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Trinity McGee, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, is a three-sport athlete. (Photos courtesy Angela McGee)

McGee (4), here playing club volleyball, is “very passionate” about her favorite sport.

With one eye on the future, and one eye on improving daily, she’s a young woman who wants to make history.

Trinity McGee doesn’t back down.

The three-sport athlete, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, approaches each game, each practice, ready to rock the joint.

Whether she’s playing volleyball or basketball, or competing in track and field, McGee is fully committed.

“A strength I have in my sports is my aggressiveness,” she said. “When I go to hit the ball in volleyball I gather all my anger and just slam the ball down.

“When in a basketball game I use my aggressiveness to get me to the other side of the court and push myself to the extreme.”

As she transitions to high school, McGee plans to continue with all three of her sports, enjoying the chance to stay active and involved all year long.

“Doing three sports keeps me busy,” she said. “And I get more exercise and stay healthy while moving and practicing.”

But, while McGee enjoys all three, volleyball is nearest and dearest to her heart.

“I feel very passionate about it,” she said. “I would definitely say that volleyball is my favorite sport because of the strategic system.

“You have to communicate with your team on a good strategy that will get the ball over the net and have the rivals speechless,” McGee added. “I also love diving and digging the rivals serves.

“When I get a good dig in, I feel accomplished and proud.”

Whether it’s playing club volleyball or working on her shot in basketball, McGee is always looking to improve.

“I would like to work on my form for shooting and my footwork for hitting,” she said. “But I know that if I work hard enough I can accomplish things I thought I’d never be able to in the past.”

McGee has a vision of future success, and is striving to get herself there.

“My goal is to get better and better and work harder at my sports so that I can have a good chance at getting a scholarship or breaking a record,” she said.

“I have always looked up at the record boards and imagined what it would be like to have my name up there,” McGee added. “Then I decided to try my hardest to make it happen.”

As she has progressed through middle school sports, her coaches and teammates have proved to be invaluable for a young woman on the rise in the classroom and athletic arena.

“In any sport, (teammate) Maddie Georges has always lifted me up when I am down,” McGee said. “Telling me everyone makes mistakes and it’s okay.

“She is the reason that I don’t get down on myself like I used to; she has brought me a long way into the game.”

While playing multiple sports, both in the school system and outside, McGee has had numerous coaches already, and she credits them for helping with her growth.

“Most of all, I would like to thank my coaches for teaching me everything I know from this day on,” she said. “If they were not as caring and determined as they were, I wouldn’t be here today, playing and enjoying sports.”

During her brief down time, McGee enjoys “reading a good book or spending class in Language Arts with Mrs. (Casie) Greve,” woodworking with her dad and baking with her mom.

“Spending time with the people I care about makes life better when I’m not practicing,” she said. “I’d also like to thank my parents for supporting me through everything that happens with my sports and being by my side.”

While the fast-rising young star dreams of big accomplishments, and works to make them a reality, her love of sports ultimately comes down to one thing – happiness.

“Being an athlete is enjoyable because I get to be recognized for something I’m good at and passionate about,” McGee said.

“Also, you get to play with a team and know you’re not alone,” she added. “All the pep talks and the cheers get your adrenaline running and that’s what makes the game fun!”

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Dominic Coffman brings huge heart, and a dash of danger, to every sport he plays. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Coffman, here kick-starting a fast break in middle school, will be a freshman at Coupeville High School this fall.

The most exciting player in middle school sports is headed to high school.

We’re going to let Dominic Coffman speak for himself here in a second, but I just have to say something first.

Over the past two years, no one in a CMS uniform has been quite as entertaining to watch play as he has been.

Coffman is a savage, and I mean that in the best possible way.

He comes with everything he has, and watching “The Dominator” in action is a treat.

Coffman goes flying into every play, whether on the football field, basketball court, or when he’s bouncing between events in track and field.

For example, other players may occasionally get a blocked shot on the hardwood.

At one point during his Coupeville Middle School days, Coffman chased down a play from behind, launched himself airborne, and managed to both reject the shot and bounce his shoe-clad foot off the back of the rival player’s head.

The second part was probably accidental. Doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it.

It was a thing of furious beauty, a testament to the fire Coffman brings to everything he does, and proof that he’ll be worth the price of admission when he invades Coupeville High School this fall.

The whirlwind wild man plans to continue playing all three of his sports, which is good news for Wolf fans (and writers who like a good foot-to-the-head moment).

“They keep me busy all year and with track and field it helps me get ready for football,” Coffman said. “With basketball, it helps me to get stronger and focus.”

While he enjoys all of his sports, gridiron action narrowly nips hoops as his favorite.

“I was six years old when my mom first put me in football,” Coffman said. “Then, when I learned to tackle kids that were two times bigger than me, it helped me to work hard and not to play with fear.”

While track and field can be a largely solitary sport, football and basketball involve groups of players working together to achieve success, something Coffman appreciates.

“They are team sports, so it helped me to learn to get along with others, build friendships and work hard for myself and the rest of the team,” he said. “Football and basketball show love for the game and for family.”

Coffman draws inspiration from fellow freshman-to-be Alex Murdy and current and former Wolf stars like Sean and Cameron Toomey-Stout.

All three are known for their dedication and hard work, something Coffman wants to emulate.

“My friend, Alex, he continues to be himself, not caring what other people think and always reminding me to be a team player doing my best and wanting others to do their best,” he said.

Cameron and Sean, I have watched them and how they push themselves,” Coffman added. “They have encouraged me and they are not afraid to be who they are.”

He also credits his parents for “always supporting and loving me and wanting me to be the best me I can become in everything I do,” and thanks “Ms. Z, Ms. Raven and Mr. Black” for their support in school.

Whether working in class, where he enjoys “math with Mr. DeArmond and history with Mr. Volkman,” or progressing as an athlete, Coffman is all about putting in work.

“All the stuff you can do to get better at my position and to see the face of my future coming true,” he said.

Coffman is working on increasing his speed and vertical jump, and has set goals of becoming a starter in football and “keeping my grades up, so I can still play sports.”

When he’s not at practice or involved in a game, he enjoys swimming, listening to hip hop, taking his Bernese Mountain Dog, Zion, for walks, and spending time with family and friends.

Ultimately, though, it all comes back around to sports, which drive him to be a well-rounded person, and one who plans to shine for the next four years.

“My strengths are my love for sports, my footwork, strength, and speed,” Coffman said.

“I want to work on my mental game and to get faster to get to the ball when I’m playing wide receiver,” he added “I also need to work out in the weight room, and get stronger.

Underestimate him at your own risk. Heart matters most in sports, and Coffman has a huge one.

“I might not be very tall, but I will continue to show it is not the height that matters,” he said. “It is my determination, getting stronger, and love of sports, that will prove who I will become.”

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CHS grad Danny Conlisk won the 200 and 400 Saturday at the Nike Xtreme Speed Christal Johnson Memorial track meet in Auburn. (Dawnelle Conlisk photo)

Danny Conlisk may never lose another race. Ever.

A day after graduating from Coupeville High School, the two-time state champion went out and kicked off the summer season by rolling to a pair of wins in Auburn.

Running at the Nike Xtreme Speed Christal Johnson Memorial, Conlisk scored victories in both the 200 and 400.

In the shorter of the two races, he rambled across the line in a crisp 22.38 seconds, edging out Karandeep Dhillon of Xtreme Speed (22.60).

Conlisk, who is in his second year of running for the Kitsap Fliers Track and Field Club, then crushed the field in the 400.

Leaning across in 51.14, he was a full second faster than runner-up Christopher Rogers of Auburn Elite, who clocked in at 52.14.

Conlisk is scheduled to return to action June 15 at the South Puget Sound Track Festival at Mt. Tahoma High School in Tacoma.

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Two-time state champion Danny Conlisk, seen with CHS track coach Neil Rixe, was honored at Wednesday’s Seattle Mariners game. (Dawnelle Conlisk photos)

Coupeville hits the big board at T-Mobile Park.

Conlisk is the 9th state champ added to the Wall of Fame in the Coupeville High School gym.

Danny Conlisk got his big-city bow.

The Coupeville High School senior and other spring sports state champions were honored Wednesday by the Seattle Mariners.

Conlisk sprinted away with titles in the 200 and 400 at the 1A state track and field championships in Cheney at the end of May.

Those were the first state titles won by a Wolf since Tyler King captured track and cross country crowns in 2010.

While Conlisk, his family, and CHS assistant track coach Neil Rixe went out to the ball game, the Coupeville Booster Club was busy prepping another honor.

Jon Roberts spent part of his Wednesday morning adding new plaques to the Wall of Fame in the CHS gym, making sure they would be up before Conlisk and the Class of 2019 graduate Friday night.

And track and field isn’t the only sport benefiting.

Wolf cheer (3rd place at state) and softball (North Sound Conference champs and 9th at state) join track, which adds plaques for the boys finishing 5th at state, the girls claiming 9th at the big dance, and Conlisk winning his titles.

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Coupeville 7th graders Brionna Blouin (left) and Allison Nastali both earned ribbons at the Cascade League Track and Field Championships. (Elizabeth Bitting photos)

The Wolves closed their season Friday at home with a Class vs. Class meet, won by the 8th graders.

Powered by Prairie Center snacks, the Wolves went out with a burst of excitement.

Before leaving town Thursday for the Cascade League Championships, Coupeville Middle School track and field athletes hit up their local grocery store for a wide range of food products.

Whatever they bought seemed to do the trick, as the Wolves went off in Lakewood, throwing down 20 PR’s and breaking a school record.

CMS 8th grader Alex Murdy closed his middle school career by ripping off a run of 24.94 seconds in the 200, erasing Gabe Eck (25.82 in 2015) from the record book.

It was actually the second-straight time Murdy had shattered the mark, as he ran a 25.25 Tuesday in the prelims.

A second school record also fell Tuesday, and was officially recognized Thursday.

8th grader Carolyn Lhamon, competing in the shot put on day one, threw the orb 32 feet, 11.50 inches, more than five feet past her previous PR of 27-09.

Turns out that tops the previous CMS mark of 29-02.25, set by Morgan Pease in 2016.

What makes it even more remarkable is Lhamon has only been tossing the shot for about a month, picking it up while resting shin splints.

The record-busters drew the headlines, but Coupeville was strong across the board in Thursday’s regular season finale.

“Our athletes’ top-notch efforts, mixed with a season full of improvements earned through hard work, made our first trip to the Cascade League finals one that was full of PRs, great rankings, and even a couple of broken records,” said CMS coach Jon Gabelein.

“Even in the hot sun, nearly all runners found a way to earn a PR today.”

 

(Hopefully) complete Thursday results:

 

GIRLS:

1600 (8th grade) — Carolyn Lhamon (5th) 7:02.12

100 Hurdles (8th grade) — Claire Mayne (6th) 19.86 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay (7th grade) — Allison Nastali, Desi Ramirez, Brionna Blouin, Brielle Armstrong (5th) 1:00.55

4 x 100 Relay (8th grade) — Mayne, Abigail Ramirez, Cristina McGrath, Ryanne Knoblich (4th) 59.50

4 x 200 Relay (8th grade) — Mayne, Lhamon, A. Ramirez, Knoblich (2nd) 2:10.22

Discus (7th grade) — Blouin (2nd) 61-11.50 *PR*; D. Ramirez (4th) 59-04.50 *PR*; Armstrong (7th) 49-10.50 *PR*; Nastali (8th) 48-08 *PR*; Erica McGrath (12th) 46-03.50 *PR*; Isabella Schooley (17th) 36-09.50

Discus (8th grade) — C. McGrath (7th) 56-07; Helen Strelow (10th) 51-05; Taygin Jump (15th) 45-00 *PR*; Camryn Clark (20th) 38-11 *PR*

Long Jump (7th grade) — E. McGrath (5th) 11-10.50; Nastali (10th) 10-11 *PR*; D. Ramirez (15th) 9-11

Long Jump (8th grade) — Knoblich (7th) 12-10; Strelow (8th) 12-08 *PR*; Mayne (11th) 12-05; C. McGrath (22nd) 11-00

 

BOYS:

100 (8th grade) — Reiley Araceley (7th) 12.74 *PR*

200 (7th grade) — Nick Guay (4th) 28.65 *PR*

200 (8th grade) — Alex Murdy (3rd) 24.94 *PR* *SCHOOL RECORD*

400 (8th grade) — Joven Light (6th) 1:05.02

800 (7th grade) — Cole White (6th) 2:36.57 *PR*; Hank Milnes (8th) 2:41.73 *PR*

800 (8th grade) — Aiden Anderson (3rd) 2:35.50 *PR*; Tate Wyman (12th) 3:08.43 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay (7th grade) — Milnes, Mikey Robinett, N. Guay, Logan Downes (2nd) 55.91

4 x 100 Relay (8th grade) — Araceley, Dominic Coffman, Light, Murdy (2nd) 50.81

4 x 200 Relay (7th grade) — Timothy Nitta, Robinett, N. Guay, Downes (2nd) 1:58.73

4 x 200 Relay (8th grade) — Josh Guay, Araceley, Jacob Mathusek, Wyman (4th) 2:02.89

Shot Put (7th grade) — William Davidson (7th) 24-07; Ryan Blouin (11th) 23-05 *PR*

Shot Put (8th grade) — Josh Upchurch (7th) 29-04 *PR*; Killian Coen (12th) 25-10; J. Guay (23rd) 17-07 *PR*

High Jump (8th grade) — Murdy (2nd) 5-05; Coffman (7th) 4-10

 

**And, if you’re wondering why the fanatic who stays up until 3 AM to publish stories the day the event happens is just now getting this story up two days later … it’s a long story.

Suffice it to say, results seemingly weren’t posted, then they were finally found posted in the wrong place, and, even now, we’re not 100% sure everything got posted by the folks in Lakewood.

Peachy…

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