Coupeville Sports

Hit machine remains on fire

April 25, 2019 by David Svien

The Central Whidbey Little League Juniors softball team, averaging almost 20 runs a game, is a crisp 5-0 on the season. (Suzan Georges photo)

The only thing that can slow them down is the weather.

Put the Central Whidbey Little League Juniors softball team on the field this season, and they’re unstoppable.

Back in action Thursday after a rain-out delayed their last game, the Wolves pounded host South Skagit 19-3.

With 29 runners getting aboard, thanks to 12 hits, 16 walks, and a dropped third strike, Central Whidbey easily rolled to their fifth win in as many games.

The high-flying, hard-hitting Wolves have outscored their foes 97-26 this season.

Thursday’s game was over almost before it began, as CWLL ripped off an 11-batter, seven-run top of the first.

Mixing in four walks with singles from Allie Lucero, Hayley Fiedler, and Maya Lucero, plus an inning-capping double off the bat of Gwen Gustafson, the Wolf rained down destruction on the hometown pitchers.

And it only got worse (or better, if you’re a Wolf fan) from there, as the second inning was a 14-batter, eight-run affair.

With the game well in hand, Wolf coach Lark Gustafson was able to use all 13 of his players, with 10 of them scoring.

Maya Lucero smacked three singles to lead her team’s run of hits, while Gustafson (2B, 1B) and Allie Lucero (two singles) were hot on her heels.

Maddie Georges, Jill Prince, Sofia Peters, Savina Wells, and Fiedler added singles, with Vivian Farris, Karyme Castro, and Cypress Socha combining for five walks.

Socha also alertly scrambled to first, then later came around to score, after the South Skagit catcher couldn’t handle a third strike.

Rounding out the Central Whidbey roster Thursday were Adrian Burrows and Melanie Navarro, who both saw field time.

The Wolves return to action this Saturday, when they get a rematch with the team they just shellacked.

South Skagit comes to Rhododendron Park in Coupeville, and first pitch is 2 PM.

Posted in Little League, Softball | Tagged Central Whidbey Little League, Melanie Navarro, road game, Savina Wells, Softball | Leave a Comment »

Keep track of the hit parade

April 25, 2019 by David Svien

Sarah Wright (left) and Izzy Wells discuss the latest stats updates. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Stats don’t always tell the whole story, but they do tell an interesting one.

Watching the numbers ebb and flow over the course of a season gives you a pretty good idea of who’s hot, who’s trying to find their rhythm, and who’s just downright dangerous.

The Coupeville High School softball squad is surging in the race for a North Sound Conference title, so it’s time to pop back in and take a look at where its 12 varsity players stand in the stats race.

A look at season-to-date numbers, as plucked from MaxPreps:

Hitting:

Player	AB	Runs	Hits	2B	3B	HR	SB	BB	RBI	Avg.	OBP

A. Shaw	12	3	2		1			6		.167	.444
I. Wells	29	8	6	1			2	3		.207	.303
C. Wheeler	7	1	1	1				4	3	.143	.455
C. Caveness	25	6	4				1	5	3	.160	.344
E. Mathusek	37	18	14	4	1		1	14	17	.378	.558
S. Smith	47	23	17	5	1	1	4	10	12	.362	.492
C. Prescott	48	16	13	1	3		3	7	10	.271	.375
M. Davis	25	2	3	1				6	3	.120	.290
M. Bailey	40	12	14	1			1	5	9	.350	.422
V. Crownover	43	12	22	8		3		5	22	.512	.560
S. Wright	48	22	29	8	2	3	1	3	21	.604	.642
N. Laxton	19	6	6	1				4	4	.263	.500

Pitching:

Player	W/L	ERA	Gms	CG	SO	Hits	Runs	BB	K	IP	BF

I. Wells	6-3	6.73	10	6		73	68	34	58	52	289
S. Smith	2-3	6.52	7	3		34	39	11	13	29	146
C. Prescott	0-0	12.25	2			5	11	3	1	4	25

Posted in Softball | Tagged Chelsea Prescott, CHS Wolves, Emma Mathusek, season stats, Softball | Leave a Comment »

New season, new heroes

April 25, 2019 by David Svien

CMS 7th grader Mikey Robinett sails to a win in the long jump during his first middle school track meet. (Morgan White photo)

Extra effort, from everyone on the roster.

Coupeville Middle School track and field coaches Elizabeth Bitting and Jon Gabelein love to see it, which made Wednesday a special day.

Not only did the Wolves shine during their first meet of the season, a four-team rumble at Woolsey Stadium in Seattle, but the day’s efforts actually began at 7:15 AM.

With sixth graders allowed to compete in home meets for the first time this year, next week offers the youngest track stars a chance to make their debut – if they have enough practices under their belt.

So, Wednesday morning, four 6th graders in search of their eighth practice turned out early, where they were met by 14 of their older teammates, there to support them at the crack of dawn.

“The 7th and 8th grade elders worked this early shift as well,” Gabelein said. “The 6th graders were impressed that these upperclassmen would show up to an early morning workout voluntarily.”

Once they hit the road in the afternoon, the older Wolves held up strongly against host King’s, Northshore Christian Academy, and Sultan.

Coupeville won seven events, including taking three of four 4 x 200 relay races.

Toss in a 4 x 1 win for the 8th grade boys, and individual titles for Mikey Robinett (7th grade long jump) and Alex Murdy (8th grade high jump and long jump), and it was a strong day for CMS.

And it wasn’t only the wins.

Gabelein praised the effort of two first-year track athletes, 7th graders Isabella Schooley and Nick Guay, who had strong 2nd place finishes in the shot put and 200, respectively.

“While she (Isabella) had been thinking this event was not one that she would make time to participate in, this quickly changed once the shot hit the sand and she realized how far it had traveled,” Gabelein said.

“With meet #1 in the books, the athletes can now take their experience home and continue to refine their skills.”

That was a sentiment shared by Bitting.

“It was a great meet,” she said. “So proud of all of our athletes!”

Complete Wednesday results:

GIRLS:

100 (8th grade) — Katie Buskala (3rd) 14.95; Taygin Jump (6th) 15.74; Trinity McGee (7th) 15.89; Abigail Ramirez (8th) 15.92; Jordyn Rogers (13th) 16.10

200 (8th grade) — A. Ramirez (2nd) 33.55

800 (8th grade) — Helen Strelow (4th) 3:05.09; Carolyn Lhamon (5th) 4:10.24

1600 (8th grade) — Lhamon (3rd) 7:10.10

100 Hurdles (8th grade) — Ryanne Knoblich (6th) 22.61

4 x 100 Relay (8th grade) — Buskala, A. Ramirez, Camryn Clark, Claire Mayne (2nd) 1:01.09

4 x 100 Relay (7th grade) — Alena Osborne, Desi Ramirez, Allison Nastali, Brielle Armstrong (3rd) 1:11.64

4 x 200 Relay (8th grade) — Mayne, Lhamon, Buskala, Knoblich (1st) 2:13.25

4 x 200 Relay (7th grade) — Osborne, D. Ramirez, Nastali, Armstrong (2nd) 2:33.51

Shot Put (7th grade) — Isabella Schooley (2nd) 22-05; Nastali (3rd) 21-08; D. Ramirez (4th) 21-02

Discus (8th grade) — Strelow (3rd) 60-02; Cristina McGrath (4th) 49-10; McGee (9th) 40-02; C. Clark (13th) 36-02; D. Ramirez (15th) 34-00

Discus (7th grade) — Armstrong (2nd) 39-10; Erica McGrath (6th) 38-02

High Jump (8th grade) — Mercedes Kalwies-Anderson (2nd) 4-02; Knoblich (5th) 4-00; Jump (6th) 3-10; Buskala (8th) 3-08; McGee (8th) 3-08

Long Jump (8th grade) — Knoblich (2nd) 12-06; Strelow (3rd) 12-03; Mayne (5th) 11-06; C. McGrath (7th) 11-00; Kalwies-Anderson (8th) 10-08

Long Jump (7th grade) — E. McGrath (4th) 10-02; D. Ramirez (7th) 9-07; Nastali (8th) 8-11; Osborne (10th) 7-11; Schooley (11th) 7-04

BOYS:

100 (8th grade) — Reiley Araceley (4th) 13.38; Coen Killian (7th) 13.65; Joven Light (11th) 13.96; Dominic Coffman (14th) 14.07; Jacob Mathusek (26th) 15.91

100 (7th grade) — Logan Downes (4th) 14.92; Josh Guay (5th) 15.02; Timothy Nitta (9th) 15.58

200 (7th grade) — Nick Guay (2nd) 30.20; Downes (4th) 30.92; Nitta (8th) 32.55; Ryan Blouin (11th) 34.33

400 (8th grade) — Josh Upchurch (3rd) 1:10.83

400 (7th grade) — J. Guay (2nd) 1:12.35

800 (8th grade) — Aiden Anderson (2nd) 2:50.88; J. Guay (5th) 3:07.94; Tate Wyman (6th) 3:31.58

800 (7th grade) — Hank Milnes (4th) 2:56.17

1600 (8th grade) — Anderson (2nd) 6:08.70; Wyman (5th) 6:34.36

1600 (7th grade) — Milnes (3rd) 6:03.64; Cole White (4th) 6:11.47

110 Hurdles (7th grade) — Alex Clark (7th) 24.97

4 x 100 Relay (8th grade) — Araceley, Coffman, Light, Alex Murdy (1st) 52.58

4 x 100 Relay (7th grade) — Nitta, Mikey Robinett, N. Guay, Downes (2nd) 59.93; White, A. Clark, Blouin, Milnes (4th) 1:04.25

4 x 200 Relay (8th grade) — Killian, Coffman, Wyman, Araceley (1st) 2:01.14

4 x 200 Relay (7th grade) — Nitta, Robinett, N. Guay, Downes (1st) 2:08.02; White, Zane Oldenstadt, Blouin, Milnes (3rd) 2:14.93

Shot Put (8th grade) — Upchurch (5th) 21-11

Shot Put (7th grade) — Oldenstadt (2nd) 23-02; William Davidson (4th) 19-10

Discus (8th grade) — Anderson (5th) 63-01; Upchurch (6th) 60-06; J. Guay (8th) 50-03; Mathusek (10th) 48-01

Discus (7th grade) — Oldenstadt (4th) 60-07; Davidson (7th) 47-05

High Jump (8th grade) — Murdy (1st) 5-02; Coffman (2nd) 4-10

Long Jump (8th grade) — Murdy (1st) 17-09; Araceley (7th) 14-09; Killian (9th) 13-10; Wyman (12th) 12-06

Long Jump (7th grade) — Robinett (1st) 12-09; White (3rd) 11-10; Mathusek (5th) 10-08

Posted in Middle School, Track | Tagged Alex Murdy, Carolyn Lhamon, CMS Wolves, season opener, track and field | 1 Comment »

Wolf express keeps rolling

April 24, 2019 by David Svien

Mason Grove (left) and Matt Hilborn were banged up after a collision in the outfield Wednesday afternoon, but rebounded to help Coupeville win its sixth-straight game. (Chris Smith photo)

Can’t stop. Won’t stop.

The late-season surge continues, as the Coupeville High School baseball squad continues to rewrite its story.

Bouncing back from a rough start, the Wolves have become a hit-happy group in the latter part of the season, and Wednesday was more good times as 10 base-knocks fueled a 7-4 win at Granite Falls.

The sixth-straight win for the suddenly-scorching Coupeville diamond men, it lifts them to 6-8 in North Sound Conference play, 6-12 overall.

The Wolves and Tigers wrap their three-game series, and the regular season, Friday in Coupeville.

First pitch is 4 PM, and it’s Senior Night for Matt Hilborn, Dane Lucero, Jake Pease, Bryce Payne, and Shane Losey.

Win or lose that finale, Coupeville is playoff-bound as the #4 seed from the NSC, and kicks off the double-elimination bi-district tourney May 4.

Wednesday, the Wolves scrapped and fought, then blew the game open with a nine-batter, five-hit, five-run fifth inning.

CHS trailed 3-1 headed into that frame, having given up a single run to Granite in the first, third, and fourth.

Coupeville’s only run before the explosion came in the top of the first, after Hilborn doubled to lead-off the game, then came around to score on a Pease sac fly.

Looking for a game-changing play, the Wolves got it, with Ulrik Wells amblin’ to the plate to lead off the fifth and promptly smashing a triple.

From there, the floodgates broke, as a Losey double mixed with singles from Hilborn, Lucero, and Gavin Knoblich and a walk to Hawthorne Wolfe.

Given the lead, Wolf pitcher Lucero, making the final regular-season start of his four-year prep career, shut down Granite, scattering two singles across the final three innings en route to tossing a complete game.

Coupeville tacked on a final run in the seventh, just to make sure, with Hilborn ripping a single and Lucero conking a double.

Hilborn (2B, 1B, 1B), Lucero (2B, 1B), and Knoblich (1B, 1B) led the hit parade, with Wells (3B), Losey (2B), and Pease (1B) each adding a solid base-knock.

Wolves arch-rival play for a title:

Coupeville’s first win, a 4-3 shocker over a South Whidbey team which was rolling, looms even larger now.

That meant the Falcons would have to sweep their final three-game series with Cedar Park Christian to claim the league title.

With CPC riding a 16-game winning streak entering this week, that seemed unlikely.

Now, not so much.

South Whidbey nipped the Eagles 3-0 Wednesday, after winning by the same score Monday, and the two teams are dead even at 12-2 in conference action with one game to play.

CPC is 16-3 overall, South Whidbey 17-2 (it also lost one game to King’s), and the two teams play Friday in Bothell with the pennant at stake.

Posted in Baseball | Tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Granite Falls, Hawthorne Wolfe, North Sound Conference | Leave a Comment »