Solomon Rudat sends the ball on its way. (Jackie Saia photos)
They got the solo spotlight, in a driving rainstorm.
Playing through more than their fair share of liquid sunshine Monday, the Coupeville High School JV soccer players put up a good fight against always-tough Mount Vernon Christian.
While the Wolves ultimately fell 3-0 on a soggy afternoon in Skagit County, CHS coaches came away pleased with the effort put forth by their young players.
“We played well, connected, and penetrated often, but pace of balls and runners were off,” Robert Wood said.
“Good effort by everyone. Very nice to get a full game for them.”
Sage Arends shows off some fancy footwork.
The loss drops Coupeville’s JV, which is a co-ed team playing in a boys’ soccer league, to 0-3-1 on the season.
Getting a chance for the young guns to play a complete game, especially on a day when they were the sole focus, pleased everyone.
Of course, next time out Wood and fellow coach Kimberly Kisch would appreciate a break from the weather.
“I hope the next one is NOT in a torrential downpour like this one,” Wood said with a chuckle while drying out.
Cael Wilson and Co. are battling for a playoff berth. (Lyla Stuurmans photo)
This one stings.
The Coupeville High School varsity boys’ soccer team entered Thursday ranked #4 in the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association RPI rankings.
They won’t be in the same spot tomorrow.
After only losing to teams ranked ahead of them — #1 Friday Harbor and #3 Mount Vernon Christian — the Wolves fell 4-0 at Bothell to host Providence Classical Christian, which was ranked #9.
It’s the first time the CHS varsity has been shut out this season, with the loss coming to a team it beat 2-0 a month ago in a game classified as a non-conference affair.
The defeat drops Coupeville to 2-3 in Northwest 2B/1B League action, 5-4 overall, with three conference rumbles left on the regular-season schedule.
Currently sitting 5th in the nine-team NWL, the Wolves close with a road trip to Lopez Island (Oct. 18), a home tilt with La Conner (Oct. 20), and a trek to Orcas Island (Oct. 24).
CHS trails Friday Harbor (4-0), MVC (3-1), Orcas (3-1), and PCC (3-1) in the conference standings.
Meanwhile, Lopez (1-2), Grace Academy (1-3), La Conner (1-4), and Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood (0-3) are battling in the basement.
As they headed home from Bothell, Wolf coaches Robert Wood and Kimberly Kisch preferred to make the trip mostly in quiet contemplation.
“Man, it was a rough game,” Kisch said, and, with that, we’ll leave the loss in the rear-view mirror and move on to potentially better days.
JV has tilt on tap:
Coupeville’s second squad returns to action before the varsity does, travelling to Mount Vernon Christian Tuesday, Oct. 16 for a game.
Coupeville soccer coaches Kimberly Kisch and Robert Wood, deep in thought. (Carly Burt photo)
Closer, but not close enough.
Playing defending state champ Friday Harbor for the second time this season, the Coupeville High School soccer squad shaved three goals off their margin of defeat.
But the Wolves still took the loss Tuesday, falling 4-1 on the road, and this time around it counts as a conference game.
The defeat drops CHS to 2-2 in Northwest 2B/1B League action, 5-3 overall.
For the moment, that pushes Coupeville from 2nd place in the nine-team league to 5th, but the Wolves get a quick turnaround.
The co-ed squad hits the road again Thursday, traveling to Marysville to play Providence Classical Christian (2-1, 6-3).
While the break between games is short, the Wolves will focus on their inner strength between now and Thursday.
“Improvement from our first game against them,” said CHS coach Robert Wood. “But overall, poor play and laziness most of the night by many players.
“Much work and meditation to internalize before Providence … or else.”
Tuesday’s tilt featured two of the top four teams in the current Washington Interscholastic Activities Association RPI rankings, as Friday Harbor sits at #1 and Coupeville slots in at #4.
The Wolves only losses this season have come to the Wolverines — one considered a league game; one considered a non-league rumble — and a one-goal nailbiter against #3 Mount Vernon Christian.
Cael Wilson waits for his moment. (Mia Farris photo)
Junior forward Cael Wilson cracked a shot from 25 yards out to account for Coupeville’s lone score this time around.
It was his first goal of the season, and fifth of his career.
Wilson, who is the sixth Wolf to score a varsity goal this campaign, has now scored in four consecutive seasons, as he debuted for the Wolves as an 8th grader.
JV holds its own:
Coupeville’s second squad fought Friday Harbor to a 1-1 tie, lifting its record to 0-2-1 on the season.
Dane Hadsall scored for the Wolves, notching his first goal, redirecting a through-ball delivered his way by Sage Arends.
Friday night there was no liquid sunshine as in earlier games, just Ezra Boilek raining down goals. (Jackie Saia photo)
Does Ezra Boilek know who Jim Croce was?
Maybe, maybe not, but Friday night the former lived up to the words sung by the latter during pregame warmups.
And he’s bad, bad Leroy Brown.
The baddest man in the whole damn town.
Badder than old King Kong.
And meaner than a junkyard dog.
Now, Ezra Boilek actually seems like a pretty mellow dude in real life, but on the pitch, he was Grace Academy’s worst nightmare.
Raining down not one, not two, but FIVE goals in one half of play, the sharpshooter with the golden leg spurred the Wolves to a resounding 5-2 win under Friday Night Lights.
The victory lifts Coupeville to 2-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 5-2 overall, and sets up a royal rumble next Tuesday, Oct. 10.
The Wolves, currently ranked #5 in Washington Interscholastic Activities Association RPI, travel to Friday Harbor to face the defending state champs, who sit at 3-0, 6-1 and #2.
The two schools played in the season opener, with Coupeville falling in a game considered a non-conference affair.
This time around, the game counts in the league standings and has huge playoff implications.
Friday night was all about not getting caught looking too far ahead, and Coupeville took care of business.
Squaring off with a scrappy Grace Academy squad, the Wolves launched an attack on the goal, and Boilek, who spent his freshman season as a kicker for the CHS football team, finished things off with a bang.
His first score came from the right side a few minutes into play, then he cranked goal #2 with a little extra mustard on it.
Score #3 came from the middle of the field, Boilek slapping the ball into the left corner of the net, then wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am he rattled home two more goals before the game’s first 40 minutes were up.
Is his five-goal nuclear explosion a school single-game record for Wolf boys?
It appears so, since CHS career scoring leaders Abraham Leyva and Derek Leyva, who tallied 45 and 38 goals respectively, both topped out at four goals in one game.
So, raise one finger, then two, three, four, and finally, the full hand for Boilek, who was repeatedly mobbed by excited teammates.
In one half Boilek went from one career goal to six, pushing him to a tie for #19 on the all-time Wolf boys’ list, along with Xavier Murdy, Zack Nall, and James Wood.
Wolf sharpshooters (l to r) Preston Epp, Boilek, and Nick Guay live to terrorize goaltenders. (Carly Burt photo)
Grace Academy did manage one goal of its own midway through the first half, then scraped out a second one late in the game after Coupeville had gone to a JV-heavy lineup.
When Boilek wasn’t crushing the life out of the ball, teammates Preston Epp, Ayden Wyman, and Cael Wilson had strong looks at the net, but came up just short of scoring.
Coupeville’s defense was on point all night, especially in the first half, with Hank Milnes, Andrew Williams, Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim and Co. clamping down hard on any potential shooters.
Angel Partida is one of five Wolves to score a varsity goal this season. (Jackie Saia photo)
They’ve got the magic toes.
Five Coupeville High School soccer players have scored this season for a Wolf varsity squad which is sitting pretty at 4-2 at the halfway point of the regular season.
CHS, which is 1-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League action, begins the second half of a 12-game run Friday, hosting Grace Academy.
Overall, the Wolves have three more rumbles on the road and three at home as they chase a playoff berth, with a home clash against Friday Harbor (Oct. 10) and a trip to Orcas Island (Oct. 24) the biggies.
Here’s who’s putting the ball in the back of the net through six games:
Cole White – 6 Nick Guay – 5 Preston Epp – 2 Ezra Boilek – 1 Angel Partida – 1
The Wolves celebrate a score. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Coupeville Sports 