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Archive for the ‘Track’ Category

Lindsey Roberts: Woman of a 1,000 grins. (John Fisken photos)

Lindsey Roberts: woman of 1,000 grins. (John Fisken photos)

(Amy King photo)

   Celebrating with part of her hoops squad after winning the 1A Olympic League crown. (Amy King photo)

She is The Natural. The Chosen One. The Savior.

Is she blushing yet?

Daughter to two former Coupeville High School Athlete of the Year winners.

Granddaughter to a legendary Wolf coach.

Cousin, niece and older sister to a whole host of skilled athletes, all of whom have little to no fear of the camera, as well.

So it comes as no surprise to see Lindsey Roberts lighting up the world, one day at a time.

The CHS frosh, who has already lettered (and been a key player) in soccer and basketball, is about to blow the roof off the joint in track.

Her debut on the high school oval is three days away (Thursday at the Island Jamboree in Oak Harbor), but first, there are more important matters.

Like a little cake day, as she (and grandpa Sandy) share a birthday today.

As she celebrates, we want to take a moment to gush about Lindsey, while not going too overboard.

After all, we have 3 1/3 more years to do that, as she shatters all the records and takes all the awards.

Part of a very impressive Class of 2019 (from Sarah Wright to Ashlie Shank to Kalia Littlejohn to Emma Smith to Maddy Hilkey to Ashley Menges and on and on, the freshmen girls boast one of the deepest classes of athletes in years), Roberts is the early leader.

Not to jinx her, but she’s the only Wolf 9th grader, girl or boy, who remains on pace to win a full 12 varsity letters, something very few before her have accomplished at CHS.

Whether she makes it to the land of Hailey Hammer and Megan Smith or not, she is going to be a delight to watch.

The biggest reason?

Not her talent, which is unmistakable. Not even her hard work and dedication, which bolsters the talent.

It is, quite simply, her joy.

The joy that spills out of Lindsey in great waves whenever she takes the athletic stage, regardless of the sport.

She is a young woman who genuinely seems to love being an athlete, and it carries over to how she interacts with her teammates, coaches, fans and personal photographers.

And we have to mention that, because Roberts is on a very short list (with McKayla and McKenzie Bailey, Lauren Rose, Taya Boonstra and Hunter Hammer) when it comes to lovin’ her time in front of the camera.

She is solid gold, the go-to standard, because no matter if she’s sick, eating or grumpy, she will bring her A-game whenever she hears a camera shutter go off.

Coupeville Sports lives and thrives thanks to Lindsey and her ilk, and it is absolute kismet that, as we lose a transcendent athlete like Makana Stone to graduation, we gain such a bright ball of energy as Miss Roberts.

I can go on now. I have a reason to keep publishing.

Yes, well…

Anyways, I just want to wish Lindsey (and her grandpa) the best of birthdays.

Never stop being awesome, Lou. Just keep on being yourself.

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Sylvia Hurlburt (John Fisken photos)

   Track titan Sylvia Hurlburt is super-psyched to go run in the cold rain and wind. (John Fisken photos)

Wolf seniors (l to r) CJ Smith, Cole Payne and Brenden Gilbert

   Wolf seniors (left to right) CJ Smith, Cole Payne and Brenden Gilbert spend some time bonding on picture day.

Spring is here.

Well, maybe not weather wise, but the Coupeville High School sports calendar says it’s almost time to pretend otherwise.

All five Wolf teams will kick off their season within the next week, and all here on the Island.

Boys’ soccer is up first, followed quickly (weather permitting) by softball and baseball, then girls’ tennis and, finally, track and field.

The CHS booters will host a jamboree at Mickey Clark Field this Friday (3 PM), with South Whidbey, Skyline and Lake Stevens in attendance, while Wolf baseball heads to Oak Harbor High School Saturday for its own taste of jamboree life.

The diamond men will play three-inning games against South Whidbey (12:30) and Oak Harbor (2 PM).

That same day, the Wolf softball squad is scheduled to be the first to play a real, full game, hosting South Whidbey (12 PM) in a non-conference tilt.

Wrapping up the openers for each Coupeville squad, tennis hosts Granite Falls (3:30 PM) Monday, Mar. 14 and track travels to Oak Harbor (3:30 PM) Thursday, Mar. 17 for the Island Jamboree.

And somewhere Mother Nature just laughs and laughs.

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Keahi Sorrows

Keahi Sorrows

Keahi Sorrows has always had a deep appreciation for space and planetary exploration.

Now the Coupeville High School freshman is spending the spring launching his own missiles through the clear blue sky as a member of the Wolf track and field team.

Sorrows is throwing the shot put, discus and javelin, continuing what he did the last two years at the middle school level.

“My friends from football said I might be good at it, so I just gave it a shot,” he said. “I enjoy the competition.”

“Shot put is definitely my favorite,” Sorrows added. “Shot put was the first field event I was excited to do.

“I feel it shows how powerful a person can be if they really put their all into the event.”

He’s aiming at a district berth in his first go-round at the high school level, and wants to battle with a fellow freshman with whom he’s always had a friendly competition.

“My friends definitely have a big impact on how I perform,” Sorrows said. “Chris Battaglia has been a person I always wanted to beat.

“We’ve been helping each other get better at our events, to be the best we can be.”

Away from sports, he spends his time hanging out with friends, listening to music and learning more about space, which has intrigued him since his younger days.

When he does go out to compete, whether in track or football (he plans to play for CHS in the fall), the rising star draws on his inner strength to overcome the odds.

And while Sorrows is making huge strides every practice, he’s always anxious to perfect his skills.

“I think my strength is my mentality to always improve in any way I can,” he said. “I would always like to work on my form.”

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Julia Jones

Julia Jones

Julia Jones is going out with a bang.

The Coupeville High School senior is closing her final semester on campus by stretching out and doing a little bit of everything.

A longtime member of the school’s acting troupe, she’s deep into her final show, with two performances left of “Second Best Bed” (Mar. 11-12 at 7:30 PM in the Coupeville PAC), part of an evening of one-act plays.

In between preparing for her final moments on the CHS stage, Jones is also reigniting a love for track.

After competing for two years early in life, she’s returned to the oval for one last fling this spring.

“I did track in middle school and stopped but decided to pick it back up my senior year to make this year more memorable,” Jones said.

“I enjoy the sportsmanship in track, because even though it’s a more independent sport, everyone still cheers you on.”

She plans to compete in the 100, long jump and javelin, with a goal of getting under 20 seconds in the 100.

Regardless of what time she runs, the joy derived from pushing herself is what drives Jones.

“I really enjoy sprinting because it makes me feel powerful, even if I’m not very fast compared to my teammates,” she said.

A huge fan of “Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky, Jones enjoys writing and reading in her spare time.

On the track, she is resilient and plucky.

“I think that my strengths are that I continue to try even when I’m having a hard time, as cheesy as it sounds, but even though I’m not the most athletic person on the team I still at least try to push myself,” Jones said.

“I do need to work on my endurance though, I’m still very out of shape,” she added with a laugh.

As she embraces a final athletic challenge before graduation, Jones does so with the support of her family and friends, including one special fellow Wolf track star.

“My friends have had a huge impact on who I am today,” Jones said. “Also my boyfriend, shout out to Jesse Hester, has been there for me since day one and has helped shaped me to be a better person.”

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Jared Helmstadter, the only senior at CHS to have played a sport in all 12 seasons of his school career. (John Fisken photos)

   Jared Helmstadter, the only Class of 2016 senior at CHS to have played a sport in all 12 seasons of his high school career. (John Fisken photos)

Just days after she and the Wolf girls' basketball team went to state, sophomore Allison Wenzel gets limbered up for the discus.

   Just days after she and the Wolf girls’ basketball team went to state, sophomore Allison Wenzel gets limbered up for the discus.

Sophomore Jacob Smith is one of the key returning runners for the Wolves.

Sophomore Jacob Smith is one of the key returning runners for the Wolves.

Where did all these people come from?

At the same time softball and baseball have big enough rosters to field JV as well as varsity squads, the Coupeville High School track team has exploded in numbers.

Exploded, I say.

“We are really excited about our track team and what we can accomplish this season,” said CHS coach Randy King. “I’m pleased about all the newcomers that have decided to join us.

“Our coverage of events is going to be better than last year and we should have a bit more depth,” he added. “We have some top notch shots at league number ones, but it is the twos and threes and fours that add up those needed points for winning meets and the league.

“It is early, but I think both boys and girls have a shot to compete for a league title this spring.”

That’s a huge change from recent years, when the Wolves had to aim more at individual accomplishment.

Coupeville, though, kicks off this new season — its last before the school installs a new home track — with 45 athletes (25 guys, 20 girls), almost double from where it finished last season.

A strong middle school program headed up by Elizabeth Bitting has made a huge difference.

“Our middle school program is building and we are going to get excellent help from that group,” King said. “I know it is early, but practice has really been enjoyable.

“We have some excellent leadership from our returning athletes and they are like assistant coaches and advisers to our whole group,” he added. “As we finish up our first week, our coaches are really pleased with team attitude and work ethic.”

King has more help than ever before, as well, with Brett Smedley (conditioning/jumps), Chad Felgar (hurdlers/sprinters), Lincoln Kelley (throwers), Tom Fournier (sprints/jumps) and Laura Luginbill (distance runners) all chipping in.

The coaches have welcomed back 14 of last year’s 15 letter winners (only Marisa Etzell graduated), including five of the six athletes who went to state last spring.

Senior Makana Stone, who has brought home four state medals in three years (two each in the 400 and 4 x 200) heads that list, and she’s joined by senior Dalton Martin (5th in the discus last year) and junior Skyler Lawrence (16th in the shot).

Junior Lauren Grove, senior Sylvia Hurlburt and Stone all return from a 4 x 200 relay unit that finished 3rd at state in 2015, setting a school record of 1:46.64 at Cheney.

Along with Etzell, that quartet also reached state in the 4 x 100, but were disqualified on a bad baton hand-off.

Several younger runners are battling to replace Etzell on Coupeville’s top relay teams, with freshman Lindsey Roberts, who won 22 races across multiple events at the middle school level last year, the early favorite.

Even with his biggest roster in memory, King is still trolling the hallways and classrooms at CHS for more depth.

“We are still working hard to try and convince more to come out and enjoy the group dynamics of kids working on being healthy and having fun competing,” he said. “Us coaches have been excited with this group that we get to work with this year.”

The current roster:

R = returning athlete, L = letter winner

Girls:

Lauren Bayne (middle distance, high jump, throws) R, L
Kyla Briscoe (middle distances)
Jovanah Foote (sprints)
Lauren Grove (sprints, jumps) R, L
Naika Hallam (throws) R, L
Tomi Herrera (javelin)
Sylvia Hurlburt (sprints) R, L
Julia Jones (sprints)
Skyler Lawrence (throws) R, L
Samantha Leese (sprints, middle distance)
Estefanny Liquidano (throws)
Mckenzie Meyer (jumps)
Alexxis Otto (throws) R
Abby Parker (distance, javelin) R, L
Madison Rixe (sprints)
Lindsey Roberts (sprints, hurdles)
Ashlie Shank (sprints)
Emma Smith (throws, sprints)
Makana Stone (sprints, middle distance) R, L
Allison Wenzel (throws, hurdles) R

Boys:

Chris Battaglia (discus, middle distance)
Jakobi Baumann (distance)
Ariah Bepler (hurdles, jumps, throws)
Kyle Burnett (sprints)
Mitchell Carroll (jumps) R, L
Danny Conlisk (sprints, middle distance)
Dominic Dausey (sprints, throws)
Hunter Downes (sprints)
Gabe Eck (sprints)
Jordan Ford (jumps, sprints)
Jared Helmstadter (sprints) R, L
Jesse Hester (hurdles) R, L
Uriah Kastner (sprints)
Ethan Kedrowski (sprints)
Lathom Kelley (sprints, hurdles) R, L
Ryan Labrador (throws)
Nile Lockwood (sprints, throws)
Mitchell Losey (throws) R
Dalton Martin (throws) R, L
Jacob Martin (sprints, throws)
Grey Rische (throws) R
Jacob Smith (sprints) R, L
Keahi Sorrows (throws)
Connor Thompson (jumps) R, L
Henry Wynn (sprints, middle distance)

 

To see the track schedule (every meet is on the road), pop over to:

http://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/School.aspx?SchoolID=298

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