Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘Volleyball’ Category

Wolf JV hammers Hurricanes

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 15, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Madison McMillan put together a strong performance Tuesday as the Coupeville JV volleyball team swept Mount Vernon Christian. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

They dropped the hammer. Again and again.

Pounding out serves with precision, the Coupeville High School JV volleyball spikers scorched visiting Mount Vernon Christian in straight sets Tuesday, sweeping to their second win in as many matches.

Now the Wolves carry that pristine 2-0 record into another home Northwest 2B/1B League match Thursday, when Orcas Island visits Whidbey.

Facing off with MVC, all nine Wolves in uniform filled up the stat sheet, which kept coach Ashley Menges beaming long into the night.

“It went really well!,” she said. “The girls played great throughout all three sets; our serving was very clean and yet really aggressive.

“Everyone played really well in all aspects whether it was clean passing or putting the ball away,” Menges added. “I asked of them to make the third set the best volleyball they could, and they definitely delivered!

While everyone delivered solid performances for the Wolves, fab frosh Madison McMillan was a particular focal point, compiling a team-high five kills, two service aces, and two digs.

“Madison had a great night!,” Menges said. “She had some powerful swings tonight, but my favorite was a perfectly placed out of system kill.

“The kid had some great passes and serve receptions; I’m very happy with how she played tonight.”

Fellow freshman Taylor Brotemarkle dazzled with six assists and a staggering 11 aces, while Issabel Johnson (three digs, three aces) and Katie Marti (three kills, two assists, three aces) were also on top of their game.

Mia Farris (two kills, three aces), Gwen Gustafson (three kills, two aces), Aby Wood (one kill), Jada Heaton (one ace), and Grey Peabody (one kill) also chipped in to the splendid team-wide effort.

Read Full Post »

Former Wolf embraces new coaching gig

Posted in Middle School, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 14, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Former Wolf Katie Kiel (left), seen with lil’ sis Kacie, is back in the Coupeville Middle School gym, this time as a coach. (Photo courtesy Lanie Kiel)

“Well first I’d like to say Aloha to everyone again!”

There’s a familiar face in the gym, as Katie Kiel, a three-sport athlete and Coupeville High School Class of 2013 grad, returns to the same hardwood floors where she once played in a Wolf uniform.

This time out, she’s joining Cris Matochi as a volleyball coach at Coupeville Middle School, and the duo will lead the spiker program into a new era.

Kiel’s hiring is official when the school board approves it at its next meeting, but in the meantime she’s already out on the floor, with practice having just started.

The CMS spikers play their first matches Sept. 29, with Langley coming to Coupeville.

For Kiel, who was a Wolf cheerleader as well as a basketball and volleyball player, the chance to give back to her alma mater is huge.

During her high school days, she volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club, coaching kindergarten and first grade students during basketball season.

Now she’s getting paid for wielding a clipboard, and loving every minute.

“This is my first official gig as a coach, and I’m excited about it!,” Kiel said. “I love this sport (volleyball), and I can’t get enough of it.”

She joins Matochi, who worked with the CMS spikers during a pandemic-altered season last school year, forming a potent duo.

“So far we’ve only had one day of practice, so we’re figuring it out together!” Kiel said.

“Cris and I make a great team, so I think as far as coaching duties go, we both pick up where the other lacks, and we both have our places where we really shine.”

Kiel springs from a volleyball-mad family — younger sister Kacie also played for the Wolves all through middle and high school, while dad Steve is a frequent linesman for matches.

As she moves into coaching, Katie hopes to take the lessons she learned as a player, and incorporate them into helping to build new Wolf stars.

“My goals for the upcoming season for my players are for them to learn volleyball terminology, get comfortable with the basics, and learn how to be a great teammate,” Kiel said.

“My goal for this season as a coach is to make it a fun and inclusive place where these girls can feel supported and share my love for this sport,” she added.

“As for long-term, I would love to see these girls go all through high school together, pushing each other every day to make each other better.”

Kiel will aim for wins, but also knows personal growth is huge, especially at the middle school level.

“I hope they take away the life lessons, honestly,” she said.

“Being responsible for more than just yourself, being confident in your ability to learn and progress, and working hard for something you love, because it WILL pay off!”

The Kiel sisters were always two of the more outgoing athletes in Wolf Nation, hard workers who also embrace the laid-back, fun-loving Hawaiian-style life of parents Steve and Lanie.

For Katie, she wants to find that balance between being a friend and a mentor to her young athletes.

Reintroducing herself to the fan base she once played in front of, Kiel preaches positivity as she looks towards a bright future.

“I would like for them to know that as a person I love to talk and I’m (almost) always in a good mood, so feel free to chat me up!,” she said.

“As a coach, I would like them to know that school comes first, and while I love volleyball, grades are what’s most important.

“I would also like them to know that raising kids takes a village, so I encourage all Wolf fans to get involved!”

Read Full Post »

Prescott sizzles as a college spiker

Posted in Volleyball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on September 11, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Chelsea Prescott, seen during her senior season in Coupeville, is now a high-flying freshman spiker at Medaille College in New York. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Ernie Banks would have been proud.

Fulfilling the baseball legend’s oft-repeated mantra of “let’s play two,” Coupeville High School grad Chelsea Prescott did just that Saturday.

Her games came on the volleyball court, however, and not the baseball diamond, as she now delivers spikes for Medaille College in Buffalo, New York.

The Mavericks freshman filled up the stat sheet, though, something Banks used to do on a regular basis.

Prescott’s solid play helped Medaille earn a split on the day, as the Mavericks beat SUNY Poly in straight sets before falling to Buffalo State in the nightcap.

Medaille sits at 2-4 on the season, and returns to action with an appearance at the Buffalo State Women’s Volleyball Bengal Challenge next weekend, Sept. 17-18.

The Mavericks are scheduled to play Cazenovia College Friday, then have a doubleheader Saturday, with Houghton College and Alfred University on the menu.

This time around, Medaille bounced SUNY Poly 25-9, 25-15, 25-19, then came close, but couldn’t quite get over the hump against Buffalo State, coming up on the wrong end of a 25-21, 25-18, 25-20 score.

Prescott had three kills, four digs, and her first five college service aces against SUNY Poly, before delivering five kills, eight digs, two assists, and a block in the finale.

On the season, the former Wolf standout has played in all 18 sets, racking up 27 kills, 35 digs, five aces, two assists, a solo block, and two block assists.

Prescott’s 34 points on offense is third-best on the team.

Read Full Post »

She’s the Master(s) of two worlds

Posted in Girls Tennis, Hall o' Fame, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 10, 2021| 1 Comment »

Coupeville’s Jaimee Masters, a two-sport athlete who also possesses oodles of artistic talent. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Talent on the court, talent off the court.

A highly-accomplished artist and two-sport athlete, Jaimee Masters had a sizable impact during her days at Coupeville High School.

She followed in the footsteps of cousin Hope Lodell on the volleyball court, but carved out her own solid reputation.

A hard worker with a team-first attitude, Jaimee played all four seasons during high school, working her way into being a valuable role player for the Wolf varsity.

Masters played multiple positions on the court, but always gave her all.

As a senior, she played in 29 of 30 sets during a pandemic-shortened campaign, racking up a solid number of digs as a dependable back-row assassin for a CHS squad which claimed second-place in the Northwest 2B/1B League.

Her tenacity and solid work ethic greatly helped her on the tennis court, as well.

Playing both singles and doubles over the course of her hardcourt run, Jaimee ended her prep net career by teaming with Emily Fiedler to form Coupeville’s #1 doubles duo.

The seniors didn’t get to play as many matches as they might have liked — again with the Covid restrictions — but they took advantage of every opportunity presented.

“Prepare to die, Mr. Tennis Ball!”

Facing off with Friday Harbor in a six-match royal rumble, Coupeville went undefeated during Jaimee’s senior season.

As in truly undefeated, with a 6-0 mark in team matches, and a 30-0 record in individual rumbles.

Masters and Fiedler strolled to straight-sets wins in all six of their matches, winning them by a combined score of 72-11.

They were brutal, efficient, and remarkably kind to the rival players they were battering, showcasing their athletic skills, but also their compassion.

While sports accomplishments are the driving force behind this blog, it’s also worth noting that Jaimee’s talents go far beyond the athletic world.

During the early days of Covid lockdown, with no games to write about, I transitioned a bit and tried to highlight other skills.

One of those areas was artwork, and Jaimee was a particular standout there, showing off works of precise beauty and artistry.

That mixture of talent, hard work, and a caring soul helped her accomplish great things during her school days in Coupeville, and should serve her well as she charges out into the adult world.

Today, though, we’re bringing Jaimee back for a moment, as we induct her into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

It’s a well-deserved honor for a remarkable young woman, and, after this, you can catch her hanging out at the top of the blog, up under the Legends tab.

Jaimee never asked for praise, but instead went out and earned it every step of the way.

The true mark of a great one.

Read Full Post »

“I’m really proud of this group”

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Lucy Tenore smashed 16 kills Thursday as Coupeville’s varsity volleyball team won its season opener on the road. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

You find a way.

Opening the season on the road, in a conference clash, missing four players, the Coupeville High School varsity volleyball squad proved incredibly resilient.

Getting big contributions from all seven players in uniform Thursday night, the Wolves found their groove, knocking off host Concrete 27-25, 25-12, 25-27, 25-19.

“It wasn’t always pretty, but we played just well enough to come out on the road with a win,” said CHS coach Cory Whitmore.

“It’s tough to go on the road for your first match and have it be league competition, but it’s made especially difficult being down a few starters,” he added.

“I’m really proud of how this group responded to direction, and we just relied on a full group effort.”

Concrete came out on fire, jumping ahead 18-8 in the first set, then Coupeville found its missing spark.

“Our first set was quickly slipping away from us, and so we changed our serving strategy to be more aggressive,” Whitmore said. “And Taygin Jump got that going.

“We climbed out by serving tough and swinging away on the attack,” he added. “Taygin did a great job of changing that mentality by pushing her serve tougher and tougher.”

After cruising through the second set, the Wolves let up a bit in the third frame, and paid for it.

But Coupeville responded to the momentary setback, earning a nod of approval from their coach, who kicked off his sixth season at CHS in style.

Now boasting a 56-24 mark in his time on the Wolf bench, Whitmore brought his winning percentage to a sizzlin’ .700.

“Sometimes it’s a win, sometimes it’s a lesson. And on lucky occasions, it’s both,” he said. “I’m excited for these girls and the experience we gained. Good way to start the season.”

Coupeville’s seven active players combined to rack up some impressive numbers, with freshman Katie Marti leading the way.

Subbing for team captain Maddie Georges at setter, Marti doled out 28 assists to go with nine digs, four aces, and three kills.

Freshman Katie Marti played like a veteran in her varsity debut.

Coupeville’s big hitters combined for 36 kills, with Lucy Tenore pounding home 16, while Grey Peabody smashed 11 in her varsity debut, and Jill Prince collected nine.

“Grey did such a great job, being pulled up from JV as needed and looked very comfortable out there,” Whitmore said. “Very happy for her.

“Lucy was phenomenal in this opener with just three errors on 28 swings on the right side, hitting .464. She played with control AND aggression.”

Olivia Schaffeld, who joined Peabody, Jump, and Marti in making their varsity debuts, went low for 10 digs and drew praise from Whitmore.

“Very proud of Olivia adjusting her position to play outside, a difficult move,” he said.

Jump chipped in with 13 digs and six aces, tying her for top team honors with Alita Blouin, who “really stepped up as a leader” and was hyper-efficient with 20 digs, four assists, and six aces.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »