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Undermanned Wolves push King’s to the brink

March 19, 2019 by David Svien

Derek Leyva notched his seventh score of the season Tuesday, giving his family 100 goals as CHS soccer players. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

No faulting their fight.

Despite playing a man down for almost three-quarters of the game Tuesday night, the Coupeville High School boys soccer squad came within a shot or two of upending perennial power King’s.

But, missing their #2 scorer, junior team captain Aram Leyva, who was given a red card after a scrum, the Wolves fell 2-1 on their home turf.

The loss drops Coupeville to 0-1 in North Sound Conference play, 2-3 overall.

If the red card, which was levied in the game’s 22nd minute, is upheld, Aram Leyva will have to sit out his team’s next game, Friday night at home against Sultan.

But there may be hope.

“We will see,” said CHS head coach Kyle Nelson. “We may appeal depending on what we see on the video.”

Coupeville, coming off a big road win Saturday at Nooksack Valley, drew first blood in its league opener.

Barely two minutes into the game, Derek Leyva bounced a ball over the diving King’s goaltender to put his squad up 1-0.

“Great goal from Derek,” said CHS assistant coach Robert Wood. “Unassisted, moving right to left on top of the 18, a bouncing shot the keeper couldn’t handle.

“Home field advantage there.”

The seventh goal of the season for Derek Leyva, it gives him 31 for his Coupeville prep career, but the score was also a bigger milestone.

When the ball hit the back of the net, it was the 100th goal scored at CHS by a Leyva, with Derek’s tally added to the 45 and 24, respectively, of his cousins, brothers Abraham and Aram.

King’s fought back, literally, with its big bruiser “barreling through our players” while knocking in a header off of a corner kick in the 12th minute.

The Knights added to their rally, taking the lead on a give-and-go play, in which their striker, who Wood favorably compared to Will Bruin of the Sounders, slapped a shot just to the side of Coupeville goalie Dewitt Cole.

Coupeville played the final 18 minutes of the first half, and the entire 40-minute second half down a player, but its defense held up magnificently.

Cole and his back-line mates stood tall, while the Wolves continued to push the ball on King’s side of the field.

“We were able to hold them off for the rest of the game,” Nelson said. “And even had a few good attempts on goal.”

Wood agreed, praising “great saves by Dewitt all the way to the final whistle” and a defense anchored by Sam Wynn, who had an “especially fine effort, tracking everyone and everything.”

Derek Leyva, Teo Keilwitz, and Sage Downes brought the heat up front, but, despite their best efforts, the tying goal would not find its way into the net.

While they wanted a win, Coupeville’s coaches departed the pitch pleased with much of what they saw.

“All heart playing a man down for 60 minutes,” Wood said. “All strength from the back line. All focus from the mids and forwards.

“Really happy with their play and passion,” he added. “Lots to work on, but they’re coming together and understanding what is required.”

Tuesday’s game kicked off a four-game run of league games for the Wolves.

After Friday’s home tilt with the Turks (0-0, 0-4), Coupeville hits the road for games at Cedar Park Christian (Mar. 26) and South Whidbey (Mar. 29).

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Uncannily unstoppable, undeniably undefeated

March 19, 2019 by David Svien

Nezi Keiper (in white, with ball) and the CMS 8th grade hoops squad went 9-0 this season. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The final performance? Impeccable.

Fighting through rampant illness, then enduring a bus trip to the wilds of Granite Falls Tuesday, the Coupeville Middle School girls basketball teams closed their seasons with a bang.

Two wins, one of which capped an undefeated season for a Wolf squad, and a narrow loss in the third game, was the order of the day.

How it played out:

 

8th grade varsity:

Granite came out swinging (literally), but was no match for the Wolves, who cruised home with a 44-26 win to seal the deal on a flawless 9-0 season.

As the game progressed, at least three Coupeville stars were left seeing … stars, as Alita Blouin took an elbow to the eye, Maddie Georges had her nose rearranged, and Gwen Gustafson was body-slammed to the floor.

That last melee drew a technical foul on the hosts, but all the bangs and bruises in the world were no match for the high-flying Wolves.

Blouin, living up to her nickname of “The Assassin,” rained down unholy pain on Granite, torching the joint for a season-high 15 points.

The slash-and-destroy guard scored in every quarter, tossing in five field goals, ruffling the nets for a pair of free-throws, then stabbing Granite through the heart with a three-ball.

Coupeville is far from a one-woman team, however, with its top four scorers finishing within nine points of each other this season.

Tuesday, while Blouin was slashing to the hoop and popping from outside, Coupeville’s dominant post players, Carolyn Lhamon and Nezi Keiper, were the perfect complement, throwing down 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Up 10-7 at the first break, with four players already in the scoring column, the Wolves steadily built the lead from there.

With coach Alex Evans pulling all the right strings, and every player on the floor attacking relentlessly, CMS surged to a 23-12 lead at the half, before shoving the margin out to 35-19 heading into the fourth.

Seven of the 10 players to see action scored, led by the trio in double figures.

Georges, Gustafson, Ryanne Knoblich, and Jill Prince rounded out the attack, with a bucket apiece, while Hayley Fielder, Jordyn Rogers, and Jessenia Camarena also saw floor time.

 

7th grade varsity:

The only loss of the day, but a nail-biter until the end.

“We were always just right there; just needed one more minute!,” said CMS coach Megan Smith. “But proud of the way the girls played.”

The 24-19 loss drops Coupeville’s final record to 2-8, but that’s a bit deceptive.

Smith’s top two scoring threats, Brionna Blouin and Lauren Marrs, only played together six times during the 10-game schedule, as illness had other plans for the Wolf duo.

Tuesday was one of those six games, and they proved how potent they can be when they get a chance to work together.

Marrs went off for a game-high 13, scoring in every quarter and netting a three-ball, while Blouin returned from sick leave to bank in six points in support.

The game was knotted 8-8 after the first quarter, with Marrs having already scored in every possible way, hitting a trey, a field goal, and a free-throw.

The offense slowed down a bit in the second quarter, with Granite holding a 6-2 advantage, and that would prove to be a killer for the Wolves.

The two teams battled almost evenly across the final 14 minutes of the season, but the Tigers stretched the lead ever so slightly with a 6-5 third frame, before the teams closed with a 4-4 stalemate in the final quarter.

Smith got quality floor time for every one in uniform, with Jackie Contreras, Reese Wilkinson, Allison Nastali, Erica McGrath, Kaitlyn Leavell, Desi Ramirez, Skylar Parker, and Kayla Arnold chipping in with defense and hustle.

 

8th grade JV:

Someone check what Jessenia Camarena had for breakfast, because she was unstoppable.

Pouring in a season-high nine points in just two quarters, the defensive dynamo transformed into an offensive whirlwind, pacing Coupeville to an 11-8 win.

The victory, which comes after the  JV had to sit out back-to-back games, thanks to other schools battling their own spring cold and flu season, lifts the Wolves final record to 3-5.

While she got a bit of help from Claire Mayne, who slipped through the Granite defense for a first-quarter bucket, this was Camarena’s game, from start to finish.

She tossed in two buckets to go with Mayne’s basket, as CMS built a 6-2 lead after one quarter of action.

Not content to stop there, Camarena knocked down another field goal, and a three-ball, to account for all of Coupeville’s scoring in the second, and final, frame.

Setting her up for the offensive explosion were her teammates, who harassed the Granite ball-handlers and hit the boards with intensity.

Karyme Castro, Abigail Ramirez, Mercedes Kalwies-Anderson, Adrian Burrows, Prince, Rogers, McGrath, and Contreras rounded out the active roster.

 

Final scoring totals for the 2019 season:

 

8th varsity:

Carolyn Lhamon – 71
Alita Blouin – 65
Nezi Keiper – 63
Maddie Georges – 62
Gwen Gustafson – 25
Ryanne Knoblich – 16
Hayley Fiedler – 10
Jill Prince – 6
Trinity McGee – 2
Jordyn Rogers – 2

 

7th varsity:

Brionna Blouin – 74
Lauren Marrs – 62
Desi Ramirez – 17
Reese Wilkinson – 8
Erica McGrath – 6
Kayla Arnold – 2
Ava Mitten – 2
Allison Nastali – 2
Skylar Parker – 2

 

8th JV:

Jessenia Camarena – 17
Trinity McGee – 11
Claire Mayne – 10
Mercedes Kalwies-Anderson – 9
Adrian Burrows – 8
Cristina McGrath – 8
Ryanne Knoblich – 6
Karyme Castro – 4
Melanie Navarro – 4
Jill Prince – 3
Jordyn Rogers – 3

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Wolf baseball falls in league opener

March 18, 2019 by David Svien

Gavin Knoblich, here bunting during practice, had one of Coupeville’s two hits Monday night. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The first league game is officially in the books.

And while it didn’t go the way the Coupeville High School baseball squad might have liked, the Wolves will get an almost immediate rematch.

With the creation of the North Sound Conference, CHS and its foes have adopted a style of play similar to what MLB and college teams do – play actual series, and not just a game here, a game a month later against conference rivals.

So, while Monday night’s 10-0 loss in five innings to Cedar Park Christian under the lights at Marymoor Park in Redmond stings, the Wolves get to bounce back Wednesday and host the Eagles.

That game starts at 4 PM on the prairie, then the two squads clash a third and final time Friday back in Redmond.

A young, rebuilding Coupeville team, now 0-1 in league play, 0-3 overall, is facing the King Kong of the NSC right out of the gate.

CPC finished 4th at the 1A state tourney in 2018, and 2nd a season before that.

The Eagles have power pitching, and power hitting, to spare, and they showed it Monday night.

Cedar Park hurlers whiffed nine Wolves, while having to deal with only three CHS runners across five innings of play.

Coupeville’s best opportunity came in the top of the first, when freshman Hawthorne Wolfe ripped a one-out double, then stole third.

He never made it home, however, as Cedar Park blunted any hopes of an early rally, escaping the inning on a fly-out and a strikeout.

The only other hit the Wolves had on the night came in the top of the second, as Gavin Knoblich whacked a lead-off single.

Unfortunately, the junior catcher died a quick death on the base-paths, as did Wolfe when he reached on an error in the fourth inning.

Coupeville threw three pitchers against CPC, with Dane Lucero doing most of the work.

He tossed four innings, including a scoreless first, before giving way to the tag-team of Jonny Carlson and Knoblich to finish the game.

Cedar Park’s big inning came in the second, when it broke a scoreless tie thanks to a couple walks, an error, and a huge three-run triple off of the bat of its #8 hitter, London Conard.

Up 4-0 after that blow, the Eagles added two runs in the third, three more in the fourth, then brought an early end to the game by pushing across a run to start the fifth, invoking the ten-run mercy rule.

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One family, one big milestone

March 18, 2019 by David Svien

Abraham Leyva scored 45 goals in three seasons while playing for the Coupeville High School boys soccer program. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

After tossing in four scores Saturday at Nooksack, Derek Leyva has 30 career goals.

Aram Leyva has five goals through four games as a junior, and 24 career tallies.

They’re one swing of the foot away from history.

The Leyva clan — Abraham, who graduated in 2016, and current juniors Aram and Derek — are the best goal-scorers Coupeville High School boys soccer has ever had.

And now, as Aram and Derek prepare to play King’s at home Tuesday night (6:00 PM) in their league opener, the family is just a single score shy of its 100th goal.

Abraham exited with a school-record 45 goals, having played for the Wolves from 2014-2016.

His cousin, Derek, made his debut on the CHS pitch in 2018, and is coming up fast behind Abraham, having rattled the net for 30 goals.

Not to be forgotten, Aram, who is Abraham’s younger brother, has peppered in 24 scores between 2017 and the two goals he scored Saturday at Nooksack.

That puts the Leyva’s 1-2-3 on the CHS career scoring chart, with William Nelson (20 goals) and Ethan Spark (17), who both graduated in 2018, rounding out the top five.

Combined, the Leyva trio have 99 goals, and should only go higher with Derek and Aram still having at least nine more games to play during the current season.

Over the years, the three snipers have combined to score at least one goal against 20 schools, with Chimacum, Forks, Port Townsend, Nooksack Valley, and Vashon Island their favorite targets.

As the family races towards that 100th goal, here’s a look at how the three booters have piled up their stats.

 

Abraham:

2014 (sophomore) – 11 goals
2015 (junior) – 14
2016 (senior) – 20

 

Most goals in one game:

(4) – twice against Chimacum, once against Forks

 

Hat tricks (three or more goals in one game):

(5) – three times against Chimacum, twice against Forks

 

Playoff goals:

(1) – against Charles Wright Academy

 

Goals vs. schools:

Chimacum (13)
Forks (9)
Friday Harbor (4)
Granite Falls (4)
Cascade Christian (3)
Charles Wright Academy (2)
King’s (2)
Bellevue Christian (1)
Klahowya (1)
Lakewood (1)
Port Townsend (1)
Sequim (1)
South Whidbey (1)
Sultan (1)
Vashon Island (1)

 

Derek:

2018 (sophomore) – 24 goals
2019 (junior) – 6 and counting

 

Most goals in one game:

(4) – once against Chimacum, once against Nooksack Valley

 

Hat tricks (three or more goals in one game):

(4) – Once against Chimacum, Nooksack Valley, Port Townsend, and Vashon Island

 

Playoff goals:

(3) – all against Vashon Island

 

Goals vs. schools:

Chimacum (6)
Port Townsend (6)
Nooksack Valley (4)
Vashon Island (3)
Klahowya (2)
North Mason (2)
Olympic (2)
Sequim (2)
Forks (1)
Mount Baker (1)
Port Angeles (1)

 

Aram:

2017 (freshman) – 6 goals
2018 (sophomore) – 13
2018 (junior) – 5 and counting

 

Most goals in one game:

(3) – twice against Chimacum

 

Hat tricks (three goals in one game):

(2) – twice against Chimacum

 

Playoff goals:

(2) – one score against Bellevue Christian, one against Vashon Island

 

Goals vs. schools:

Chimacum (13)
Nooksack Valley (2)
North Mason (2)
Port Townsend (2)
Bellevue Christian (1)
Forks (1)
Klahowya (1)
Olympic (1)
Vashon Island (1)

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Coupeville brothers dazzle on college baseball diamond

March 17, 2019 by David Svien

College baseball players CJ (left) and Hunter Smith hang out with the true star of the family, lil’ sis Scout. (Charlotte Young photo)

The Smith boys are settling into the college baseball life.

After playing four games over the weekend, the Green River College baseball squad, and their Coupeville stars, are coming up fast on the quarter mark of the season.

The Gators have hit a bit of a downward spiral in recent days, dropping their last five to slide to 3-6 on the season, nine games into a 38-game schedule.

But two of the bright points for Green River have been CHS grads CJ and Hunter Smith.

The former is the team’s top relief ace, while the latter is spending his days starting at second base or shortstop.

CJ has appeared in four games, recording his team’s only save and posting a 1.93 ERA.

That’s the lowest number for any Gator pitcher with more than one appearance.

The older of the Smith brothers has thrown 4.2 innings, faced 22 batters, given up just one earned run, whiffed two and plunked another two.

Hunter has started in eight of nine games, racking up three hits, including a triple, while walking four times, scoring four times, and collecting three RBI.

In the field, he has 17 put-outs and a team-high 16 assists.

While the brothers are separated by two years, they are both in their freshmen season at Green River.

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