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Scout Smith

Scout Smith, a young woman of many seasons.

Scout Smith has a snappy name and an even snappier game.

She’s only in the seventh grade, but has already excelled in five different sports, going to the highest level of her age group in her favorite, softball.

As a member of a select softball squad in Michigan, she helped carry the Lakeshore Pirates to the U10 Softball World Series in East Peoria, IL, where they came in fourth.

“My favorite sport is softball. I like softball because I have been around baseball as long as I can remember from watching my brothers (CJ and Hunter),” Smith said. “I love the adrenaline and excitement the game brings and I cherish the friends that I have made from playing softball.”

A family move to Whidbey last winter brought her and her older brothers to Coupeville. CJ is a junior at CHS, while Hunter is a freshman.

With the jump up from elementary school to middle school, Scout has picked up a new sport, as she’s deep into practice with the CMS 7th grade volleyball squad.

It’s her first year as a spiker, but the plucky Smith has been playing sports since her early days.

She played soccer from five to nine, cheered in third and fourth grade, started softball at age five and started shooting hoops at six.

Regardless of which sport she’s playing at a given time, Smith naturally gravitates towards being one of the players always ready to step forward and seize the moment.

“I think I am a good team leader that works hard and encourages my teammates,” she said.

A fan of her math and history classes who “loves all kinds of music and movies,” Smith, a huge Chicago Cubs diehard, would like to one day take her game to a higher level.

“I hope to play college softball for the University of Notre Dame or the University of Washington,” she said.

Already a savvy vet, even at a relatively young age, Smith is quick to spread the credit, calling out her supporters, both in family and out.

“My Pirate coaches, Noe Najera and Greg Younger, helped me improve my game and taught me to always work hard,” she said. “My parents and my brothers have always been supportive by cheering me on and making me raise the bar for myself to rise to the next level.”

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When Payton Aparicio hits a ball, it doesn't come back. (Katrina McGranahan photos)

When Payton Aparicio hits a ball, it stays hit. (Katrina McGranahan photo)

You'll stay up there ... and you'll like it! (Photo courtesy Amy King)

You’ll stay up there … and you’ll like it! (Photo courtesy Amy King)

Payton Aparicio is the early frontrunner in the contest for most spectacular hit of the volleyball season.

Playing in her first high school match Tuesday at South Whidbey, the Coupeville High School freshman lofted the ball high into the rafters, and it never, ever came down.

While she and her teammates waited for the black and white ball to bounce down — teams can play a ball that bounces off the rafters — it never reappeared.

Instead, it rolled along one of the gym beams and then skidded to a stop and sat motionless.

For all eternity.

“Everyone had a little giggle about it and it was there when we left the gym at the end of the night,” said Wolf JV coach Amy King.  “That was the highlight of our match.”

The rest of the night wasn’t as light-hearted for Coupeville’s JV squad, which fell 25-9, 25-13, 25-6 in its first match of the season.

“They were outmatched by a very strong, very aggressive and older South Whidbey team,” King said. “This group has a ton of potential, we have worked on their offense, defense, court movement and all of their skills. All I can do is continue looking for the group who will work together on the court and show what they really can do.

“We had a few really good rallies, but when it came down to it, we didn’t hit like we have in practice or even in the jamboree,” she added. “The court was quiet, feet weren’t moving and it just seemed that we were either extremely nervous or tired, and I’m sure it was not that we were tired.”

Serving was a highlight, with Allison Wenzel and Hope Lodell both launching ace serves, while “Lauren Grove was moving well on the court, as was Brittany Powers, trying to spark our offense.”

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The wolf varsity gathers for a season-opening group shot. (Photo courtesy Hailey Hammer)

The Wolf varsity gathers for a season-opening group shot. (Photos courtesy Hailey Hammer)

Senior leaders Kacie Kiel (left) and Hailey Hammer.

Senior leaders Kacie Kiel (left) and Hailey Hammer.

The road to success comes a step at a time.

Unfortunately for the Coupeville High School volleyball squad, the first step was sort of painful, as the Wolves were swept in straight sets Tuesday at South Whidbey.

The 25-8, 25-17, 25-10 non-conference loss to their Island rivals was not exactly the way they had hoped to open a new season, but the hope is it helps to prepare them for what’s ahead.

“This was a good learning experience for us,” said CHS coach Breanne Smedley. “We gave away points with unforced errors and not being able to execute plays.”

Two varsity vets and two players making the jump up after playing JV last year led the stat sheet for Coupeville.

Kacie Kiel pounded out three kills and went low for six digs, while fellow senior Hailey Hammer connected on five kills of her own.

Sophomore Valen Trujillo notched five digs and Tiffany Briscoe had two service aces.

Coupeville, which is in its first season under Smedley, will make its home debut Thursday.

The opponent is non-conference foe Friday Harbor, with JV kicking off at 3:30 PM and varsity at 5.

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Madeline Strasburg and her teammates want to help inspire the next generation of Wolf athletes. (John Fisken photo)

Madeline Strasburg and her teammates want to help inspire the next generation of Wolf athletes. (John Fisken photo)

Kacie Kiel is looking for some new buddies.

The Coupeville High School senior and her teammates on the varsity volleyball squad will be hitting elementary school classrooms today to help launch the Wolf Buddies mentoring program.

The program, open to boys and girls in fourth and fifth grades, pairs up elementary school students with a varsity volleyball player for the season.

Players meet their buddies at lunch and/or recess on Wednesdays to connect and build relationships.

The Wolf Buddies also get free admission to high school volleyball matches, will sit in a designated section behind the bench, and participate in various pre-game activities with their volleyball player.

CHS coach Breanne Smedley is launching the program for several reasons. She sees a benefit for both the young students and her players.

“The goal of the program is two-fold,” she said. “First, we believe that elementary students can benefit socially, emotionally, and academically from having a positive role model meeting with them consistently on a one-on-one basis.

“Second, the program encourages high school athletes to accept the responsibility of being a role model in our community,” Smedley added. “The volleyball players will gain leadership skills and benefit from the accountability of having a buddy look up to them during their season.”

Parents of fourth and fifth grade students can email the coach at BreanneSmedley@coupeville.k12.wa.us for an application if their student did not get one from their classroom teacher.

Applications are due Friday, Sept. 12 and the first meeting with the buddies will be Wednesday, Sept. 17 during lunch.

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Ready to rock 'n roll are Wolf volleyball stars (l to r) McKenzie Bailey, Kacie Kiel, McKayla Bailey and Sydney autio.

Ready to rock ‘n roll are Wolf volleyball stars (l to r) McKenzie Bailey, Kacie Kiel, McKayla Bailey and Sydney Autio.

Lauren Grove (Justine McGranahan photos)

  Lauren Grove (4) waits for the play during Saturday’s jamboree. (Justine McGranahan photos)

Katrina McGranahan stays focused on the ball.

Katrina McGranahan stays focused on the ball.

Freshman Allison Wenzel

Freshman Allison Wenzel eyes the competition.

Other than a tweaked thumb or two, it went very, very nicely.

Making their season debut, the Coupeville High School varsity and JV volleyball squads hit the courts Saturday for a jamboree in Oak Harbor.

The event gave the Wolves a chance to play against live competition and get a measure of where they are as they head into their first match Tuesday at South Whidbey.

“It was a good experience before we go into the season,” said senior Hailey Hammer. “We had some good plays and some not good plays.

“We have room for improvement,” she added. “We played Darrington twice and we play them during the season; we can take them. I think this season will be good.”

Fellow senior Kacie Kiel experienced some pain during the jamboree, jamming her thumb, but lived to walk away and tell the tale.

She was more concerned with how her team did than in complaining about her injury, anyway.

“It was okay, we did really well for our first games!,” Kiel said. “I got hurt a little so it messed me up but it was a great learning experiment.

“I sprained my thumb,” she added. “(Assistant) coach (Amy) King said I hyper-extended it and I kept playing the next game. It’s just swollen.”

With a huge chunk of her varsity roster playing at that level for the first time Saturday, CHS coach Breanne Smedley came away pleased with her player’s growth.

“The jamboree was a great opportunity to get a jersey on and play in a match-like situation before the season starts,” Smedley said. “We were able to work out some kinks and get used to playing together.”

“I am very proud of their first showing,” she added. “Our focus this week in practice was serving, passing, and serve receive rotations. We did all of these things very well. Overall, I think this is a great starting point for us to improve on.”

CHS travels to Langley Tuesday for a non-conference match with the Falcons (JV 5:15/varsity 7:00), before making its home debut Thursday against Friday Harbor (3:30/5:00).

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