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Archive for the ‘Happy birthday’ Category

Feliz cumpleaños, Brisa!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , on May 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Brisa Herrera (John Fisken photos)

Brisa Herrera (John Fisken photos)

Herrera whips a pass around a defender during a CHS basketball game this winter.

   Herrera whips a pass around a defender during a CHS basketball game this winter.

It’s national Brisa Herrera appreciation day.

The Coupeville High School freshman, a scrappy, never-say-die part of a Wolf JV girls’ basketball team that went 9-0 in Olympic League play, celebrates her birthday today.

Miss Herrera was never one to seek out the spotlight, but her hard work and determination on the court, and off, are very noticeable.

Putting in work down in the trenches, Brisa became noticeably more confident as the season progressed, and her growth is one more positive for a Wolf hoops program that is head and shoulders above its league foes.

While early in the season she would reach for a rebound or steal, by the mid-point of the season, she had adopted the attitude of teammates like Allison Wenzel and Lauren Rose and BELIEVED the ball now belonged to her.

Going toe-to-toe with her rivals, she blossomed from somewhat of a meek player to a scrapper, willing to get in there and tussle for every loose ball, every carom off the backboard.

It’s the kind of progression coaches and fans want every player to make, and it bodes well for Brisa as she goes forward, both in basketball and life.

I hope she keeps at it and continues to grow as a player, thereby giving me many chances to write about her throughout the rest of her high school sports career.

As she celebrates her birthday today, we just want to take a moment to wish Brisa the best.

You are an important part of Wolf Nation, Miss Herrera, and we are all rooting for you.

Never back down, stay in there fighting and keep on making your family, coaches and fans proud of you, both as a basketball player and as a strong, determined young woman.

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Everything’s coming up Roses!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, Happy birthday, Softball, Volleyball, tagged , , , , , on May 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Kayla Rose (John Fisken photos)

Paparazzi Kayla Rose gets the camera turned on her. (John Fisken photos)

The best photo ever taken of a girl who has no freakin' clue she's about to be pick-pocketed by the incoming Lauren Rose.

The best photo ever taken of a girl who has no freakin’ clue she’s about to be pick-pocketed by the incoming Lauren Rose.

Lauren (left) and Kayla with non-twin Lindsey Roberts.

Lauren (left) and Kayla hang out with non-twin Lindsey Roberts.

There was too much awesomeness to contain in one body, so they split into Wonder Twins.

Lauren and Kayla Rose may only be freshmen at Coupeville High School, but the duo, who celebrate a joint birthday today, are already stars.

If there has ever been a moment in their young lives when they weren’t smiling, I have yet to see it.

Whether competing for the Wolves, cheering for each other and their classmates, or bouncing through the stands, harassing their parents for snack money, the Rose sisters are whirlwinds of joy and positive energy exploding across the universe.

Both played volleyball for CHS, while Lauren is a three-sport dynamo, adding in basketball and softball to the mix.

Of course, both are more than mere athletes, coming off as smart-as-a-whip, friendly, outgoing young women.

Whether Lauren is gunning down would-be base stealers who foolishly dare to run on her arm from behind the plate, or Kayla is snapping photos, they are a pair to make Coupeville proud.

Plus, unlike the equally awesome Luvera twins, Ana and Ivy (sorry girls), I can actually tell them apart, which is super helpful.

For me, at least…

As the Roses celebrate today, I want to wish both of them the best. May you have much cake as you kick-off another year together.

Two bright, shining stars twinkling, not in the skies above, but right here among us in Cow Town.

Happy birthday, Lauren and Kayla!

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Birthday fever rages through Cow Town!!

Posted in Baseball, Boys Soccer, Boys Tennis, Cheer, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , on May 2, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Birthday trio (clockwise from top left) Ethan Marx, Maddy Neitzel and Dawn Brock.

Birthday trio (clockwise from top left) Ethan Marx, Maddy Neitzel and Dawn Brock. (John Fisken and Dawn Brock photos)

Three days, three birthdays, triple the birthday cake (I assume).

Wolf Nation is on constant cake alert for a couple of days, as two Wolf athletes and a soccer mom who is one of the school’s most vocal supporters, all hit milestones.

Saturday, it’s CHS sophomore Ethan Marx, who has played tennis and baseball and is following in the successful footsteps of big sis Haley.

He’s already making his own name, however, nabbing Most Improved when the Wolf netters handed out awards in the fall.

Roll into Sunday and Dawn Brock, the ultimate soccer homer (and I mean that in a good way), celebrates.

She’s given Coupeville two strong soccer players, Nathan and Tanner Kircher, but it’s her vocal stylings that truly set her apart.

Loud ‘n proud, and fiercely devoted to her all of her soccer guys (whether they be blood relatives or not), she can scare a ref and spur on her team at the same time, without missing a beat.

If other CHS athletic teams were smart, they’d rent her services for their games.

Cause no one (and I mean NO ONE) out cheers Ms. Brock.

With Monday, school will be back in session and our birthday trifecta will come to a close with the coronation of irrepressible cheer sensation Maddy Neitzel.

The Wolf junior jumped into cheer this year feet first and made a huge splash.

She might not be the biggest, but she cheers from her heart, and that part of her is epic-sized.

Whether flying through the air or working the sidelines, Maddy is a burst of sunshine on even the drizzliest, foggiest Friday night and the Wolves are lucky to have her.

Even when she wasn’t cheering in uniform, she always showed up for basketball games with Jazmine Franklin, there to support their friends like Wiley Hesselgrave and Ryan Griggs as they played.

Neitzel, Brock and Marx are involved in different sports, but all three are united by their love for what they do.

They represent Coupeville well, and I hope their birthdays are as great as they are.

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18 cheers for Amanda Foley!!

Posted in Cheer, Drama, Happy birthday, Track, tagged , , , , , on April 23, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Amanda Foley

Amanda Foley

Amanda Foley overflows with talent.

The Coupeville High School senior, who celebrates a birthday today, does a little bit of everything and does it all supremely well.

Cheer, track, drama, band, ASB board and that’s just the start.

When I did a feature story on her in 2013 — https://coupevillesports.com/2013/09/01/cheerleading-isnt-just-short-skirts-and-big-smiles/ — it was easy to see she was a bright, brilliant young woman well on her way to accomplishing great things.

Today, as she nears graduation and plans for success at the next level — college and beyond — Foley remains one of the best this town has to offer.

Right now, as I write this, she is on a bus with her Wolf teammates, headed to another track meet.

I want to wish her the best — at the meet, on her birthday and in her boundless future.

You’re a bright shining star, Amanda.

Keep being yourself. Keep being super awesome.

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Big day for Big Hurt!!

Posted in A freakin' American hero, Football, Happy birthday, tagged , , , , , on April 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Nick Streubel, AKA The Big Hurt. (John Fisken photo)

Nick Streubel, AKA The Big Hurt. (John Fisken photo)

There was a brief moment when Nick Streubel was a little guy.

A very brief moment.

Nowadays, the Central Washington University football lineman, and former Wolf legend, is a weight room-approved beast whose muscular outer layer (barely) disguises the easy-going, super-friendly guy he really is.

One of my most enduring memories of The Big Hurt, who celebrates the big 1-9 today, came after a basketball game.

Streubel, the most physically imposing specimen on the CHS campus, was hanging out on the court with teammates, family and friends and the young son of Wolf assistant boys’ basketball coach Dustin Van Velkinburgh was among the entourage.

Lifting the little boy up into the heavens, Nick balanced him on his shoulders and handed him a ball, then moved over under the basket so the super-excited kid could try and dunk the ball.

As attempt after attempt failed, Streubel, huge smile splashed across his face, held the boy aloft, encouraging him.

Then, success, and The Big Hurt swept the boy to the floor and high-fived him halfway across the gym.

Of course, there was also the time after a game in Port Townsend, one played on a field of mud that smelled like cow manure.

Streubel, covered head to toe in the gunk (and unable to shower as the team made a dash for the last ferry) spotted Coach V and took off after him, intent on giving him a full-body hug.

Bowling over teammates, mud flying everywhere while Van Velkinburgh, laughing hysterically, did his best to evade him, Streubel made the dock itself shake.

The point of this all is that Nick, while a top athlete (football, basketball, track and before high school, as a swim sensation), is a better person.

He’s just a good guy, and that has always shone through.

Parents David and Nanette Streubel (and proud big sis Amanda) raised him the right way, and Nicholas earned the respect, admiration and friendship of many in Cow Town.

Of all the athletes who have signed college scholarships during the 25 years I’ve covered high school sports on Whidbey Island, I’m pretty sure I was happiest to see him write his name on the paper.

Happy birthday, Nick.

It was an honor to cover your athletic exploits and it’s always been a pleasure to know you.

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