Coupeville Sports

“Just so very proud!!”

July 24, 2018 by David Svien

Danny Conlisk and his fleet feet are in North Carolina this week for the National Junior Olympics. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Opening ceremonies went on Tuesday, despite rain and lightning. (Dawnelle Conlisk photos)

Conlisk (second from right) and his teammates celebrate reaching the big time.

There was a Wolf sighting Tuesday in North Carolina.

Coupeville High School senior Danny Conlisk is at the National Junior Olympic Track and Field Championships in Greensboro, and took part (for a while) in the rain-soaked opening ceremonies.

“It was dumping rain, and lightning had our crew jump out of the opening parade half way through,” said mom Dawnelle Conlisk. “Coach kicked them all out and back to their rooms.

“Not getting sick on his watch.”

Danny Conlisk, a four-time state meet participant (three track, one cross country), will compete in the 400.

Prelims are Friday and finals Sunday, with the top eight finishers earning All-American status.

He’s running with the Kitsap Fliers this summer.

Traveling cross country, running through airports, and seeing her once-shy son step into the spotlight has been a magical series of moments for mama.

“It was beyond emotional and I cried as I watched them walk the track,” Dawnelle Conlisk said. “Didn’t see that emotion coming.

“My face was so wet from the rain, thanks for the camouflage,” she added. “Just so very proud and excited for our boy.”

Posted in Track | Tagged CHS Wolves, Danny Conlisk, Junior Olympics, track and field, USATF | Leave a Comment »

Still in it, still wanna win it!!

July 24, 2018 by David Svien

Daniel Olson and the Coupeville Babe Ruth baseball squad are in Portland this week, playing in the 15U regional tourney. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Stop, take a breath and then get back at it.

After a close opening game Monday, the Coupeville Babe Ruth baseball squad was roughed up Tuesday at the 15U regional tourney in Oregon.

The Wolves, who almost pulled off a wild come-back win before falling 9-5 to Calgary, were blasted 17-1 by host Portland.

Coupeville has a bye day Wednesday, then wraps up pool play with games Thursday against South Washington and Friday against Montana.

There are two five-team pools and the top two teams from each advance to the semifinals. The winner of the tourney is off to the World Series.

After finishing second at the state tourney, Coupeville got an unexpected chance to advance to regionals after state champ Columbia Basin bowed out at the last second.

While the Wolves didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning of their opener against Calgary, they used solid pitching and defense to keep the game close.

The two teams were knotted at zero until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Canadians scratched out a pair of runs.

The bottom fell out for a moment in the fifth, as Calgary put together three extra-base hits to slap five runs on the board, running its lead to 7-0.

Coupeville, which got its first hit when Johnny Carlson slapped a two-out single in the fifth, finally came alive in the sixth.

Peppering four hits (base-knocks courtesy Scott Hilborn, Hawthorne Wolfe, Andrew Score and Chelsea Prescott) and collecting four walks (thanks to the eagle-eyed Daniel Olson, Gavin Knoblich, Carlson and Xavier Murdy), the Wolves put up five runs of their own.

Calgary escaped the inning, though, and added two runs in the bottom of the sixth to stretch the lead back out.

Olson, who struck out three in five innings on the hill, whacked a one-out single in the top of the seventh, but that was it for offensive fireworks.

Game two? The less said probably the better, as Portland crunched 13 hits, while Coupeville had a solitary base-knock.

It was a big one, though, as Score drilled a two-out RBI triple in the top of the fifth and final inning, plating Olson, who had walked and stolen second.

Coupeville’s only other base-runner was Cody Roberts, who eked out a third-inning walk.

As the Wolves prep for the second half of pool play, they sit at 17-4 on the season.

Posted in Baseball | Tagged Andrew Score, Babe Ruth, baseball, Coupeville, regionals | Leave a Comment »

Lippo, Bombers go on a run in the sun!!

July 24, 2018 by David Svien

CHS grad Joey Lippo and his select baseball team won five of six games at an 18-team Arizona tourney. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The weather was hot in Arizona, but Joey Lippo was hotter.

Paced by their speedy lead-off hitter, the Seattle Bombers 18U select baseball squad won five of six games, claiming second-place at the 5th annual World Series West.

There were 18 teams, repping multiple states, in the Upperclass Division of the tourney in Scottsdale, and it took five days before any of them could upend the Coupeville grad and his summer compatriots.

The Bombers won a game a day from July 20-23, finishing first in pool play and earning a bye into the semifinals of the tourney.

After opening with a 9-7 win Friday over Edge White, Lippo and Co. blanked the Los Al Cage Rats 5-0 Saturday, then pulled off the win of the tourney Sunday morning.

Facing off with Batters Box 18U Navy, the Bombers went into extra innings tied 3-3.

At which point it was Lippo time, as the former Wolf launched a game-busting RBI double in the top of the eighth.

The blow sparked a five-run rally, which turned out to be a good thing, as Bombers pitching gave back three runs in the bottom half of the inning before escaping with an 8-6 win.

With a bye at stake, the Bombers won a battle of unbeaten teams Monday, knocking off Colorado Baseball Academy 7-0.

Lippo pilfered two bases to spark the offense, while Bombers hurler Eric Anderson tossed a no-hitter to seal the deal on a perfect 4-0 run through pool play.

The tourney came to an end Tuesday, with the Bombers knocking off the Aggie Scout Team 4-2 in the semis, before they were toppled 7-3 in the championship game by the Central Valley Marlins.

The Marlins, who did not have a bye coming in to the playoffs, had to win three games Tuesday to take home the trophy to Fresno, CA, and they did just that.

The tourney’s #1 team in ERA, strikeouts, RBI and hits won a pair of elimination games in romps (15-0 and 12-2) before jumping on the Bombers for four runs in the first inning.

Lippo went down swinging, rapping out a pair of hits to pace the Bombers in the title game.

For the tourney, he recorded six hits, four runs and two RBI, while reaching base just about every way possible.

That including being plunked, taking advantage of both fielding errors and catcher’s interference and using his torrid toes to out-race a dropped third strike.

Lippo was spotless on defense while roaming center field for the Bombers, including sprinting into left at one point to snag a ball his teammate lost in the sun.

He also is returning home without suffering heat stroke (we think), despite the weather being a balmy 100 degrees on the “coolest” day, before soaring Tuesday to a brain-frying 116 (in the shade).

Posted in Baseball | Tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Joey Lippo, Seattle Bombers | Leave a Comment »

Back in the saddle again!!

July 24, 2018 by David Svien

Megan Thorn and her trusty steed, Rebel, are state bound after tearing up the Island County Fair. (Photo courtesy Thorn)

On a horse, with reigns in hand? That young woman is unbeatable.

Working in perfect tandem with her horse, Rebel, Coupeville’s Megan Thorn ruled the Island County Fair and is now bound for state.

The duo, who compete in poles, figure eight, two barrel flags, international flag, key pole, and Texas barrels, set the pace and never looked back.

Hurtling across the course with fire in their eyes, Thorn and Rebel earned gaming high point, beating all competitors in Western Gaming.

Now, the CHS junior and her trusty steed will compete at the state fair in Puyallup Sept. 13-16.

Thorn, who is also a member of the Wolf girls soccer squad, will be joined at state by Ashley Casey, who home schools in Coupeville.

Posted in Horse sports | Tagged barrel racing, CHS Wolves, horse sports, Island County Fair, Megan Thorn, state | Leave a Comment »

Follow Marisa Etzell Down Under!!

July 23, 2018 by David Svien

Former Coupeville High School track and soccer star Marisa Etzell is studying abroad in Australia. (Photo by Dawn Spilsbury Pucci)

Four down, three to go.

Former Coupeville High School athletic supernova Marisa Etzell, she of the fleet feet on the track oval and soccer pitch, is out to conquer every continent.

Etzell, currently a junior at Pacific Lutheran University, is spending a chunk of time in Australia, operating as a student abroad.

As she enjoys her time Down Under and experiences continent #4 on her check list, she’s documenting her adventures on a blog.

Want to keep up to date with one of the most talented, selfless, remarkable young women on the planet?

Of course you do.

So, here you go, a handy, dandy link to Marisa’s words and pics, as they arrive by carrier pigeon from the land of Crocodile Dundee.

Well … I’ve just been informed that’s not how the internet works at all. Apparently no carrier pigeons, just a bunch of tubes and … what, still not right?

Maybe just ignore me, and pop over here:

https://studyabroad.arcadia.edu/blogs/student-bloggers/author/marisa-etzell/

Posted in soccer, Track, travel | Tagged Australia, blogs, CHS Wolves, Marisa Etzell, Pacific Lutheran University, Soccer, Study abroad, Track | Leave a Comment »