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Archive for the ‘Softball’ Category

Big impact, big legacy

Posted in Hall o' Fame, Softball, tagged , , , , on July 30, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Kevin McGranahan, softball guru. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

No fear.

During his nine years at the helm of the Coupeville High School softball program, Kevin McGranahan, and his teams, never backed down from a challenge.

Ever.

The Wolf sluggers won a lot of games, collected some nice hardware, and built a solid reputation for not only excelling on the field, in the classroom, and in the community, but for how they did it.

When McGranahan took over the program in 2016, the Navy veteran was employed at a school playing in the 1A classification.

Midway through his tenure, the Wolves returned to their old stomping grounds in 2B, reflective of the size of the student body, not of the heart displayed by those teenagers.

McGranahan proved to be a master of strategy, and a man who nimbly walked the line between having his team beat its rivals, while never unnecessarily embarrassing inferior, or rebuilding programs.

He used his whole bench whenever possible, made sure that the last girl on the roster saw field time in real game action, and that every Wolf felt valued.

But he also challenged his players, and they grew because of it.

During McGranahan’s time sitting on the bucket at the edge of the dugout, Coupeville challenged bigger schools, and legacy programs whenever possible.

The Wolves always played to win, but the value of a hard-fought non-conference loss against an Onalaska, or a Forks, or a Lynden Christian, was worth its own weight in gold.

Having a heart-to-heart with Jae LeVine. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

So, Coupeville played 3A Oak Harbor, on its field, and beat the Wildcats as Veronica Crownover’s homer sailed high over the fence.

And yes, the big city diamond dandies haven’t played CHS again since that moment — but that’s on them, and not McGranahan, who always was ready for a rematch.

His nine-year run appears to have come to an end with his recent resignation and a planned move across the country so he and wife Justine can be closer to family.

But as he departs, he leaves the Wolf softball program in a really solid position.

Every player from the team that went 14-5 this spring can return next year, but it’s more than that.

McGranahan followed a divisive coach who lasted almost a full season and had no interest in working with the media — literally running away from Jim Waller and myself after one game rather than answer a question.

From day one, the former little league coach turned high school guru brought a different energy to the program, recalling previous highlights like David and Amy King and Jackie Saia.

He’s been open, willing to speak truth, and always accommodating.

One of the best for sending info from the road, and a straight shooter in person, McGranahan is a personal favorite of mine.

Directing traffic on the basepaths. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

On the field, his success is undeniable.

His teams crafted a 111-49 record, with seven consecutive winning seasons after the 2016 team went 9-11.

Having taken the Wolves to the 1A state tourney in 2019 — where they fought valiantly against eventual champ Montesano, thrashed Deer Park, and came within a play of upending Cle Elum — McGranahan and his girls were shafted by the pandemic.

A team primed to make a return run at big dance glory never got to play a game in spring 2020, but the Wolf coach was instrumental in not letting real world disappointment crush his program.

Coupeville stormed back to go 12-0 in a shortened 2021 season which marked the school’s return to 2B and is 56-14 across the last four seasons.

Softball has been one of the most successful Wolf sports programs over the years, first in slow-pitch, then in its current incarnation as a fast-pitch endeavor.

McGranahan built on what was crafted by Randy Dickson, the Kings, Saia, and others, and his successor will be walking into a prime opportunity.

Coupeville softball players take the field expecting to win, prepared to compete, and unwilling to back down from anyone, regardless of the name on the other uniform, or what future D-1 college player may be chucking fastballs from the pitcher’s circle.

As he and Justine depart, we take a moment to hail Kevin McGranahan for what he accomplished, both in terms of the win-loss record, and in terms of building a respected program.

So, let’s swing open the doors to the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, and add him to the pantheon.

After this, while he’ll reside on the other side of the USA, he’ll always be a Wolf, living large up on top of the blog under the Legends tab.

His impact will be remembered and appreciated.

One team, one dream. (Kim Brotemarkle photo)

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Thunder make some noise in finale

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on July 29, 2024| Leave a Comment »

With the travel ball season done, Teagan Calkins (center) will return to repping Coupeville’s red and black. (Photo courtesy Shawn Calkins)

They finished the summer season with a bang.

Crunching the ball at the plate, and playing inspired defense, the Whidbey Island Thunder 18U softball squad wrapped its campaign with a second-straight second-place performance at a weekend tourney.

Even without lineup stalwarts Taylor Brotemarkle and Loto Tupu, the all-star team bashed 30 hits across five games, including three home runs from longball lover EmmaJoy Wise.

The Thunder made huge strides this summer, jumping from a 15-25 record last year to 18-14-2 this time around.

That includes back-to-back second-place trophies on top of a 5th place finish at Cascade Nationals and an 8th place finish in the Canada Cup.

One final award, one final team pic. (Photo courtesy Shawn Calkins)

The finale — the Game Day Last Pitch tourney in Kent — started with a brief stumble for the Thunder, but they recovered quickly.

After dropping the opener 6-1, Whidbey rebounded to take the next two games by 11-1 and 10-3 margins.

“The girls came out first game of the pool play, and I think we left our bats back on the Island,” said Thunder coach Matt Suto.

“It happens.

“That didn’t stop us, that just made us mad and fired up our bats,” he added. “We came back the next game and just hit right off the bat and never took a foot off the gas pedal.”

Heading into bracket play Sunday, the Thunder got a measure of revenge, smacking the team they lost to in the opener.

This time out, Whidbey won 9-1, propelling them into the championship bout.

The offense hit a downturn in the final game, however, with a double off the bat of Layla Suto about the only spark.

While he would have liked to end things with a title, Matt Suto came away from the game, the tourney, and the season, very pleased with what he saw.

“I cannot express how proud I am of every single one of these girls,” he said.

The tournament not only brought an end to the season but was also the swan song for the current lineup.

EmmaJoy Wise and flamethrower Grace Swenson will be playing at the collegiate level next year, while several other players are moving on to other teams.

But while the lineup may be revamped next summer, Matt Suto has high hopes.

“I am incredibly honored to be able to be a part of every single one of these girls’ softball journey,” he said.

“Thank you, players and families, for an amazing summer; every single girl contributed in some way, and I am proud of every one of them.

“I cannot thank the families for their support every weekend in allowing myself, Shelly Ryder, and Lance Lopez to coach these wonderful athletes.

“The Thunder squad is still strong; we will just have to find the fit for the girls that we are losing, and I believe we will come back even stronger next year ready to take on any challenge.”

 

Weekend stats:

Zoe Abbott — Two walks
Kylee Baize — Two singles
Jivanna Bird — One double
Teagan Calkins — Five singles, two doubles
Hayden Davies — Four singles, one walk
Anna Friedrichs — One double, three walks
Madison McMillan — One double, five walks
Ramona Ryder — Three singles, one double
Layla Suto — One singles, two doubles, two walks
Grace Swenson — Two singles, one walk
EmmaJoy Wise — Two singles, three home runs, one walk

That’s a wrap. (Photo courtesy Matt Suto)

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Vipers fight till the finale

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on July 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville sluggers Cameron (left) and Sydney Van Dyke hang out with pops. (Photos courtesy Grant Van Dyke and Michelle Armstrong)

“These girls have nothing to hang their heads about.”

Playing inspired ball all the way, from the first pitch to the final hit, the Island Vipers 14U softball team ended summer play last weekend with a bang at the Diamonds Fastpitch Tournament in Lynnwood.

“The girls showed the fight they have all year, but this time they had to dig deep,” said head coach Grant Van Dyke.

“I am so proud of all of them and can’t wait to see what they do next year.”

Vipers leadoff hitter Haylee Armstrong spent most of her weekend getting on base.

With a shuffled lineup to cover for players absent due to family trips (Ava Lucero) and big sister’s weddings (Chelsi Stevens), the Island crew stretched their final two games to extra innings before finishing with a second-place trophy in the silver division.

“We had every girl contribute to the weekend,” Van Dyke said. “(Pitcher) Adeline (Maynes) took care of the opposition bats like she always does, and our bats got hot.”

The Vipers played five games over two days, winning two and coming within a pitch of upending the Spartans in a 6-5 thriller in the finale.

That game literally came down to a two-out, two-strike, walk-off hit down the line, showcasing how the game can be decided by an inch here, an inch there.

Capri Anter had a hot bat in Lynnwood.

Fresh off a strong summer, the Vipers send their players back to their respective Whidbey Island schools, with Wolves, Falcons, and Wildcats all represented on the roster.

Next time around, the travel ball program will grow, as they plan to field both 16U and 14U teams going forward.

 

Weekend stats:

Shea Allison — Two singles, one double, two walks
Capri Anter — Five singles, one walk
Haylee Armstrong — Five singles, two walks
Jolene Coleman — Two singles, one double, one walk
Emma Cushman — One walk
Lena Heggenes — Three singles, one walk
Adeline Maynes — Two singles, one home run
Kennedy Strevel — Three singles
Cameron Van Dyke — One single
Sydney Van Dyke — One double, four walks
Abby Whitney — One single, one walk
Sophie Ziegler — Two singles, two doubles, two triples

The Vipers show off some hardware after a long weekend.

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Big bats, big results

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on July 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Spring or summer, Madison McMillan punishes softballs. (Jackie Saia photo)

Swing for the fences and aim for success.

Cranking four home runs and 14 extra-base hits, the Whidbey Island Thunder 18U softball squad won four of five at a 14-team tourney in Kent this past weekend, coming up just a run short of capturing a title.

The hard-hitting squad swept through pool play with a perfect 3-0 record, came out on top in the semifinals, then fell 3-2 in a tightly contested Gold Bracket championship bout.

“I am so extremely impressed with how these girls have come together the last few weeks and just shown everybody that the little Whidbey Thunder organization is something to be reckoned with,” said coach Matt Suto.

“They left their hearts out on the field, and they smiled even after they lost,” he added. “These girls have worked hard all year long and we are eventually going to get that championship win.”

The Thunder came out on fire, with Madison McMillan and EmmaJoy Wise launching longballs to center in a 4-2 win over the Washington Freedom.

McMillan, one of three Coupeville sluggers on the roster along with Teagan Calkins and Taylor Brotemarkle, sent her tater flying 240+ feet, dropping jaws in both dugouts.

With her teammates teeing off, and a strong defense at work behind her, Thunder hurler Grace Swenson got the win in the pitcher’s circle, then handed the ball off to Zoe Abbott for game #2.

Late-game offensive heroics from Anna Friedrichs and Hayden Davies lifted Whidbey to a 4-3 win, before the all-star squad pasted their next foe 12-0 to wrap up a perfect run through pool play.

Ramona Ryder made it three Whidbey pitchers, and three wins, while Layla Suto cracked a three-run homerun to fuel the offensive surge.

“The girls just kept pounding the ball and being aggressive on the bases,” Matt Suto said.

The Whidbey Thunder celebrate a second-place finish at a 14-team tourney. (Photo courtesy Matt Suto)

The Thunder went into Sunday’s semifinals as the #1 team, marking the second weekend in a row they had achieved that feat.

This time out, Whidbey beat the Whatcom Wolverines 6-3 with Swenson dealing from the circle and Layla Suto making a phenomenal snag to rob her rivals of a potential home run.

“This was the championship game in my opinion,” Matt Suto said. “I have personally waited three years to beat this team and the girls came out fired up ready to play ball.

“Swenson pitched an absolute dime of a game in the circle, backed by multiple plays that secured the victory for us.”

While the bats were potent, it was the gloves which carried the day.

“We had killer defense in the infield — nothing got by the girls,” Matt Suto said. “They were putting their bodies and everything in front of the ball and they knocked the ball down and threw everyone out.”

Whatcom had one final chance, cramming the bags full of runners with their top hitter strolling to the plate.

To which Swenson said, “No Ma’am, not today. Not on my watch.”

The duo battled through a nine-pitch at-bat, before Whidbey’s ace “dug deep, got her pitch where she wanted it, and struck her out,”

Swenson then doubled her fun, whiffing the game’s final batter to send her team into the championship tilt.

“The championship game Zoe pitched an amazing game,” Matt Suto said. “Unfortunately, we had one mistake that cost us three runs, and that was it.”

Layla Suto clobbered a two-run homer to keep Whidbey within one run, but that was where things ended.

“We fought to the very end,” Matt Suto said. “We just ran out of steam.”

The Thunder wrap their season with a trip to Kent next weekend, before players head back to their individual schools.

 

Weekend stats:

Zoe Abbott — One single
Teagan Calkins — One single, two doubles, four walks
Hayden Davies — One single, one walk
Anna Friedrichs — Three singles
Madison McMillan — Two singles, one double, one triple, one home run, one walk
Mia Regan — Two singles
Ramona Ryder — One single, one double, two walks
Layla Suto — Two singles, one double, two home runs, two walks
Grace Swenson — One single
Loto Tupu — Three singles, one double
EmmaJoy Wise — Three singles, three doubles, one home run, one walk

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“I will always be a Wolf!”

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on July 20, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Kevin McGranahan enjoys his time on the softball field. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The winningest active coach at Coupeville High School is hitting the road.

Wolf softball guru Kevin McGranahan, who has compiled 111 wins, multiple league titles, and a very successful trip to the state tourney in 2019, has resigned effective August 15.

He and wife Justine, who was indispensable as an assistant coach and Wolf Mom, are moving to Folkston, Georgia.

With their children, CHS grads Wade Schaef and Katrina McGranahan-Rutledge, pursuing life in other areas now, the couple found themselves far away from family, helping prompt the move.

“We have been trying to move for the last few years but one thing or another has not allowed us to,” Kevin McGranahan said.

“We are the only two from either side of our families out on the West coast.

“With both of our kids now grown and building their own lives — one in Virginia and one going to Japan — we decided it’s time to go East, well Southeast.”

McGranahan has some time left to “get new uniforms ordered and clean up the loose ends for whoever the new coach may be” before they depart, then it’s a “3,500-mile trek across this great country.”

A master of in-game strategy at work. (Parker Hammons photo)

McGranahan has led the Wolf softball program for the past nine years, since he was hired in 2016.

That first team went 9-11 and showed tremendous growth. After that, Coupeville has been one of the most-successful softball programs in the region, first in 1A, then later 2B.

Coupeville went 19-5 in 2017, the most wins for the program since the 2002 team went 24-3 and finished third at the state tourney.

The 2019 squad, led by the homer-hitting duo of Veronica Crownover and Sarah Wright and freshman pitcher Izzy Wells, advanced to the 1A state tourney.

While there, the Wolves put up a strong fight against eventual state champ Montesano, destroyed Deer Park to claim the program’s first win at the big dance in nearly two decades, and came within a play of eliminating Cle Elum.

With the core of that team returning, Coupeville was primed for another run in 2020, only to lose its season to the pandemic, which erased all spring sports.

While he wasn’t able to record any wins that season, McGranahan joined with his fellow coaches to provide every opportunity possible for his players while still honoring ever-changing state health guidelines.

When softball returned to the field in 2021, CHS had moved to the 2B classification, and the Wolf sluggers went a pristine 12-0 in a shortened campaign.

The Wolves have followed that up with 16, 14, and 14 wins across the past three seasons, adding two more league crowns and not dodging anyone.

Under McGranahan, Coupeville softball has consistently played as tough a non-conference schedule as possible, with the Wolves often toppling teams from bigger classifications, such as 3A Oak Harbor.

This spring, a team that started three 8th graders, two freshmen, a sophomore, and four juniors (with no seniors on the roster) went 14-5 and was honored as the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association 2B Team of the Month for April.

With the entire roster set to return, and another talented group moving up, McGranahan is confident the Wolves are in a good place.

“The program is poised to win the league again and make a strong run at state,” he said. “If there is a good time to walk away, it is probably now.

“I give the new coach a proven championship roster for their first season.”

Hanging out with Taylor Brotemarkle. (Bailey Thule photo)

While he’ll miss the games, the strategy, and maybe even the occasional disagreement with the umpires, it’s the people involved who have had the biggest impact on him.

“I will miss being on the field come February thru May, and most of all I will miss the young ladies I have treated as my own for the last nine years,” McGranahan said.

“It is never going to be a perfect time to step away,” he added. “The kids keep coming into high school and now even middle school, and then you get attached to them again and the clock starts over.”

But while he won’t be the one calling the shots anymore, McGranahan will still be a part of Wolf Nation.

“I will be watching from South Georgia and will be the proudest coach to see his girls carry on the program,” he said.

“I will always be a WOLF, and their biggest fan.”

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