Coupeville Sports

Shake it off, move on!!

May 4, 2018 by David Svien

Freshman Mollie Bailey had two hits Friday against 2A Lakewood. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“We stepped out of our weight class tonight and we learned some valuable lessons.”

Coupeville High School softball coach Kevin McGranahan was philosophical after watching his squad get clubbed 20-5 Friday by visiting Lakewood.

While the non-conference loss to a large 2A school drops the Wolves to 11-5 on the season, it could actually benefit Coupeville in the long run.

As CHS preps for the district tourney, getting the chance to face off with dynamic, successful teams like Lakewood (which is 13-4) will harden them for the job ahead.

“We played a good team that is offensively sound,” McGranahan said. “We didn’t play our best defense, but, in our defense, they did hit the ball hard.

“They were a good team and we may have lost even if we played error-free, but, if you give a good team a few cracks they will exploit it,” he added. “The bright spot, and it is what I hope the team takes away from this game, is how we kept trying to battle back.”

Trailing 10-0 headed to the bottom of the third, Coupeville rallied to score four in the frame, then came back to get a final run in the fifth.

Both successes were set up by strong play from freshmen like Chelsea Prescott, Mollie Bailey and Coral Caveness, which bodes extremely well for the future.

“A lopsided loss like this hurts,” McGranahan admitted. “But I hope we can bounce back and realize that this loss, though it hurts, will make us a better team for districts.”

Coupeville has two more regular-season games to go, at home May 9 against 2A Sequim and on the road May 11 at 2A Port Angeles.

After that, the Olympic League champs head to Lacey May 18-19 for the West Central District 3 tourney, from which two of four teams advance to state.

While the Wolves couldn’t keep up with the booming bats of Lakewood Friday, the Wolves did chip away for nine hits.

Bailey (1B, 2B) led the way, while Scout Smith also whacked a double.

Caveness, Lauren Rose, Katrina McGranahan, Chelsea Prescott, Veronica Crownover and Hope Lodell added singles.

Posted in Softball | Tagged 1A vs. 2A, CHS Wolves, Katrina McGranahan, Lakewood, Softball | Leave a Comment »

Eat, drink, help Brisa!!

May 4, 2018 by David Svien

Coupeville High School senior Brisa Herrera is being treated for cancer. The restaurant where she works is holding a fundraiser for her Saturday. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Brisa Herrera was a battler on the basketball court, and she’s a battler off the hardwood as well.

The Coupeville High School senior is being treated for cancer, and Ciao, the local restaurant she works at, is holding a fundraiser for her tomorrow, Saturday, May 5.

Restaurant owner Mark Laska has pledged the day’s income to benefit “our cherished busser extraordinaire.”

Herrera’s sister and mother also work at Ciao.

The restaurant, located at 701 N. Main, is open from 11 AM-8 PM Saturday’s.

The day’s events, which will feature “Paco’s Tacos,” will also include the band Amigos Nobles playing from 1:30-3:30.

Posted in Fundraisers | Tagged Brisa Herrera, cancer, CHS Wolves, Ciao, fundraiser | Leave a Comment »

Fill up the stat sheet!!

May 4, 2018 by David Svien

CHS senior first-baseman Julian Welling is among team leaders in multiple offensive categories. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Everything is clicking.

Stellar pitching, timely hitting, slick defense – it all adds up and has propelled the Coupeville High School baseball squad to a 14-4 record.

Coming off their second Olympic League title in a three-year span, the Wolves head to Tacoma Tuesday to begin the double-elimination district tourney.

Two wins in three games, and Coupeville is state-bound for the first time since 2014.

As you prepare your very soul for the start of the playoffs, a quick look at season-to-date stats for the streaking Wolves, who closed the regular season with 11 wins in their final 12 games.

Hitting:

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

D. Lucero	60	7	17	4			9	15	.283	.371
G. Knoblich	35	9	6				6	4	.171	.310
H. Smith	57	21	27	5	5		6	25	.474	.556
J. Zettle	4	1	1				2	1	.250	.500
J. Hoagland	49	14	10	2	2		11	10	.286	.415
J. Pease	38	7	9				8	5	.237	.383
J. Lippo	58	20	21	2	1		15	9	.362	.493
J. Welling	32	10	14	3			11	19	.438	.612
K. Rockwell	46	6	8	1			9	7	.174	.345
M. Hilborn	57	25	22	3			14	17	.386	.533
N. Etzell	35	11	8	3			8	3	.229	.372
J. Vidoni		1					1			1.000
S. Losey	5	2					2	1	.000	.444

Pitching:

Player	W/L	ERA	Gms	H	R	ER	BB	HBP	K	IP	WHIP

D. Lucero	4-1	3.42	7	28	24	14	16	1	23	28.2	1.536
D. Olson	0-0	0.00	1						1	0.1	0.000
H. Smith	7-1	0.69	8	28	10	5	4		61	51.0	0.627
J. Lippo	0-1	10.50	1		1	1	2	1		0.2	3.000
J. Welling	1-0	3.50	1	3	2	1				2.0	1.500
M. Hilborn	2-1	2.33	7	28	15	10	15	4	32	30.0	1.433
N. Etzell	0-0	9.54	4	3	5	5	2	2	4	3.2	1.364

Posted in Baseball | Tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Dane Lucero, Joey Lippo, season stats | Leave a Comment »

“The bats are starting to come alive!!”

May 4, 2018 by David Svien

Landon Roberts and the Central Whidbey Little League Majors baseball squad are flying high after back-to-back wins over Oak Harbor. (Stephanie Montgomery photo)

Our game, our Island.

Making a bid for Whidbey dominance, the Central Whidbey Little League Majors baseball squad swept a pair of games, played on two days at two different fields, from the Oak Harbor Mariners.

After escaping with a 7-6 win Tuesday at Windjammer Park, the Wolves came home to Rhodey Thursday and strolled to a 6-2 victory.

The sweep lifts CWLL to 4-3 on the still-young campaign.

“It’s been a good, tough season so far,” said Central coach Jon Roberts. “Learning a lot about the game of baseball and teaching it to 10-13 year-olds.

“We continue to make silly mental errors while playing rather good baseball,” he added. “The bats are starting to come alive as the boys learn to catch up with the faster pitchers.”

In the first match-up the Wolves rallied from a two-run deficit to nab the come-from-behind W.

Levi Pulliam and Landon Roberts shared pitching duties, combining for seven strikeouts and scattering four hits.

CWLL committed seven errors in the game, giving Oak Harbor hope, but the Wolf bats were strong enough to answer the call.

Peyton Caveness led the way, whacking a pair of singles and a double while scampering across home plate to score three times.

Chase Anderson collected three singles, Zane Oldenstandt crunched a huge double and Jack Porter and Landon Roberts each had a base-knock.

While CWLL struggled at times on defense, it came up huge in the game’s crucial moment.

Landon Roberts, patrolling center field for the first time, chased down a rip to right-center and heaved a dart to third to prevent an inside-the-park home run by Conner Cash.

“It turned out to be the difference between extra innings and a win,” said Jon Roberts, his very-relieved dad/coach.

While Tuesday was touch-and-go, Thursday was a beat-down.

Caveness opened with two shutout innings, whiffing four, before Anderson followed with a four-inning, eight-K performance.

CWLL took advantage of a ton of free passes (including several batters being plunked), while peppering in some crucial hits along the way.

Porter and Oldenstandt delivered singles, while Caveness tore the cover off the ball, smoking a single and a triple.

In a side note, Coupeville High School hardball star Dane Lucero, who provides the little league players with a glimpse of what they can one day accomplish, made his debut as an umpire.

He earned praise from Jon Roberts for quickly showing he would be an impartial judge.

“Dane did a great job and made a great call at second base when a Wolves player was tagged out in a throw from home with an emphatic OUT with the arm pump!!”

Posted in Baseball | Tagged baseball, Central Whidbey Little League, Dane Lucero, Jon Roberts, Landon Roberts | Leave a Comment »

“I will always have my memories!!”

May 3, 2018 by David Svien

Wolf seniors Sage Renninger (left) and Payton Aparicio have been doubles partners since day one. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Claire Mietus and her biggest supporter, mom Willow.

Kameryn St Onge played four years for tennis guru Ken Stange. In her Senior Night farewell she said “I will always have my memories and cherish them forever.”