Nick Guay dropped a note-perfect mix tape during pregame warmups, then scored his 13th career goal in a big Coupeville win. (Carly Burt photo)
Flawless? No. Thrilling? Yes.
The Coupeville High School soccer squad might not have delivered its best performance of the season Friday, but the Wolf booters still had way too much firepower for visiting Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood.
Raining down goals under Friday Night Lights and using a suffocating defense to allow goaltender Hurlee Bronec plenty of rest time, CHS strolled to a crowd-pleasing 4-0 win.
The victory, coming in both team’s Northwest 2B/1B League opener, lifts Coupeville to 1-0 in conference play, 4-1 overall.
The core of a first-place team. (Jackie Saia photo)
Now, the Wolves will carry a four-game winning streak on the road next week, traveling to Mount Vernon Christian for a matchup with a dangerous Hurricanes squad.
Coupeville will need to clean up its passing to hang with MVC, a perennial state tourney contender, but the goal-scoring, enthusiasm, and team camaraderie is already present.
The Wolves have proven quite adept at bashing away and scoring goals this season, and that was on display Friday night.
Cole White broke open a scoreless tie in the game’s 21st minute, peppering the CPC goalie with a laser, before fellow senior Nick Guay popped in a shot seven minutes later.
Around the two first-half scores, the Wolves had numerous other chances which just missed.
Preston Epp and Guay slapped shots which drifted just a bit at the end, sliding past the net, while Ayden Wyman was robbed by a nice save from the visiting netminder.
Awarded a penalty kick after being knocked around in a scrum, Wyman, who tallied 13 goals in two years with the Wolf girls’ team, came dangerously close to becoming the first CHS female to score in a boys’ game.
While she was (barely) denied, Coupeville picked up another two goals after the halftime break.
White punched in his second score of the night 15 minutes into the second half, before Preston Epp went on a rampage, beating the CPC goalie on a breakaway to cap the offensive output.
Facing off with a defense led by Hank Milnes and Andrew Williams, Cedar Park had few chances to score.
Jedi master Hurlee Bronec compels the ball to stop using just his mind. (Jackie Saia photo)
CPC’s best try came courtesy a penalty kick, but the shooter went wide right, perhaps chilled by the sight of Bronec coldly staring him down.
Or the gathered Wolf fans screaming and thumping the metal seats, creating a wall of sound which rippled across the prairie.
With his two scores Friday, White moves into a tie with Guay for the season lead, as both gunners have tallied five apiece.
Now with 13 career goals, Guay jumps a rung, and is tied with Wolf grad Aidan Wilson for #6 all-time, while White has nine celebrations.
That ties him with pitch legend Jon Chittim for #12.
Preston Epp, just a junior, has two goals on the season, and seven for his career, as he also continues to move up the list.
He already owns the family record, edging older brother Cameron, who scored four times during his own strong prep career.
#7 has scored seven times in his CHS career. (Jackie Saia photo)
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