Avalon Renninger and her fellow CHS seniors came up big Tuesday, drilling South Whidbey to finish the regular season at 12-5. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
This is the way you want to go out.
While the Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball squad may come back around to play at home again in the playoffs, Tuesday night was a fitting send-off for its splendid seniors.
The four-pack of Tia Wurzrainer, Avalon Renninger, Scout Smith, and Hannah Davidson closed the regular season in style, sparking the Wolves to a 39-27 win over visiting South Whidbey.
With the victory, CHS closes out North Sound Conference play at 6-3, claiming third-place in the six-team league.
Now 12-5 overall, the Wolves open the double-elimination district playoffs next Monday, Feb. 10, when they travel to Nooksack Valley.
Beat the Pioneers (14-5), the #2 seed from the Northwest Conference, and Coupeville advances to the district semifinals and a likely match-up with King’s (15-5).
Drop that opener, and CHS would host its second playoff game Feb. 11.
To see the bracket, pop over to:
http://www.nscathletics.com/tournament.php?tournament_id=3214&sport=12
Tuesday night was about honoring the Wolf seniors, who have played together since middle school, and they responded, almost outscoring South Whidbey by themselves.
Wurzrainer, known for being a defensive dynamo, got things started by slipping a free throw through the net in the opening moments, signaling the start of one of her strongest performances of the season on both sides of the ball.
While South Whidbey slipped a bucket through the defense shortly after to claim a 2-1 lead, it would be the one and only time the Falcons would have the advantage.
Wolf junior Chelsea Prescott snatched a rebound away from a rival, then knocked down the put-back and a fuse was lit for Coupeville.
Ripping off a 15-0 tear in which five different Wolves tallied at least one bucket, CHS surged to a 16-2 lead and looked, for a bit, like it was going to savage its guests in spectacular fashion.
Prescott followed up her put-back with a soft jumper from the side and a bucket in the paint, while Wurzrainer and Smith pulled off coast-to-coast romps off of steals.
Everything was falling, all the passes were crisp — such as the one which set up Izzy Wells for a long, arcing jumper — and even the wild-card shots were dead-on.
Launching a three-ball from the top of the arc, Renninger spun a wicked liner which slammed into the glass, then promptly died on the spot and flopped straight through.
The success of the shot seemed to catch the left-handed ace by surprise.
Just for a second, though, as Renninger promptly nodded, a small smile slipping out as she whirled and scrambled back down-court to snuff out another Falcon opportunity.
But, just as the game was turning into a romp, Coupeville fell out of rhythm on the offensive end of the floor, allowing South Whidbey a chance to rally.
A miracle Falcon three-ball at the first-quarter buzzer was like a stab through the heart of Wolf Nation, capping a 7-0 run and cutting the lead to 16-9.
Things got a little tighter from there, with the lead slashed all the way back to 17-13 late in the second quarter.
Coupeville needed something to stop the bleeding, and it came in the form of note-perfect free throw shooting, as Davidson and Prescott stepped to the line and knocked down two freebies apiece after getting roughed up.
The Wolves closed the half with a beautiful play, as Davidson made off with a steal, then hit a cutting Wurzrainer in transition for a layup which pushed the lead back to double-digits.
That set up a second half in which Coupeville thoroughly controlled everything.
Pushing the lead to its largest margin at 33-15 exiting the third quarter, the Wolves looked sharp.
Wurzrainer fed Renninger with a gorgeous pass, and her tennis doubles partner barely made the net move as she sank yet another runner.
Then the freshman got in on the good times, with Maddie Georges driving and dishing, setting up Carolyn Lhamon for a bucket in the paint.
South Whidbey continued to bang away and play hard (and physical), but the Wolves had an answer each time, never letting the lead slip under 12 the rest of the way.
It was a performance which brought a smile to the face of veteran coach Scott Fox, in his first year at the helm of the CHS program.
“The effort has always been there (with this group),” he said. “I like the way they compete, and I couldn’t be more proud of this group of girls.”
Prescott rattled the rims for eight points on a night when Coupeville’s scoring was incredibly well-balanced.
Joining her in the scoring column were Wurzrainer (6), Smith (6), Davidson (6), Renninger (5), Wells (4), Georges (2), and Lhamon (2).
Young guns Kylie Van Velkinburgh, Audrianna Shaw, Mollie Bailey, and Anya Leavell came on late, giving Coupeville’s seniors a chance to walk off together, as a unit, to the cheers of their family and friends.
Meanwhile, freshman enforcer Nezi Keiper, rehabbing from an injury, provided emotional support for one and all from her perch at the end of the bench.
While the primary focus was on nabbing a team win to honor the seniors and send Coupeville into the playoffs on a positive note, the stats hounds are ever vigilant.
With three buckets Tuesday, Smith has 283 varsity points, and moves past Wolf legend Hailey Hammer (282) to claim 38th place on the CHS girls hoops career scoring list.
Prescott, now with 247 points, continues to rise as well, passing Kendra O’Keefe (244) to move into a tie for #45 with Marlys West on a chart which stretches back to 1974.
