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Archive for the ‘Volleyball’ Category

Das goot! (John Fisken photos)

What we know: there’s a German foreign exchange student on the Wolf girls’ soccer squad. What we don’t know: her name. Rumor: it’s Hannah. (John Fisken photos)

Joseph Wedekind eyes the ball. "We meet again, my old foe!"

Joseph Wedekind eyes the ball. “We meet again, my old foe!”

When opposing players line up opposite him, Wolf lineman Brenden Gilbert has a simple motto: "You will not pass!"

Wolf lineman Brenden Gilbert prepares to lay down a hurtin’.

Not even the threat of possible shoulder surgery slows down McKayla Bailey.

Not even the threat of possible shoulder surgery slows down McKayla Bailey.

Soccer player Bree Dagineault would like a word with the person who

   Bree Daigneault would like a word with the person who decided soccer players should run on the first day of practice.

John McClarin is fired up. "Do

John McClarin has racket, will serve aces.

Mitchell Losey (left) and Hunter Smith work on handoffs.

Mitchell Losey (left) and Hunter Smith work on hand-offs.

Freshman Katrina McGranahan

Freshman Katrina McGranahan demonstrates flawless technique (and eye-popping kicks).

John Fisken was a busy guy Monday.

Having traveled down from Oak Harbor for the first day of fall sports practice, the intrepid photographer bounced around, hitting the opening session for three different Wolf teams.

Tuesday, we ran separate photo essays for volleyball, girls’ soccer and boys’ tennis. Today, let’s toss in a couple of football photos from their early practices, and give you a collection of all new pics.

Man, if Fisken does this much work, makes my job really, really easy.

Might have to buy him a Diet Pepsi or two this year…

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By day she's Madeline Strasburg. Come game time, she transforms into Maddie Big Time. (John Fisken photos)

  By day she’s mild-mannered Madeline Strasburg. Come game time, she transforms into a superhero known as Maddie Big Time. (John Fisken photos)

Kacie Kiel locks in on the ball with flawless form.

Kacie Kiel locks in on the ball with flawless form.

Jae LeVine

Jae LeVine’s love for the game is evident.

McKayla Bailey's love of a good photo op is also evident.

McKayla Bailey’s love of a good photo op is also evident.

Sydney Autio punishes the volleyball.

Sydney Autio punishes the volleyball.

Monica Vidoni is part of a strong group of Wolf seniors.

Monica Vidoni is part of a strong group of Wolf seniors.

Freshman Kayla Rose

Freshman Kayla Rose keeps her eyes locked on the ball.

Kiel

While Kiel sends us out with a smile that lights up the gym by itself.

Spike season is upon us.

Volleyball is back, as the Coupeville High School squad made its first appearance Monday, running through drills under the eye of first-year coach Breanne Smedley.

From veterans, like seniors Kacie Kiel and Hailey Hammer, to young guns, like freshmen Katrina McGranahan and Kayla Rose, there was excitement in the air.

And, once the cameraman showed up, a willingness to embrace the photo op as only this group of happy-go-lucky young women can.

The first time this group is accused of being shy will be … yeah, never gonna happen.

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Kacie Kiel (right) teams up with Breeanna Messner last season. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Kacie Kiel (right) teams up with Breeanna Messner last season. (Shelli Trumbull photos)

A small chapter of the Kacie Kiel Fan Club.

A small chapter of the Kacie Kiel Fan Club.

The irrepressible one herself.

The irrepressible one herself.

No one lights up a room like Kacie Kiel.

The Coupeville High School senior (and yes, it’s sort of odd to think of her as a senior) plays both of her sports — volleyball and basketball — with wild abandon, skill and, always, great joy.

Even when she’s getting conked on the head by defenders, or finds herself under fire, she’s usually sporting a smile.

Quick to pick up her teammates with a word, a high five or a quiet hug while (briefly) sitting on the bench, she radiates energy wherever she goes.

Now, as she and her Wolf teammates prepare for the start of practice Monday, Kacie was kind enough to offer some insight into what’s going through her brain at the moment.

Her thoughts as the start of her final chapter of her high school sports career approaches:

Being a senior all I want to do is go out with a bang!

And with the new league coming our way, I am looking forward to showing other schools what Coupeville is made of!

With practice starting I am hoping that this year will be full of victories and lessons! Our new coach (Breanne Smedley) is making volleyball a blast already!

I’m hoping though to get the position I want, which is to become an outside hitter and use my strength there and with passing.

I also am dreaming to become a captain and take leadership to help this team become a dream team.

My one last dream for the season is to make it to state, and I know we’d have to work harder then we ever have before but anything is possible!

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McKayla Bailey, always the coolest cat in the room. (John Fisken photos)

McKayla Bailey, always the coolest cat in the room. (John Fisken photos)

Bailey uses the Million Dollar Arm to check teammate Madeline Roberts'

Bailey uses the Million Dollar Arm to check teammate Madeline Roberts’ hair before letting her go off for her Senior Night photo op last season.

The Million Dollar Arm is going in for a tuneup.

With a slight tear in her shoulder refusing to fully heal on its own, Coupeville High School senior softball sensation McKayla Bailey will have to undergo minor surgery Sept. 4.

“Starting off senior year with a bit of excitement!,” Bailey said.

A three-sport star who spends her free moments photo-bombing from coast to coast, Bailey carried the Wolf softball team to state while operating largely as a one-woman pitching staff last season.

She then jumped into playing summer select ball before soreness in her arm made her take a seat.

Doctors found two slight tears at the time — one in her rotator cuff and one in her super labrum.

The original diagnosis was for physical therapy, with surgery as a fallback.

Now that fallback has become the plan, but the surgery is minor and Bailey expects to be back in the heat of the competition quickly.

I’m hoping to still play volleyball but my recovery time isn’t set in stone,” Bailey said. “I’ll be playing up until my surgery though.

During whatever time she’s shelved, she will still be available for any, and all, photo bombing ops, however.

Some things never change.

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Maggie Crimmins

Maggie Crimmins

Like mother, like daughter? Not always.

Coupeville High School freshman Maggie Crimmins is following in mother Jodi (Christensen) Crimmins footsteps as an athlete with the Wolves, but at a slightly less-intense pace.

While her mom is legendary for being a wild woman on the basketball courts, a rebounding machine prone to ripping her own teammates arms off if they dared to touch a loose ball at the same time she did, Maggie is more of the Matthew McConaughey mind-set, content to bop along, smile on her face.

Which actually isn’t that big of a surprise, since her mom, off the court, is the single nicest person in the known universe.

For Maggie, who will be entering her third season as a volleyball player (“I like to play volleyball because it’s a lot of fun and I really like playing it with my friends”), finding a balance between fun and aggression is an on-going thing.

“I think a strength I have is my attitude, because I try to be as positive as possible and it makes volleyball a lot more fun than if I was upset or angry throughout the game,” Crimmins said. “I think something I need to work on is being more aggressive and going for the ball a little more.

“I’m not extremely competitive, but I think I should try harder to be,” she added. “My parents have given me advice on being more aggressive, and my friends have helped me with different things I needed to work on. I still need work, but I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better because of them.”

She’s still seeking a permanent position on the court, but, wherever her coaches plug her in, they know they’ll get a hard worker with a sunny attitude.

“I don’t really have a specific position yet, but I usually play in the back row on the right or left,” Crimmins said. “My goals for this season are to work on becoming more aggressive, and to get better at the things I’m struggling with.”

Crimmins is planning to add a second sport to her arsenal in the spring with tennis, while away from the sports arena, she is devoted to “The Hunger Games” and One Direction.

A strong student as well, she nimbly balances books with sports.

“I really like language arts and science,” Crimmins said. “They’re interesting to me, and I have fun in those classes.”

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