible leg injury to star as both a high school and select team player, and made the jump to college soccer this past fall.

Hard-working, extremely likable and a rock-solid young woman, both on and off the field, Sparky set a high standard for her teammates and the young women who will follow her on the pitch, and her legend will continue to loom large.

Her beau, Mr. Bergeron, came to competitive basketball fairly late.

But, in his two years as a Wolf, he transformed from a quiet, studious young man who worked long hours in the gym to a quiet, studious young man who soared through the skies and became one of the rare Wolves to legitimately dunk during game action.

Anthony is a testament to where hard work will take you, as he went from a rough-around-the-edges JV player who showed flashes of brilliance to an electrifying varsity player.

He always had hops, which he showcased early during his stint as a football receiver.

There is a photo out there somewhere, shot by Shelli Trumbull, in which Bergeron is almost a full body length above his defender, plucking a throw from fellow inductee Walstad, out of the evening sky.

On the basketball court, Bergeron, as his confidence grew, begin to play above the court more and more, a rare weapon in a Wolf hoops program where most of the action has been at ground level in recent years.

A class act, on and off the court, he’s gone on to launch a career in the US Navy and pop the question to Spark, taking over the world one quiet grin at a time.

Our third inductee, Liquidano, The Big O, is a rock of a man, an imposing football lineman and soccer defender who also knocked down a few foes on the basketball court during his day.

When he wasn’t protecting his QB or goalkeeper, Oscar was also a ball of fire in the stands and on the sidelines, one of the most vocal and enthusiastic fans of his fellow Wolf athletes you could find.

The body said, “I’m gonna knock you on your rear,” while the epic smile told you, “And then I’ll pick you back up and muss your hair.”

Oscar is the oldest in a family that has provided a string of superior athletes to CHS.

Uriel and Estefanny have followed in his footsteps, and the Liquidano family has become a vital part of Wolf Nation.

Now he’s a married man (having wed fellow CHS grad Ashlyn Miller) and a proud papa, yet never too busy to come back and cheer his siblings and former classmates, his voice booming from the stands.

It’s a bit of a recurring tend today, but Oscar, like his fellow inductees, earns his spot in the Hall for two reasons — his athletic skills and his character. Both are first-rate.

The same could be said of our fourth and final inductee, Walstad, who joins older sister Bessie in punching his ticket for entry to our digital wonderland.

A three-sport athlete (football, basketball, soccer), he was a star in all three, combining hustle and grit with talent and charisma to emerge as one of the most memorable of Wolves to wear the uniform during this decade.

He poured in buckets on the hardwood and deflected countless shots on goal while guarding the net on the pitch, but his senior season on the gridiron is what truly seals the deal.

Under the guidance of Tony Maggio, Walstad took the reigns in 2014 and put together one of the best seasons ever compiled by a Wolf QB.

Throwing for 1,675 yards and a school single-season record 18 touchdowns (he also scored four times as a runner), Walstad guided Coupeville to its best record in a decade.

That he kicked off the season by thrashing South Whidbey (going 20-29 for 252 yards and 3 TDs) to claim The Bucket? The cherry on top.

Four stellar athletes, four stellar human beings. The Hall o’ Fame is honored to welcome you all home.

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New year, old favorites!!

Posted in Hall o' Fame, tagged , , , , , , on January 1, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Cole

   Chris Tumblin (top left, in shades) is joined by (clockwise) Dolores and Dave Engle and Cole and Morgan Payne.

Let the fireworks explode.

We’re kicking off 2017 with a robust group of inductees as we welcome the 80th class into the Coupeville Sports Hall of Fame.

Two brothers who were quiet warriors through good times and bad, the unofficial mom and dad of Wolf Nation and the only local coach to have won a state title all come together for this landmark New Years Day induction.

So, with that, we welcome Dolores and Dave Engle, Morgan and Cole Payne and Chris “Rumblin” Tumblin to our little digital wonderland.

After this you’ll find the five-pack up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab.

We’re kicking things off with the Engles, who are among the most faithful, and good-natured, Wolf fans in all the land.

If there’s a fundraiser, the duo are there to support it.

If there’s a game, they will be in the stands, especially if one of their many children or grandchildren are involved.

And yet, it’s pretty safe to say that Dolores and Dave view everyone in town as their unofficial family, and treat everyone with a rare kindness, whether related by blood or not.

Over the course of Coupeville Sports 52-month run, they have been as supportive of my work as anyone, and their quiet words of praise, always delivered with a smile, have meant a great deal to me.

Especially since it has come from two people who I have a great deal of respect for myself.

The idea of inducting Dave Engle sprang from former CHS football coach Tony Maggio, but I knew Dave needed to go in alongside his wife.

It is truly a thrill to honor Mr. and Mrs. Engle, for all that they have done for our school and town and for simply putting a smile on all of our faces every day.

Joining them in the Hall are the Payne brothers, who, as much as any athletes I have covered, exemplify putting hard work, dedication and love of team ahead of personal accomplishment.

Morgan was a standout basketball and baseball player, a blue collar guy on the hard-court and a hit machine with a slick glove on the diamond.

He was a key member of the 2010 Central Whidbey Little League junior baseball squad that won a state title (under the guidance of Tumblin) and went on to craft a stellar high school career.

The elder Payne brother didn’t waste much time talking when it was time to play, but his actions spoke loud enough to be heard all across the prairie.

Of all his many accomplishments, my favorite will always be the day he dashed home from second, sliding through a wall of half-frozen mud to lift CHS to a wild, come-from-behind extra innings win over Nooksack Valley.

That afternoon was the most brutal affair I have endured on the prairie (and yes, I was stupidly wearing shorts…), full of howling wind, cold, slicing rain and an improbable 9-8 Wolf win.

As Morgan slid past the tag and whacked his hand on the plate, it signaled more than a victory.

It meant the seven fans still in attendance after four ungodly hours of frozen Hell were free, free at last, thank God almighty. Morgan Payne — my hero, always.

His younger brother was more talkative (at least in public), a slick-talkin’, fast-walkin’, big-game-winnin’ supernova who overcame 22,089 injuries to shine as a football, tennis and baseball star.

Cole was a missile on the gridiron, launching himself airborne in a mad quest to separate ball carrier from ball, and it was that wild man attitude that may have cost him a chunk of his prep career.

He was a superb hoops player who never got to play for CHS, as frequent football injuries conspired to prevent him from pulling on a basketball jersey.

Payne made up for it by bringing his A-game to the diamond, where he capped his career by earning 1A Olympic League MVP honors last spring.

It was a fitting tribute to the slugging catcher who led Coupeville to its first baseball league crown since 1990.

Our final inductee, Tumblin, is already in the Hall as a contributor, for a superb string of quotes. Today, though, he gets the big call-up, honored for his work as a baseball coach.

Many know him for his years as Willie Smith’s right hand man in the dugout at CHS, but it’s hard to top being a state champ.

Pulling together a rag-tag bunch of youngsters (OK, they were actually pretty talented and formed the core of Coupeville baseball for years to come), Tumblin shocked the little league world in 2010.

While many of Central Whidbey’s foes drew from much larger regions, allowing them to have true all-star teams, the prairie diamond men never flinched, pulling off one come-from-behind win after another.

Through it all, the man who kept the future Wolves on point was the laid-back EMT with the sly wit, a man who knew when to praise and when to prod his young charges.

Whether Central Whidbey was stumblin’ or rumblin’ that year, they couldn’t have had a better coach than Tumblin.

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