Coupeville Sports

Harriers shine in the rain during summer finale

August 24, 2024 by David Svien

Rain didn’t dampen the mood of Coupeville cross country runners. (Photos courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)

Bad weather never bothered them anyway.

Dodging steady rain Saturday, Coupeville cross country runners put up strong performances at the Lake Padden Relays.

The event, hosted by the Greater Bellingham Running Club, consists of relays in which four runners zip around the lake, covering 2.59 miles apiece.

While the calendar said August, the weather looked like October.

“The rain didn’t stop until the last runner crossed the line,” said CHS cross country guru Elizabeth Bitting.

“Mother Nature preparing us for a possibly wet and cold cross country season???”

Coupeville sent out two middle school squads, which finished second and third in their age divisions, as well as three high school quartets and a pack of coaches/parents.

The program leaders claimed fourth, while the high school boys earned a second-place finish.

The Wolf high school girls nabbed a second and third, with Aleera Kent and Mikayla Wagner doing double duty, running a leg with both squads.

“They were IMPRESSIVE!” said Bitting, who, even as she warms up from the late-summer freeze-fest, is more than ready for the start of the school season this coming Monday.

Posted in Cross Country | Tagged CHS Wolves, cross country, Elizabeth Bitting, Lake Padden Relays, Noelle Western | Leave a Comment »

Can netters swing for a rebirth?

August 24, 2024 by David Svien

One basket of balls for each season of high school tennis I played back in the day at Tumwater. Who wants to relaunch the sport in Cow Town? (Starla Seal photo)

There are brand new tennis courts next to the Coupeville High School gym, but it remains questionable when they will be used by a Wolf team.

The CHS girls, who played an all road-trip season this past spring while the courts were built, will be ready to claim the area in 2025.

But Coupeville boys could go first this fall … if they can get some players.

There is currently one player signed up with the start of fall sports practices set for Monday, and the program needs more like a minimum of six to be viable.

CMS 8th graders are eligible to play for the high school team, which could help if middle schoolers seize the chance to play.

Be brave and get rewarded! You’re not going to be sitting on the bench, that’s for sure.

The CHS boys’ tennis program has been AWOL since 2019, when Coupeville and South Whidbey competed in the Emerald City League against a bunch of ultra-rich Seattle private schools.

After that, the netters got shut down by the pandemic, then hurt by the school’s reclassification from 1A to 2B.

Boys’ soccer, which is played in the spring in 1A, competes in the fall in 2B, creating a logjam with football, tennis, and cross country also competing for male athletes.

Coupeville was the only school in its current home — the seven-team Northwest 2B/1B League — to try and field four male sports programs in the same season.

Someone was going to lose the numbers battle, and so far, it’s been tennis.

While the program has been shuttered through the past four seasons, new CHS tennis coaches Tim Stelling and Starla Seal, who made their debut with the girls in the spring, still have hopes of relaunching things.

Now, it’s just a question of whether potential players show up starting Monday.

Posted in Boys Tennis | Tagged Boys Tennis, CHS Wolves, layoff, Starla Seal, Timothy Stelling | Leave a Comment »

Wolf grads honor influential teaching duo

August 23, 2024 by David Svien

CHS Class of 1974 grads gather for their reunion. (Photos courtesy Jennifer Henning)

They’re pushing hard for the finish line, and you can help.

The Coupeville High School Class of 1974 celebrated its 50th reunion recently, and a fundraiser in honor of former teachers Jim and Linda Hosek is booming.

The drive, which is scheduled to wrap up Aug. 31, has raised more than $5,300 so far.

The plan is to issue a $2,000 scholarship honoring the Hoseks to a graduating member of the CHS Class of 2025, with the remaining money being dispersed by the Community Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools through its Promise Fund.

Jim and Linda Hosek

“The response has been humbling,” said Jennifer (Toth) Henning, a ’74 grad who has helped spearhead the fundraiser. “We want to finish strong.”

The Hoseks, who taught and coached for many years in the local community, both at Coupeville High School and Skagit Valley College, were hugely influential on their students.

For more on that, pop over to:

Class of ’74 honors its mentors

Or try:

Hail a hardball legend

To donate and help the ’74ers honor the Hoseks and all they did for Coupeville, pop over to:

https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause_pdetails/MjExNzky

Posted in Fundraisers | Tagged CHS Wolves, Class of 1974, Community Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools, fundraiser, Jim Hosek, Linda Hosek | Leave a Comment »

CHS girls’ soccer needs you!

August 22, 2024 by David Svien

Wolf soccer coach Kimberly Kisch is fighting to keep her program alive. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

This is a key moment in time for girls’ soccer at Coupeville High School.

With the first day of practice arriving this coming Monday, Aug. 26, the Wolves have eight players signed up but need at least five more to be able to field a full team.

Last year, Coupeville broke a 19-year run when it was unable to pull together a complete roster for a girls’ team.

Several female booters played with the CHS boys’ team, which would be an option again, if necessary, but it’s not the first choice for Wolf coaches.

One potential huge help for soccer is that 8th graders are eligible to play varsity high school sports where there is a need.

Other fall sports in Coupeville such as cross country and volleyball have middle school programs, and neither CHS program is short on girls.

But soccer is not played at the middle school, making the sport a perfect gateway for any CMS 8th grade girl looking to get an extra year of playing time.

As she preps for the start of practice, Wolf girls’ soccer coach Kimberly Kisch is ready for any option.

“We have a fantastic group of girls rostered,” she said. “Many of them live and breathe soccer.

“No matter how the season ends up, (boys’ coach) Rob (Wood) and I will be vigilant in making sure it is an enjoyable experience for anyone playing Coupeville soccer.”

Posted in Girls Soccer | Tagged CHS Wolves, first day of practice, Girls Soccer, Kimberly Kisch | Leave a Comment »