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Archive for the ‘Volleyball’ Category

Na na na na, hey hey-ey, goodbye!!

Posted in Boys Tennis, Cheer, Football, Girls Soccer, Volleyball on October 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Katie Kiel (right) will get two goodbyes, since she doubles as a cheerleader and a volleyball spiker. Sydney Aparicio is staying around for another season. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

We’re still eight months away from graduation, but saying goodbye to Coupeville High School seniors starts Thursday.

Both the Wolf booters (5 PM) and spikers (7 PM) play their final home game of the season that night, with Granite Falls as the visiting team which should lose if they want to show the proper respect.

Then, the next night, the Coupeville gridiron squad (7 PM) will host its last game at Mickey Clark Field, with King’s, the state’s top-ranked 1A squad, as the intended victim.

Having their final bow before the hometown fans will be:

Soccer — Anna Bailey, Vanessa Bernales, Amanda d’Almeida, Haley Marx, Kelsey Miranda, Kelsey Pape, Madison Tisa McPhee, Rachel Wenzel.

Volleyball — Rhiannon Ellsworth, Lauren Escalle, Katie Kiel, Iris Ryckaert, Bessie Walstad.

Football — Riley Boyd, Serigio Guerro, Kole Kellison, Anthony Maggio, Danny Savalza, Paul Schmakeit, Caleb Valko.

Cheer — Nicole Becker, Emily Clay, Holly Craggs, Darian Emerick, Escalle, Jai’Lysa Hoskins, Kiel, Teri Lee, Ryckaert.

And, not to be forgotten, Wolf netters Nathan Lamb and Ben Wehrman are also departing the court (after they whip up on some people at districts and then, hopefully, at quad-districts and state.)

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ATM loses its welcome mat, plays rough!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, Volleyball on October 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Senior defender Anna Bailey has been a steady presence in the backfield for the Wolves all season. (Robert Pelant photo)

They put up a nice fight.

Having traveled to Everett Tuesday, thus escaping the wind that lashed Whidbey, the Coupeville High School volleyball and girls’ soccer squads then had to settle for facing the whirlwind that is Archbishop Thomas Murphy athletics. Still, even in defeat, the Wolves went down swinging.

The Wolf spikers, in particular, put a scare into the host Wildcats, snagging the first set of their match, before eventually falling 22-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-18. The booters, fresh off their first win of the season, had the misfortune of facing off with an unbeaten ATM squad and fell 6-0.

Both teams return to the Island to host their Senior Nights Thursday, Oct. 18. Both games will feature Granite Falls as the opponent, with the booters taking to the pitch at 5 PM and the spikers taking the court at 7 PM.

Tuesday, the Wolf volleyballers were paced by setter Megan Oakes, who doled out a team-high 22 assists and big hitter Bessie Walstad, who banged home 12 kills while still finding the time to go low for 19 digs.

On the pitch, ATM netted goals from five different players, with Cali Crisler knocking in a pair, as it ran its spotless mark to 14-0.

Coupeville actually held the Wildcats in check for a good chunk of the first half, however, not yielding a goal in the first 25 minutes of play.

The Wolves gave goalie McKayla Bailey the second half off Tuesday, and rotated in backup Joye Jackson to get her ready for the playoffs.

“Once she (Joye) dusted off the cobwebs, she made some nice saves,” said Coupeville coach Dan d’Almeida. “The Luvera twins (Ana and Ivy) were strong as outside backs and Micky LeVine had some solid minutes playing as an outside midfielder, playing smart soccer offensively and defensively.”

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Volleyball sensation has a common name, uncommon talent!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, Softball, Volleyball on October 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Haley Sherman

It’s safe to say Haley Sherman has a few fans in Coupeville.

The last name means she’s related to about 88.7% of the town, and family members can be seen at every volleyball match the Coupeville High School junior plays in. Start with her mom and dad and siblings, then start tossing in grandparents and by the time you get to the cousins, there are quite a few people screaming her name every time she pulls off a superb play, which happens a lot.

A key member of a Wolf spiker squad that is coming off of an emotional five-set home win over Sultan, Sherman returns the love to her fans.

“Being a Sherman, I see it as an advantage really. Having such a huge family just means more support,” she said. “It feels great to have the last name, knowing how wonderful everyone in my family is.

“If only I could claim relation to Richard Sherman from the Seahawks, now that would be something!”

Like most athletes, she has that one person who she looks for in the stands. That one person whose presence at her games lifts her soul. And for Haley Sherman, that person is her mom, Christa Canell.

“Honestly I could thank everyone I’ve ever met, but most importantly I would say my mom,” Sherman said. “My mom tries to be as supportive as she can all the time, and she always spends money on my sports every year and goes to every home game. It feels great to have such good support.”

Not that she doesn’t notice everyone else.

“My grandparents, every single one of them, I couldn’t thank enough for coming to my games. I LOVE THEM!,” she added. “And this year Mrs. Crebbin has made a huge impact on me too; she is such a wonderful person and I couldn’t ask for a better coach!”
 
A three-sport athlete (volleyball, softball and she’s returning to basketball for the first time since eighth grade) who has a deep love of photography, Sherman balances sports, school and a personal life, while always finding a bit of free time to spend with her favorite pet.

“Apart from school I spend a lot of time with my family, my friends and my animals,” Sherman said. “I love to just watch movies all day with my cat, too! Not the most exciting life, but I’m content!”

When she steps on the volleyball court, she brings a complete game with her and can generally be found in the middle of the action. Against Sultan, she sparked a crucial rally with several laser-like shots that sliced through the Turk defenders, leaving them wildly flailing as the ball found pay dirt.

The win, which gave Coupeville a season-sweep of Sultan, captured everything Sherman likes about her favorite sport.

“The thing I enjoy most about volleyball is the intensity of the game and how well it brings a group together, like our team,” Sherman said. “We are all so close and have become like a family since the season started.”

While she sees a fair amount of floor time, she is constantly working to improve her skills. With an eye set on the future (Coupeville will lose seniors Bessie Walstad, Katie Kiel and Lauren Escalle to graduation), she wants to be ready to be one of the faces front-and-center on next season’s squad.

“I believe my strengths in volleyball are passing and serving,” Sherman said. “I have been cautious in my serving lately, so I would like to improve that and I also want to up my consistency in hitting so I can play front row all the time!
“My goals for the rest of the season are to just keep passing consistently and keep my love for the game strong,” she added. “When it comes to my senior year, I hope to have improved enough to the point where I can play all-around rotation all the time.”

And don’t think hard work on the volleyball court worries her. She is a Sherman, after all, a family with a strong work ethic, and, for her, volleyball has never really been work.

“I could play volleyball any time of any given day! I love the game so much!”

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“No one ever brings you down and you’re always loved!”

Posted in Girls Tennis, Volleyball on October 14, 2012| Leave a Comment »

       CHS cheerleader Holly Craggs and some guy with dimples that she likes to hang out with.

If you can look at this picture and not smile, there’s something wrong with you.

Holly Craggs is living the dream.

The irrepressible Coupeville High School senior, always a good tennis player, stumbled on the new love of her life when she finally gave in to friends and force-of-nature Wolf cheer coach Sylvia Arnold and picked up the pom poms for the first time this fall. Now, the only question is, why didn’t she do this before?

“I love it! All the girls on the squad are awesome and I definitely have the best coaches and captains,” Craggs said. “I never really thought of myself being a cheerleader, but now that I’m doing it, I really wish I could have done it my past years in high school.

“After the first open practice we had, I ended up falling in love with all of it,” she added. “None of the girls that tried out got cut, which I think is amazing. I’m so blessed to be on a team that is so accepting and loving towards everyone. No one ever brings you down and you’re always loved.”

Already part of two close families — the one at home and the one at the Coupeville Living Hope Foursquare church, she has found an equally welcoming group dressed in red and black. 

“My girls and coaches are so uplifting and supportive. I’ve never once heard anyone say anything bad about the other,” Craggs said. “It’s just a great atmosphere to be a part of and we’re all determined to do our very best.

“Jai’Lysa (Hoskins) and Emily (Clay) are the perfect captains. They do such a great job making sure everyone is paying attention to our coach and giving ideas and suggestions to everyone,” she added. “Coach Syl and Coach Cheridan (Boyd-Eck) are amazing. Every practice we’re laughing and dancing and just having a great time with each other. I wouldn’t trade any of them for anything.”

Craggs, who has worked at Papa Murphy’s in Oak Harbor since she was a freshman and enjoys her yearbook and contemporary issues classes at school, has hopes of attending a Christan college. She would love to one day end up at Ecola Bible School in Cannon Beach, Oregon, but plans to spend the first year after graduation on Whidbey, working and raising money for her education.

While she doesn’t expect to participate in cheer past her high school days, she is marinating in every moment it has been offering her this year.

“With this year being my first and last year as a cheerleader, I just want to have fun with it,” Craggs said. “I’ve loved every moment of being a cheerleader and wish it would have lasted longer.“

And, like a lot of newcomers to the sport, she has come to realize just how much hard work goes into pulling off what looks like effortless routines on the sidelines.

“Almost every practice I’m sweating, because we’re making sure we’re getting our cheers and dances right,” Craggs said. “It’s not as easy as it looks.

“Coach Syl makes us work hard and wants us to look our best before we get out there to cheer for our boys in front of everyone,” she added. “Like any other sport, you need practice, determination, strength and motivation, which cheering definitely requires a lot of.”
When spring rolls around, the “Big Bang Theory” buff and die-hard fan of the “irresistible Justin Bieber“ will pick up her racket for a third season under the tutelage of girls’ tennis coach Ken Stange.

“I plan on going all out this year and playing harder than I’ve done in my past years,” Craggs said. “I’d really like to beat South Whidbey this year because they’ve always beaten us. But I plan on making this year different.”

Cheer. Tennis. A job she enjoys. A supportive family and church. A tight-knit group of friends who she goes on shopping sprees with. What more could a well-balanced young woman want?

Well, there is that guy in the #40 uniform, the one with the dimples.

When asked about who has helped her or influenced her, one name bubbles up quite easily.

“This is a little mooshy-gooshy/lovey-dovey, but one person comes to mind — Brett Arnold,” Craggs said. “He’s so supportive with everything I do and makes me want to do my better than my best. I love spending time with him and his bubbly, fun, loving family.

“Being able to talk to him about anything that happens in my life, and him being understanding about it, really makes me feel blessed to have such a supportive and caring friend,” she added. “Whenever I’m having a bad day he’s the one I go to first to help me turn it around and he usually does. I don’t think I could have asked for a better best friend.”

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Big time success for Amanda? It’s easy, Fabrizi!!

Posted in Cheer, Girls Basketball, Volleyball on October 13, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Wolf junior Amanda Fabrizi (16) goes low to make a shot. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

Fabrizi launches a serve in a recent match. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

It’s not always easy being Fabrizi.

When you juggle two sports (volleyball and cheer) plus school, plus family and personal life, that can be a bit much. Even for a seasoned pro like Coupeville High School junior Amanda Fabrizi.

“This fall has been crazy,” Fabrizi said. “On the days when I have cheer practice, I go from school to volleyball to cheer. Mondays and Fridays, I usually try to do my schoolwork with the time I have between volleyball and cheer.

“As crazy as my schedule is, I still have a lot of personal time on the weekends, though.”
While her life might seem hectic to an outsider, Fabrizi wouldn’t have it any other way. She loves her sports (she picks up basketball and puts aside cheer in the winter), gets a lot of personal happiness from being on the court and said she couldn’t choose just one of them.

“I don’t have a favorite between volleyball and basketball. I love both of the sports so much and I have great coaches in both of the sports I play,” Fabrizi said. “I love the intensity in both of the sports.
“The support from my family and friends has the biggest impact on my life,” she added. “My family goes to every volleyball game, and my friends always hold a sign for me during my volleyball game!”

Sure enough, a quick look around at any game this season and it’s easy to spot Fabrizi’s personal cheer section, wildly waving their sign promoting #16, Mandy. When she lays out, sacrificing her body for a crucial dig to keep a rally alive for the Wolves, as she frequently does, her fans erupt.

The five-year volleyball vet is justifiably proud of her ability to do the dirty work, but wouldn’t mind fine-tuning a few of her skills enough to earn some more playing time at the glamor positions.

“What I enjoy most about volleyball is the feeling after getting an incredible dig!,” Fabrizi said. “I feel that I am strong at passing and digging up hits.

“I would like to work on hitting; I would love to become a stronger hitter,” she added. “My goals for the rest of the season are to become a stronger hitter, so I can get more back row attacks. For my senior year, my goals are to become a stronger passer so I can play libero again!”

The Wolf volleyball squad seems like an especially close squad this season, even to an outsider. They spend a great deal of time giggling amongst themselves on the court during matches, which promotes a sense of looseness and camaraderie.

After attending four matches in person, I have yet to see a single moment when one Wolf called out a teammate or yelled at them, which has happened on the other side of the court.

“As a team, some of our highlights this season were that we really came together as a team,” Fabrizi said. “We work well together and show a lot of teamwork on the court.”
Away from the court, Fabrizi is a fan of horror and comedy films, enjoys her yearbook class and loves spending time with her friends. She hails local basketball coaches David and Amy King as being especially helpful in her development as both an athlete and a young woman.

“They have really helped me become the person I am today,” Fabrizi said. “They have been very supportive and encouraging!”
So, successful three-sport athlete. Good student. Well-liked in the community, with a strong fan base. Maybe it is easy being Fabrizi.

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