CHS track stars (l to r) Henry Wynn, Thane Peterson and Allison Wenzel spent four days working with UW coaches. (Photo courtesy Susan Wenzel)
A trio of Wolves took the next step in their evolution as track stars.
Coupeville High School seniors Allison Wenzel and Henry Wynn and sophomore Thane Peterson recently attended a four-day camp at the University of Washington to hone their skills.
The camp, run by U-Dub coaches, gave high school athletes insight into several components of being successful.
They each trained in specific events, while also getting advice on stretching, personal fitness and wellness, mindfulness, treating and preventing muscle injuries and health and nutrition.
The hunt for scholarships and what it’s like to be a college-level athlete were also addressed.
Wenzel used the camp to work on javelin and discus, while Peterson joined her in discus and Wynn was schooled in short distance running.
It was Peterson’s first trip to the UW camp, while Wenzel and Wynn were making their second visit.
The Wolf athletes came away impressed with what they gained from the camp.
“Allison said she highly recommends it!,” said mom Susan Wenzel.
Alana Mihill has it made in the shade. (Susan Hulst photo)
Alana Mihill is a quiet assassin.
The Coupeville 7th grader doesn’t waste her time chattering away but simply goes out and gets the job done.
The younger sister of CHS soccer star Laurence Boado, she played basketball and competed in track and field during her first year of middle school sports.
Mihill, who was born in Hawaii but moved to Coupeville when she was two, competed in a number of events this spring.
She ran the 200 and 800, threw the javelin and carried the baton as a member of the Wolves 4 x 400 relay unit.
A fan of her science and gym classes (“My favorite is gym because we don’t have to sit the whole time”), she enjoys spending time taking her dog for walks.
Mihill hails CMS track coaches Elizabeth Bitting and Jon Gabelein for their inspiration, and enjoys both of her sports for allowing her to “be active and have fun.”
Whether playing hoops or competing on the oval, she keeps chugging away like the Energizer Rabbit.
“My strength is endurance,” Mihill said. “And I would like to work on my speed.”
The team aspect of basketball gives it a slight edge over the often solo lifestyle of a track athlete when she picks her favorite sport.
“Basketball, because there is less individual pressure,” Mihill said. “I would like to continue in basketball and work on shooting baskets.”
Ben Smith charges after a loose ball during a middle school basketball game. (John Fisken photo)
There’s a second star in the family.
Jacob Smith has attracted a fair amount of attention the past two years, breaking school records and winning state meet medals in track.
But hot on his heels comes younger brother Ben, a three-sport athlete who’s making the jump to Coupeville High School in the fall.
During his middle school days, the younger Smith brother played football and basketball, while also running track like his older sibling.
“My brother has made a huge impact on me during track season,” Ben Smith said. “I may drop track (in high school), but I see it as a talent to continue, though.
“I’ve been told I should continue it.”
Football, where he’s a hard-hitting two-way player, has grown to be his favorite.
“It has become the sport I have the most talent at, out of all of them,” Smith said.
A fan of hip hop and horror and science fiction films, he looks forward to history class, as well.
“I enjoy history, as I study a lot of it,” Smith said. “It’s a very easy subject, in my opinion.”
His best middle school sports memories include “breaking the football defensive yardage record and scoring my first few points in basketball.”
While he’s excelled in the sports he’s played, he’s “always open to try new things” and may mix things up with high school offering more sports teams than middle school did.
Whatever he ends up playing, Smith will get the most he can out of every athletic opportunity.
“It gets my body going and keeps me healthy to a limit I want,” he said. “And I could use this athleticism to go somewhere I would want.
“I would like to continue my soccer career or football and continue my positions within them and use them for college sports if I make any college teams.”
Gabe Carlson was one of 30 CHS track athletes to letter this spring. (Angi Carlson photo)
Madison Rixe zinged her way to a letter as well. (John Fisken photo)
A season of highlights ended with one final one.
Capping a successful track and field campaign in which Coupeville brought home five state meet medals and debuted its new home facilities, Wolf coach Randy King awarded letters to 30 athletes Wednesday.
From sprinters to distance runners to jumpers and throwers, the list includes 18 girls and 12 boys.
Varsity letter winners:
Chris Battaglia Jakobi Baumann Lauren Bayne Ariah Bepler Gabe Carlson Mitchell Carroll Danny Conlisk Lauren Grove Naika Hallam Natalie Hollrigel Ja’Tarya Hoskins Mallory Kortuem Ryan Labrador Skyler Lawrence Mckenzie Meyer Alexxis Otto Abby Parker Grey Rische Madison Rixe Lindsey Roberts Lucy Sandahl Ashlie Shank Emma Smith Jacob Smith Keahi Sorrows Cameron Toomey-Stout Maya Toomey-Stout Raven Vick Allison Wenzel Henry Wynn
Participation Certificates:
Kyle Burnett Luke Carlson Jean Lund-Olsen Jasmine Nastali Thane Peterson Ema Smith Willow Vick Aurora Zanardi
Hardwood hot shot Kiara Contreras. (Photo courtesy Angella Contreras)
The future is bright for Kiara Contreras.
Not only is the Coupeville Middle School 7th grader a fast-rising star in multiple sports, but, soon, she’ll be able to see her favorite film.
For the first time.
Contreras is beyond thrilled that one of her favorite books, the teen lit tearjerker “Everything, Everything” has been turned into a film which is hitting theaters across America.
She hails the trailer (you can see it at the end of this story) as her favorite thing to watch, saying “the book was awesome!”
When she’s not mainlining her #1 coming attraction, Contreras loves listening to country and hip hop, swimming and working in her wood shop class.
As an athlete, she’s a woman for all seasons, playing volleyball and basketball and running track.
Contreras doubles up as a hoops player, taking the court as a SWISH player in addition to her court time at CMS.
She enjoys the different challenges all of the sports present (“I love them all”) and may branch out further once she hits high school.
“Maybe I’ll add another sport,” Contreras said. “Not sure which one yet!”
She continues to work hard, regardless of the season, and wants to build her strengths in each of her sports.
“In volleyball, my strength is no fear of diving for the ball,” Contreras said. “I need to work on my serving.
“In basketball, my strength is being a point guard and having the ability to get the ball to the other players,” she added. “I need to work on my baskets.”
Contreras is coming off of a debut track season in which she competed for the Wolves across a broad range of events.
“In track, my strength is being able to push myself to the limit,” she said. “I need to work on focusing forward instead of looking at the other racer.”
As she moves forward in her athletic career, Contreras has firm goals (“I want to get to state with my girls!!!”), while getting a great deal of enjoyment from her time as a competitor.
Her family, friends and coaches inspire her, and push the always-in-motion fireball to keep on working and improving with every practice, every game, every meet.
“My mom Angella, pushing me to try a new sport like track and me loving it,” Contreras said. “My cousins, Raven and Willow Vick, for giving me pointers and support with volleyball and track!
“Ja’Kenya Hoskins and Zach Murtha for believing in me and supporting me. Plus pushing me to do better!,” she added. “Mrs. (Elizabeth) Bitting for making me work my hardest everyday!
“Even though we didn’t get McDonald’s…”
Contreras also got a strong emotional boost from a former CHS track star (and state meet veteran) who joined the CMS staff as an assistant coach this spring.
“Larry (Hurlburt) for giving me the courage to do the 200 by your awesome high fives!”
The outgoing Contreras gets many benefits from playing sports, but one special strong point for her has been the chance to get to know others, and not just on her own team.
“It’s a great way to learn to work together with others,” she said. “Meeting new friends on the other teams, like Aspen, who plays sports for Forks.
