Coupeville Sports

Still faster than you and me!!

May 16, 2016 by David Svien

Tyler King, breakin’ ankles and hearts.

Tyler King is getting older, but he hasn’t slowed down.

The Coupeville High School grad, now a senior at the University of Washington, is almost at the end of his college running career, but he continues to churn out top times.

Over the weekend, he finished third in the 10,000 and 13th in the 5,000 while running for the Huskies at the Pac-12 Championships in Seattle.

King tore through the shorter race in 14:07.06, finishing in the top third of a 39-man field, then kicked it into another gear in the longer race.

Covering 10,000 meters in 29:09.15, he picked up six points for the U-Dub, helping the Husky men match the best showing in program history.

Washington finished second, behind only Oregon, which won its ninth straight mens’ team title, and the 122 points piled up were the most ever by a UW mens’ squad.

The only other time the Huskies had finished in second came back in 1976, when the league was the Pac-8.

The Washington women finished fourth, which tied a mark set three times prior (1995, 1996, 1998).

The Huskies are off to Lawrence, Kansas for the NCAA West Regionals May 26-28, then compete in the NCAA outdoor championships June 8-11.

Posted in Track, Wolves in college | Tagged 10000, Huskies, Pac-12, track and field, Tyler King, U-Dub | Leave a Comment »

Clickin’ in the rain!!

May 15, 2016 by David Svien

Ignoring the rain drops, Connor Thompson gets positively medieval with his shot put. (John Fisken photos)

Allison Wenzel gives her braid a pep talk before the duo teams up to zip around the track oval.

Ariah Bepler slices through the weather, on his way to somewhere a little drier.

Having taken the hand-off from Madison Rixe, speedy Wolf Lauren Bayne prepares to launch the booster rockets hidden in her shoes.

Rain or shine, there’s always time for a group pic.

Guarding the safety of the baton with both hands, Danny Conlisk seeks to finish what Jared Helmstadter began.

Mckenzie Meyer (and her awesome socks) get dramatic with partner in crime Rixe.

The only moment all afternoon when rival runners were even in the same frame with speed demon Makana Stone. Seriously.

Dalton Martin dances the PR dance, launching the discus 161 feet, seven inches — three feet and two inches better than his previous top mark.

Through sun or rain, the cameraman is always there.

While the weather flip-flopped all day Saturday for the Coupeville High School track and field team as it competed at sub-districts in Bremerton, the show still went on.

Wanderin’ photo clicker John Fisken stayed warm by bouncing all around the stadium, seeking out photos both action-packed and intimate.

The nine snazzy pics above are courtesy him.

To see more, and possibly purchase some, thereby helping fund college scholarships for CHS student/athletes, pop over to:

Girls — http://www.olympicleague.com/index.php?act=view_gallery&gallery=11517&league=21&page_name=photo_store&school=0&sport=0

Boys — http://www.olympicleague.com/index.php?act=view_gallery&gallery=11513&league=21&page_name=photo_store&school=0&sport=0

Posted in Track | Tagged Allison Wenzel, CHS Wolves, John Fisken photos, track and field | Leave a Comment »

It’s a long way to the top (but they made it)!!

May 15, 2016 by David Svien

Hall o’ Fame inductee Emily Burchfield is joined by Zane Bundy (top right), the ’91 CHS baseball squad and Abraham Leyva.

Perseverance. Class. Skill.

Pick your adjective and they all describe the athletes who make up the 47th class to be inducted into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

Possibly the two most dynamic booters in school history, a two-sport star who overcame a horrifying injury to excel and one of the best teams in Wolf lore, it’s as solid a bunch as they come.

With that, we welcome Emily Burchfield, Zane Bundy, Abraham Leyva and the 1991 Coupeville High School baseball squad to these hallowed digital walls.

After this, you’ll find them up at the top of the blog, living under the Legends tab with their brethren.

Our first inductee, the world-traveling, brilliant Burchfield, was a star on the soccer pitch and tennis court during her time at CHS.

She was also a superb triathlon competitor, and it was at one of those events where she was hit by a speeding car, shattering her back.

Burchfield amazed the doctors and all around her by not only fighting back in record time, but healing to the extent she was able to return to the hard-court and win a district singles title.

One of the most purely talented players to rep the red and black, Emily was also one of the strongest-willed, and her skills, on and off the athletic stage, are undeniable.

These days the former Science Olympiad world-beater is a college grad who is boppin’ around the globe, but her legend still looms large in the little town she sprang from.

Our next two inductees are about to go out and make their mark on the outside world, and it’s appropriate they go into the Hall together.

Bundy and Leyva, who will graduate in June, grew up on the soccer pitch, uniting to form the most potent scoring duo in CHS boys’ soccer history.

In his three years as a Wolf, Leyva set the regular season (20) and career (45) goal-scoring records, with a ton of those set up by his running mate.

Bundy, who had to battle back through injury, was equally explosive when he had the ball on his foot, and that carried over to the football field.

Playing for the first time as a senior, the little kid who once ran wild in the aisles at Videoville, led the Wolf gridiron squad in scoring this past fall.

He was one of the top field goal booters in the state, and his booming drives drew the eyes of college coaches.

In an unexpected detour, it’s football, not soccer, which Bundy will play at the next level, having signed with Santa Barbara City College.

Rounding out today’s class is the 1991 Wolf baseball squad, a team which won a league title, breaking a decade-long dry spell for the program.

Little did they know at the time it would then be 25 more years before Coupeville would again hoist a league title banner for baseball, a feat finally accomplished by the 2016 edition.

The ’91 squad, which featured several players who were key parts of the ’90 Wolf football squad which went undefeated, went on a rampage both with the bats and the arms.

Staff ace Brad Haslam tossed a no-hitter and recorded double digits in strike outs in two-thirds of his starts, while the Wolves rolled up a 145-79 advantage in runs scored over 19 games.

Four different CHS big boppers (Haslam, Frank Marti, Jason McFadyen and Matt Cross) hit legitimate home runs, as Coupeville featured a lineup that thrived on extra-base hits.

Carving up the Northwest B League to a 9-1 tune, the Wolves went 13-6, rolling along until hitting an unexpected bump in their opening playoff game.

One out away from a win over Winlock, Coupeville couldn’t put the game away, surrendering a lead in the seventh before eventually falling 16-13 in 10 innings.

While the loss put a sour taste in a lot of mouths at the time, the achievements of that Wolf team far overshadow a bad inning or two 25 years down the road.

One of the most dominant teams in school history, in any sport, the ’91 hardball squad officially comes home to reside where they have always belonged — the Hall o’ Fame.

Inducted as a team:

Mike Rice (coach)
Cory Smith (manager)
Eric Anderson
Shawn Ankney
Brian Barr
Troy Blouin
Todd Brown
Chris Cox
Jon Crimmins
Matt Cross
Keith Currier
Chris Frey
Brad Haslam
Frank Marti
Jason McFadyen
Jason McManigle
Jeremiah Prater
Jay Renaux
Ryan Samplawski
John Turner
Aaron Williams
Scott Wofford
Brian Wood
Scott Zustiak

Posted in Hall o' Fame | Tagged 1991, Abraham Leyva, baseball, CHS Wolves, Emily Burchfield, Hall of Fame, Soccer, Zane Bundy | Leave a Comment »

Utter domination!!

May 15, 2016 by David Svien

Danny Conlisk, seen here earlier this season, won the 800 at sub-districts Saturday, his first win as a high school runner. (John Fisken photo)

Sylvia Hurlburt, seen here with mom Kristin on a sunnier day than Saturday was, won three races Saturday and qualified for districts in a fourth.

Sylvia Hurlburt, here with mom Kristin on a sunnier day than Saturday, won three races Saturday and qualified for districts in a fourth.

Sylvia Hurlburt stalked the oval like a caged lioness, her eyes burning through anyone who dared to step into her path.

Then, a slight hidden smile, and the Coupeville High School senior dropped the hammer, taking the baton from close friend Makana Stone and hitting the jets to completely obliterate whatever small resistance still stood in the path of the Wolf 4 x 100 relay squad.

As Hurlburt blazed down the back stretch, ballet-trained legs churning, she romped across the finish line nearly two seconds ahead of her closest rival — an eternity in the event.

A solid punch to the solar plexus of anyone who dared to step to her and teammates Stone, Lauren Grove and Lindsey Roberts, it was the perfect stamp to a very impressive Saturday for the CHS track and field squad.

Competing head-to-head with their three 1A Olympic League rivals at the sub-district meet in Bremerton, the Wolves piled up 12 wins and 13 PRs while sending a wave of athletes on to next weekend’s district meet.

The final stop before the state tourney, districts, which pits the best of the Olympic League vs. the cream of the Nisqually League, will be May 20-21, back in Bremerton.

To get there, the Wolves had to claim a top three finish Saturday.

For those who finished fourth, a small flicker of hope will live on, until they find out if their time or distance was better than the fifth-place finisher from the Nisqually League meet.

Demonstrating depth across the board, Coupeville tied Klahowya 77-77 for the 1A girls title, edging out Port Townsend (76) and Chimacum (24).

The Wolf boys finished second, narrowly nipped 82-78 by Klahowya in a case of what-could-have-been.

Port Townsend (65) and Chimacum (38) rounded out the team scores.

The question mark comes from two injuries suffered early in the meet.

Lathom Kelley and Gabe Eck both claimed PRs in the long jump, but tweaked things while jumping in hazy rain conditions and sat out the rest of the meet.

Those who did stay on their feet had huge days, topped by Dalton Martin, who shattered PRs in the shot put, discus and javelin by a combined total of nearly 10 feet.

His wins in the shot put and discus were matched by victories from Danny Conlisk (800), Jordan Ford (pole vault), Mitchell Carroll (triple jump), Stone (400, 800), Hurlburt (200), Roberts (long jump) and both the 4 x 1 and 4 x 2 girls relay squads.

The Wolves netted 32 district qualifiers, and may kick that up to 35 after the Olympic and Nisqually League compare sub-districts results.

A preliminary scan of Athletic.net seems to indicate Jared Helmstadter (400) and Eck (long jump) will slide through, as their fourth-place marks Saturday trump the #5 result posted in the Nisqually League.

Wolf frosh Chris Battaglia, who went 4-10 in the high jump to finish fourth, has the exact same mark as that put up by Zach Douglass of Bellevue Christian, fifth in the Nisqually League.

How that tie will be decided is unknown.

Complete CHS results:

GIRLS:

100 — Sylvia Hurlburt (3rd) 13.43; Ashlie Shank (7th) 14.44 *PR*

200 — Hurlburt (1st) 27.50; Lauren Grove (2nd) 27.75; Shank (7th) 30.39 *PR*; Madison Rixe (8th) 30.71

400 — Makana Stone (1st) 1:00.34

800 — Stone (1st) 2:31.03

100 hurdles — Lindsey Roberts (2nd) 16.84 *PR*

300 hurdles — Mckenzie Meyer (3rd) 55.75; Allison Wenzel (5th) 1:00.79

4 x 100 relay — Grove, Roberts, Stone, Hurlburt (1st) 51.25

4 x 200 relay — Grove, Roberts, Hurlburt, Stone (1st) 1:47.39

4 x 400 relay — Wenzel, Rixe, Lauren Bayne, Meyer (3rd) 5:01.69

Shot put — Skyler Lawrence (1st) 31-05; Alexxis Otto (6th) 26-02

Discus — Wenzel (4th) 74-02; Otto (6th) 72-03

Javelin — Naika Hallam (2nd) 82-11; Wenzel (3rd) 81-08; Bayne (4th) 76-01; Abby Parker (5th) 75-11

High Jump — Bayne (3rd) 4-02

Long Jump — Roberts (1st) 15-01.75 *PR*; Grove (3rd) 14-04.25

BOYS:

100 — Jacob Smith (3rd) 11.51 *PR*

200 — Smith (3rd) 23.68; Jared Helmstadter (8th) 25.01

400 — Helmstadter (4th) 55.28

800 — Danny Conlisk (1st) 2:15.86

1600 — Henry Wynn (2nd) 5:03.64 *PR*; Conlisk (3rd) 5:06.15

3200 — Wynn (5th) 12:12.59; Jakobi Baumann (7th) 12:34.27 *PR*

110 hurdles — Ariah Bepler (5th) 21.31 *PR*

300 hurdles — Bepler (5th) 50.76

4 × 400 — Smith, Wynn, Helmstadter, Conlisk (3rd) 3:46.35

Shot Put — Dalton Martin (1st) 45-09.50 *PR*; Connor Thompson (8th) 33-10

Discus — D. Martin (1st) 161-07 *PR*; Chris Battaglia (6th) 90-07

Javelin — D. Martin (2nd) 135-11 *PR*; Mitchell Losey (3rd) 122-02; Grey Rische (4th) 119-05; Battaglia (7th) 108-08

High Jump — Jordan Ford (2nd) 5-02; Thompson (3rd) 5-00; Battaglia (4th) 4-10

Pole Vault — Ford (1st) 12-0

Long Jump — Lathom Kelley (2nd) 19-09.75 *PR*; Gabe Eck (4th) 18-08.50 *PR*; Jacob Martin (5th) 18-03.50; Mitchell Carroll (7th) 17-07.50; Ryan Griggs (8th) 17-05.00

Triple Jump — Carroll (1st) 39-08; Thompson (3rd) 35-06.75; Bepler (6th) 32-00

Posted in Track | Tagged CHS Wolves, postseason, PR's, sub-districts, Sylvia Hurlburt, track and field | Leave a Comment »

Big-time win for Wolf grad!!

May 14, 2016 by David Svien

Former Cascade Conference MVP turned college hurler Ben Etzell. (Photo property of Saint John’s University baseball)

Big Ben came up big time in the spotlight.

Coupeville High School grad Ben Etzell got the start and the win Saturday as the Saint John’s University baseball squad crushed Saint Mary’s 11-4 to win its second consecutive Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference tournament title.

The Johnnies, now 28-12 on the season, advance to the NCAA D-III tourney May 18-21.

It’s the fifth time in school history they’ve punched their ticket to the big dance.

Etzell, a sophomore, got the ball and went 5.1 innings Saturday, striking out three and scattering nine hits.

With a little help from freshman reliever Jake Dickmeyer, who closed out the game for his first college save, Etzell improved to 3-1.

He’s struck out 36 batters over 41.2 innings of work this season, after going 1-0 with two saves as a freshman.

The Johnnies gave their hurler a lot of support Saturday, rapping out 13 hits and taking advantage of five Saint Mary’s errors.

Last year Saint John’s had to come back through the losers bracket to win the MIAC tourney, while this year they took the easier route, sweeping all three games they played.

Posted in Baseball, Wolves in college | Tagged baseball, Ben Etzell, MIAC, NCAA-DIII, Saint John's University | Leave a Comment »

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