Gavin Knoblich and Coupeville football face several new opponents this fall. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
First things first.
There is one way, and one way only, that Coupeville High School football can make the playoffs this fall.
The Wolves go 9-0 for the first time since 1990, or it’s regular season and done.
When CHS opted to bounce from the North Sound Conference for a season and play an independent schedule, school officials made the decision fully aware it closed off most avenues to the postseason.
That being said, Coupeville football hasn’t posted a winning record since going 6-5 in 2005.
Since then, there’s been a 5-5 finish in 2014 and 12 losing seasons.
So, maybe we won’t worry about the playoffs right now.
The biggest stumbling blocks for the Wolf gridiron program have been a lack of numbers, a lack of big bodies among those players actually on the field, and a whole lot of churn on the coaching staff.
Current CHS head man Marcus Carr is starting his second season and seems deeply committed, with a strong staff working at his side. That’s a definite positive.
Still, Coupeville has had five head coaches in the last decade, since Ron Bagby retired after 26 years at the helm of the program.
Part of the rebuilding process for Carr and school Athletic Director Willie Smith is trying to get the Wolves back on a semi-level playing field, allowing the program to grow.
All indications are that CHS will step down to 2B starting with the 2020-2021 school year, which is when new classification counts take effect.
Until then, taking a year off from league play, skipping King’s and Cedar Park Christian and company while allowing Smith to craft a (hopefully) more-favorable schedule, should help.
Looking at what awaits the Wolves this fall, it’s a schedule with four home games and five on the road.
Four games are against 2B schools, and three versus 1A institutions, plus one game apiece against 2A and 3A foes.
Five of the opponents, including the first four, are against schools Coupeville is familiar with. Then are four match-ups which will offer the Wolves a chance to experience new things.
To get you ready, we offer up a little breakdown of the schedule, game by game:
Friday-Sept. 6 — Port Townsend
Kickoff: 6 PM
Miles to travel: None
Classification: 1A
Coach: Patrick Gaffney
Mascot: RedHawks
2018 record: 4-6
Players on preseason roster: 20
Past history: Coupeville won 28-18 in last year’s season opener in Port Townsend. The teams have played numerous times, most notably when they were both in the Olympic League between 2014-2017.
Fun fact: Port Townsend and Chimacum combined for 130 points in a FOOTBALL game last season, with the RedHawks winning 79-51.
Friday-Sept. 13 — @ Vashon Island
Kickoff: 6 PM
Miles to travel: 73.6 miles
Classification: 1A
Coach: Clay Eastly
Mascot: Pirates
2018 record: 1-9
Players on preseason roster: 21
Past history: Coupeville won 13-0 last year on Whidbey. Wolves have beaten Pirates three straight seasons.
“Fun” fact: Last time Vashon beat CHS came in 2015 … when Pirate running back Bryce Hoisington went off for a state single-game record 573 rushing yards against the Wolves. He also broke the state single-season rushing mark, and, thankfully, has since graduated.
Friday-Sept. 20 — @ Friday Harbor
Kickoff: 6:30 PM
Miles to travel: 48.4
Classification: 2B
Coach: Brock Hauck
Mascot: Wolverines
2018 record: 6-3
Players on preseason roster: 19
Past history: Coupeville lost 17-0 last year on Whidbey. First time the schools clashed in several years, but they have been on and off again rivals over the decades.
Fun fact: Friday Harbor finished in a tie with Concrete for the Northwest League title last season, but lost a mini-playoff game 7-6. With a state playoff berth on the line, the difference turned out to be a heavily-disputed two-point conversion run, with the refs ruling Friday Harbor failed to break the goal line.
Friday-Sept. 27 — La Conner
Kickoff: 7 PM
Miles to travel: None
Classification: 2B
Coach: Peter Voorhees
Mascot: Braves
2018 record: 1-8
Players on preseason roster: 37
Past history: Coupeville won 33-12 at La Conner last year. Wolves have won two straight against one of their oldest rivals.
Fun fact: Has one of the best home-field National Anthem traditions in Washington state. As the singer finishes with “and the home of the brave,” La Conner football players raise their helmets and scream “Braves” in place of the final word.
Saturday-Oct. 5 — @ Kittitas
Kickoff: 3 PM
Miles to travel: 165.3
Classification: 2B
Coach: Dusty Hutchinson
Mascot: Coyotes
2018 record: 1-7
Players on preseason roster: Not available; no roster for last season listed, either.
Past history: Never played (as far as I know).
Fun fact: Won their third-straight boys basketball state title this past winter. Star guard Brock Ravet, who is headed to Gonzaga on a full-ride scholarship, finished his career as the state’s all-time leading scorer.
Friday-Oct. 11 — @ Northwest Christian
Kickoff: 7 PM
Miles to travel: 131.9 (School is in Lacey, but game at Tenino)
Classification: 2B
Coach: Mark Smith
Mascot: Wolverines
2018 record: Didn’t play
Players on preseason roster: Not available
Past history: New football program
Fun facts: Private school may not have a football history, but it’s a powerhouse in cross country, with the girls team winning nine straight state titles between 2006-2014.
School was the Navigators (with an alligator mascot known as … Navi the Gator), but are switching to Wolverines. To which I say, why, and, booooooooo.
Football coach Mark Smith is no newbie. He’s in the state hall of fame for track and field coaches, and won 174 games in 23 years as the football coach at Tacoma Baptist, taking that school to the state title game three times.
Fri-Oct. 18 — South Whidbey
Kickoff: 7 PM
Miles to travel: None
Classification: 1A
Coach: Mark Hodson
Mascot: Falcons
2018 record: 6-4
Players on preseason roster: Not available. Had 36 last season.
Past history: Coupeville lost 48-20 last year in Langley, allowing Falcons to regain possession of The Bucket. Wolves had won four of previous six clashes against their arch-rivals.
Fun fact: South Whidbey, which won just four games between 2014-2016, went the independent schedule route, and it paid off big time.
Playing 2B and Canadian schools, Falcons rebounded with a 7-2 record, then carried that over into 2018, when they joined the new North Sound Conference.
Fri-Oct. 25 — Anacortes
Kickoff: TBA
Miles to travel: None
Classification: 2A
Coach: Chris Hunter
Mascot: Seahawks
2018 record: 0-9
Players on preseason roster: Not available. Had 31 last season.
Past history: Haven’t played football against each other in decades. Used to be a rivalry back when players wore leather helmets.
Fun fact: Anacortes has lost 13 straight games. Seahawks last tasted victory the night of Sept. 29, 2017, when they beat Blaine 36-30.
Fri-Nov. 1 — @ Interlake
Kickoff: 7 PM
Miles to travel: 58.6 (Bellevue)
Classification: 3A
Coach: Shawn Hartline
Mascot: Saints
2018 record: 2-7
Players on preseason roster: 45
Past history: Have never played (as far as I know).
Fun fact: Famous alumni included baseball legend John Olerud, as well as musicians Nancy Wilson (Heart), and Chris DeGarmo (Queensrÿche).
