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“They battled!!”

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Katrina McGranahan, Payton Aparicio, Valen Trujillo, volleyball on September 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

McKenzie Bailey and Co. put up a strong fight Tuesday. (John Fisken photo)

They’re getting there.

Looking sharper and more aggressive with each match, a very young Coupeville High School volleyball squad is gunning for its first win of the season.

And, while it didn’t come Tuesday, with the Wolves falling in four sets at Mount Vernon Christian, they did make their best stand yet.

“They battled! I’m really proud of the progress that they’re making on the court,” said CHS coach Breanne Smedley. “The girls are playing together, taking care of their jobs, and doing a better job of siding-out without letting strings of points go by.

“What I was most impressed with was our aggressiveness,” she added. “We were swinging on game point rather than tipping or setting the ball over. We are working on this in practice and it is showing on the court.”

Coupeville fell 25-10, 26-28, 25-20, 25-18, with the non-conference loss dropping it to 0-3 on the still-young season.

The Wolves now have a long gap between matches, not returning to action until Friday, Sept. 25, when they host Orcas Island.

They have picked up two more home matches later in the season, however, which will expand their schedule to 14 matches, while giving them seven on their home floor.

In a move that may confuse some (me for sure), the new matches (Oct. 1 vs Chimacum and Oct. 8 vs. Port Townsend) are against 1A Olympic League rivals, but will be considered non-league matches.

When it comes time to decide playoff teams, seeding and tiebreakers, only the final six matches of the season — when Coupeville plays Klahowya, Port Townsend and Chimacum home-and-away — will count in the conference race.

And yes, there will be a test on that later.

Tuesday, playing a true non-league match against a true non-league team, the Wolves got major contributions across the board.

Sophomore Payton Aparicio delivered a breakout performance, tallying five kills, four digs, a block and a strong 2.09 passing average, while also going a crisp 10/10 at the service line.

Valen Trujillo added 10 digs, a 2.19 passing average and three service aces, while Tiffany Briscoe (five kills), Emma Smith (four kills, one solo block, one block assist) and Katrina McGranahan (four kills, four service aces, one block) all chipped in.

Lauren Rose paced Coupeville on serve, going a flawless 13/13.

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“A great day!!”

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Maddy Hilkey, Orcas Island, SW Invitational, volleyball on September 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Maddy Hilkey (?) and Ashley Menges (JOhn Fisken photo)

Maddy Hilkey (5) and Ashley Menges stepped up Saturday and saw playing time with the Wolf varsity spikers. (John Fisken photo)

Payton Aparicio (left) and Hope Lodell give captain Valen Trujillo a boost. (Lauren Rose photo)

Leaps and bounds.

Showing improvement every day, a very young Coupeville High School volleyball squad continues to rise, and Saturday was another triumph.

Playing at the 16-team South Whidbey Invitational, the Wolves claimed second in their bracket.

Coupeville swept two sets from Orcas Island, a school they will face Sept. 25 at home, and split sets with Port Angeles.

The small-school Wolves also fared well against the bigger teams in the tourney, which included 2A and 3A schools.

“They did great!,” said CHS coach Breanne Smedley. “The team is really starting to come together and realizing their potential on the court.

“We are still learning from the ups and downs associated with being a young team,” she added. “Our goal has been to increase our mental toughness to play “our game” from start to finish.”

Along with the normal varsity lineup, three JV players got the call-up to pad the roster and all made an impression on their coach.

“Our freshman floaters — Maddy Hilkey, Ashley Menges and Sarah Wright — did an amazing job of stepping in when we needed them,” Smedley said.

“Each time we play, I can tell that all the girls have a desire to keep improving and pushing their limits, which makes it extremely fun and rewarding to coach!,” she added. “Overall, a great day!!”

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Can’t hide from me, birthday girl!!

Posted in Happy birthday, Volleyball, tagged Battlin' Briscoes, CHS Wolves, Happy birthday, Kyla Briscoe, volleyball on September 12, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Birthday girl Kyla Briscoe will be in uniform Saturday and playing in a tourney in South Whidbey. (John Fisken photos)

That time when Kyla and Lauren Rose gave me a cupcake. It was a good day.

That time when Briscoe and Lauren Rose gave me a cupcake. It was a good day.

The Battlin’ Briscoes, Kyla and Tiffany. (Amy Briscoe photo)

She probably doesn’t want me to do this.

Tough.

Kyla Briscoe, a three-sport star at Coupeville High School who also happens to be one of the most genuinely sweet, kind-hearted, full of life people you’re ever likely to meet, celebrates a birthday today.

And, while she might like to slide under the radar and go unnoticed, it ain’t happenin’.

Kyla is too extraordinary of a young woman to not be recognized.

We can hail her for her athletic skills, which are vast and deep.

From the first moment Kyla stepped onto the CHS campus, she made an impact on the sporting scene.

She started for the Wolf varsity volleyball and softball squads as a mere freshman, and was a scrappy, defensive-minded hustler for a JV basketball team that went 9-0 in league play.

Now, as a sophomore, she’s right back at it, holding down a starting slot with the Wolf spikers, who are playing in the South Whidbey Invitational on her birthday.

But, like most people we celebrate around here, she is far, far more than just a mere athlete.

I have known Miss Briscoe for a good chunk of her young life, and seen her and older sister Tiffany grow into confident, smart, deeply caring young women.

Like all sisters, they go after each other from time to time, but both of them would drop-kick you through a door and over a fence if you dared to mess with their sibling.

Loyalty, both to their sister by blood and their sisters by choice (their teammates and friends) runs miles deep in the Briscoe clan.

Kyla can be shy from time to time, and I kinda get the feeling that the moments when she gets shoved into the spotlight, like this, are a bit of a pain in her rear.

Well, sometimes every one thinks so highly of you, that you have to endure for a bit.

And Kyla?

You are amazing. You are awesome. You are a bright, vivacious young woman who just happens to be chock full of talent, gumption and sunshine.

You are going to go far and accomplish much. I, like everyone who meets you, think the world of you.

Happy birthday, Miss Briscoe!! May your day shine as brightly as you do.

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Young spikers on the prowl!!

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Kameryn St Onge, Maddy Hilkey, Sarah Wright, volleyball on September 11, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Sarah Wright was on fire behind the service stripe Thursday. (John Fisken photos)

No volleyball can escape Maddy Hilkey’s reach.

“I am very proud of how this team is working together, supporting each other and progressing!”

Two matches into her new role as Coupeville High School JV volleyball coach, Heidi Wyman is all aglow with the possibilities.

“They are a fantastic group of girls with a ton of heart and a blast to coach!,” she said after riding the ferry back from Friday Harbor Thursday night.

Playing second on the night, the JV squad waged an epic war with their hosts, dropping the first two sets by a sliver at 25-19 and 32-30, before roaring back to shred the Wolverines 25-7 in the final set of the evening.

“They did amazing!,” said Wyman, who hailed Kameryn St Onge for a “breakout performance” in which she “dominated both at the net and serving.”

St Onge ripped off six straight successful serves during the third set, including two aces.

Two of her teammates earned praise, as well, with Sarah Wright “a beast behind the service line,” en route to launching nine service aces in one set and Maddy Hilkey logging the first “perfect 3.0” passing set of the season for the JV.

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Ever closer to perfection!!

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Emma Smith, SW Falcons, Valen Trujillo, volleyball on September 10, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Wolf freshman Emma Smith, here playfully posing for the cameraman, made her varsity debut against Friday Harbor. (John Fisken photo)

The Wolves head back home, racing the sunset. (Hope Lodell photo)

The fire burned red-hot, just not long enough.

On the road at Friday Harbor, the Coupeville High School volleyball squad got off to a torrid start Thursday.

It wasn’t quite enough, though, as the pesky Wolverines battled back to claim a 28-26, 25-7, 25-17 non-conference victory.

The loss dropped Coupeville to 0-2 on the young season, with a trip to a tournament in Langley scheduled for Saturday.

Showing no signs of tired legs after the long ferry trip Thursday, the Wolves shot out to an 18-9 lead in the first set.

A very young team, CHS let Friday Harbor off the hook a bit, unable to keep its foe pinned down.

Still, Wolf coach Breanne Smedley was pleased with a lot of what she saw unfold in front of her.

“Our serve receiving and passing were strong, and we played very scrappy during the first and third sets,” she said. “We let the game get away from us in the first by not being able to execute in critical moments.

“However, I’m proud of how the girls battled and were able to improve on the things we worked on in practice.”

Valen Trujillo paced Coupeville with a team-high 12 digs, while Katrina McGranahan collected three blocks.

Lauren Rose notched three service aces and freshman Emma Smith, making her varsity debut, had two kills and two blocks.

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